Report on Hospital for Cabinet’s Attention.
GOVERNMENT will shortly be perusing the technical audit on St. Jude Hospital as a copy of the report will soon be in the hands of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Economic Development Minister, Guy Joseph Wednesday told reporters that the audit has now been completed.
He said he will not speculate on the content of the report in case his comments prejudice any court action that might arise from it.
Joseph is one of the most vociferous critics of the cost associated with the hospital which four months ago he estimated needs another $50 million to complete on top of the $95 million already spent.
He blames the previous administration for the delay in the hospital’s completion and the high cost associated with it claiming that the project, under the previous government, was highly mismanaged and with secrecy.
The Minister said the audit report was supposed to be in his hands that same day. The report will also be presented to Cabinet.
“Once that is completed we will be able to disclose how much we can give to the public and how much to the Attorney General’s office for the next step to take in moving forward with the St. Jude’s matter,” Joseph said.
A certain section of the hospital was razed by fire in September 2009 forcing its relocation to the nearby George Odlum Stadium, which it still occupies.
Repairs began on the burnt out section of the hospital the following year, however this shortly gave way to the construction of a new hospital costing millions of dollars.
The former St. Lucia Labour Party government argued that when the United Workers Party administration left office in 2011 it did not leave a clear way forward for the hospital repairs and that many challenging negotiations had to be entered into and new funding sought by the incoming government since the original scope of work was inadequate.
Joseph in the past hinted of person/s being held accountable for the state of the hospital. He said this week that if there’s a need to prosecute anyone in connection with the financial state of the hospital then his government will do so.
Work on the hospital was stopped several months ago, pending the audit.
While I understand a persons dislike for a particular politician, party or policy, is an inalienable right that is reserved to everyone. I have been observing the obscenities, that have been directed towards individuals, on the pages of online news media feeds in Saint Lucia. It is something that should be stopped. I urge media houses to incorporate censorship particularly with reference to use of obscenity.