PPP sees Specialty Hospital decision as vindication

Nov 13, 2015 News

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–    Govt. reminds nation of “reckless moves”

By Abena Rockcliffe
The recent announcement that Government will be moving to complete the Specialty Hospital is being viewed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as vindication that it was heading in the right direction in seeking to execute the

project.
However, that view is definitely not being shared by the government. In fact, the government thinks it is absurd that the PPP will view this as vindication.
Yesterday, the Opposition held a press conference chaired by Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, with shadow Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, by her side.
The two, especially Dr. Anthony, spoke extensively on health and health-related issues facing the nation.
Among the topics, was the Specialty Hospital, a project which the PPP is claiming was “deliberately and spitefully” stalled by the opposition. The PPP is of the opinion that the fact that the government, while in opposition, was pushing to stall the project, but is looking to get it underway now, is proof that the PPP knew why it was pushing ahead for its execution.
Teixeira noted that the PPP “from the beginning” faced a host of criticisms from the then APNU+AFC Opposition. She said that effectively, the combined Opposition stymied the plans to build the hospital which set the project back by a number of years.
Teixeira said, “The PPP/C has been vindicated, in that we have now lost two years thanks to the behaviour of the APNU+AFC in the Opposition. It was stymied deliberately, obstructed deliberately in the last Parliament, and now they come back to the same point that we started with in 2012.”
Teixeira told the media that the Government now has a responsibility to come clean about its reasons for initially opposing the project, notwithstanding the allegations of corruption.
“The APNU+AFC has to answer what really was the tactic behind the obstruction of the specialty hospital….they now need to say to the Guyanese public why have they done an about turn,” she stated.
Dr. Anthony stated that in addition to explaining the change of mind on the project, the Administration also needs to state clearly where the funds are coming from. He also listed a number of questions that he says need to be answered.
“We would like to know: how much the hospital will now cost? What are the services that would be offered?  How is it going to be staffed? Have they (government) signed an agreement with the Indian government? If not, when will this be signed? And what is the projected timeline for the completion?”
He noted that the government will use money remaining from what was previously allocated for the specialty hospital to upgrade the Suddie, West Demerara and Bartica Hospitals.
In this regard, Dr. Anthony asked, “Can we get details on what would be done at each of these hospitals and the associated costs as well as the timelines?”
He said that those questions and others are “crying out for answers.”
Soon after that press conference was over, government released a statement saying that its decision to go ahead with the hospital does not vindicate the PPP.
Government sought to remind Guyana that “it was the PPP, despite the vehement protestations of the then Combined APNU and AFC opposition, which concluded and forced through a shady deal with Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL). This deal cost the Guyanese taxpayers over $900M, which represents the amount that the dubious SECL drew down before disappearing”.
The government said that its renegotiation of the contract with the Government of India has not vindicated the PPP but rather has further indicted the PPP for “signing off a major project with this highly questionable company against whom a high court judgment was given to the tune of $902,192,483.”
Government said that the credit for the new extended package of the construction of a specialty hospital along with the upgrade of three major medical institutions – Suddie Hospital, Bartica Hospital and the West Demerara Regional Hospital – ought to be given specifically to the Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton and his team.
“No amount of verbal machinations by Ms Teixeira can deny or mask this. The Government is confident that the public will see this lame scheme by Ms. Teixeira for what it is.”
The Government committed that consistent with its policy, these newly negotiated projects will be executed with the highest level of transparency.
“It is unquestionable that when completed these significant health sector projects will redound to the direct benefit of residents in regions 2, 3 and 7 who will receive vastly improved primary health care in addition to all Guyanese who will receive specialized care at the specialty hospital.”

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