Yvonne Baboolal
Media questions on the status of the Couva Children’s Hospital at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference were dismissed by Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie as “Opposition questions,” which he did not intend to answer.
“I generally try not to respond to calls from Opposition members,” Cuffie told a journalist, apparently implying it was the Opposition who called there with the question.
“When people ask questions about what the Opposition is saying, I don’t respond. I try to keep with Government business. I am here about Government business,” he said.
Cuffie, who seemed not pleased with the question on the Children’s Hospital, added: “They (the Opposition) really want to sidetrack us.”
The question on the update on the Children’s Hospital came in the midst of calls from former health minister, Dr Fuad Khan, to “commence utilisation of the complex.”
The state of the art hospital was completed by the last People’s Partnership administration just before the September 7 general election but to date has not been opened by the PNM Government.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh earlier said the hospital was yet to be commissioned and handed over and could not be utilised until that was done.
Khan, has been making several public calls, including on the UNC’s Facebook page, for the hospital to be opened.
In a previous T&T Guardian article, he even threatened to fast on the steps of the hospital until it was opened.
Khan said within recent times a growing number of patients had been complaining of not receiving beds while awaiting treatment at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and the San Fernando General Hospital.
“This is occurring at the same time the Sangre Grande Hospital has ceased its operations due to repair works being undertaken at that facility.
“As such, it is now imperative that the Minister of Health commences utilisation of the complex for immediate use by citizens to alleviate the burden being placed on other institutions,” Khan said in his release on the UNC’s Facebook page.
He said the hospital was outfitted with 150 beds and state of the art medical equipment and machinery.
“Despite assurances by Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and Dr Keith Rowley that this facility will not be left abandoned, to date, there has been no official word from either of them on when the Government intends to commence operations at this hospital,” Khan stated.
He added an increase in patients in Accident and Emergency wards was expected for the Carnival season due to the level of alcohol consumption and revelry that took place. (Trinidad Guardian0
