The original article can be found in: Antigua Observer By Theresa Gordon
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The man at the helm of the controversy-plagued multi-million dollar Cancer Centre of the Eastern Caribbean (CCEC) has been replaced.
Professor Arthur Porter is no longer leading the charge on the EC $13.5 million facility to be established in Antigua & Barbuda. The news came via a statement issued to media on Monday.
It said, “In light of Global Health Partners’ co-principal Hon Prof Arthur Porter’s recently diagnosed advanced lung cancer, and media reports related to concerns in Canada, Dr Porter has graciously suggested the transfer of the chairmanship of TCCEC to Dr Conville Brown.”
The development comes a week after Canadian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Porter and four others in connection with a massive fraud operation involving the construction of a multi-billion dollar university hospital.
The statement also revealed that work on the cancer centre has resumed after a string of delays.
Newly appointed Dr Brown said construction and management contracts were executed this past weekend by himself and architect and construction manager of OBM Limited Brian D’Ornellas.According to Browne, Dr Porter, like himself, feels that the OECS Cancer Centre is bigger than any one individual or country as it will serve the people of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the greater Caribbean Community (Caricom).
D’Ornellas said excavation had begun on the site located below Mount St John’s Medical Centre.
The construction manager said the contractors are building a foundation on which the pre-fab, pre-engineered building from overseas will sit.
“We will also be carrying out site work, which includes parking lots, fencing and installing services such as electricity and water,” he said.
The work is expected to span a 10-week period and employ about 20 workers.
Ground was broken on the facility on April 26, 2012 at a ceremony attended by Dr Porter, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, OECS Secretariat Director-General Dr Len Ishmael and other stakeholders.
The state-of-the-art oncology centre was due to be completed before the end of 2012.
