PM: Couva Hospital is an option

He made this disclosure at a news. conference at Tower D of the Portof-. Spain International Waterfront. Centre, following a three hour. meeting with Opposition Leader. Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Prime Minister reminded. reporters that Government has. been advised that the central block. of the city hospitalis structurally. unsound and unsafe and likely to. collapse in the event of an earthquake.

He said Cabinet recently. took a decision to demolish the. central block and construct a new. building in its place.

Rowley said this would result. in the loss of 400 beds which is,. “of great concern to the national. community and the Government.”. While Government is hoping to. enter into a public private partnership. to run the Couva Hospital,. Rowley said, “Unfortunately the. response has not been very encouraging.”. Noting the area of coverage. provided by the city hospital. the Prime Minister said as Government. examines how to address the. resulting bed shortage, “the new. hospital in Couva will have to be. factored in how we treat with that. development.” Rowley said he assured. Persad-Bissessar that the. non-opening of the hospital was. not the result of any government. policy.

The hospital was constructed. under Persad-Bissessar’s former. administration but never commissioned. before the September 7,. 2015 general elections. On internal. self governance for Tobago, Rowley. said there needed to be a clear. understanding of what that entails.

He said Persad-Bissessar agreed. that a committee of the House of. Representatives would receive. documents which already exist on. Tobago self governance and this. would involve some element of. public consultation Rowley said. Persad-Bissessar agreed with him. that the time had come to legislate. on campaign finance reform as. well.

He said this matter would be put. before the Law Reform Commission.

Rowley said in his discussions. with Persad-Bissessar on a. Code of Conduct for parliamentarians,. there was agreement that. the Clerk of the House could see. if the Commonwealth Parliamentary. Association can assist in this. exercise. The draft code of conduct. covers issues such as no improper. enrichment, opposition to corruption. and use of confidential information.

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