The controversial Scarborough Hospital in Tobago, which was supposed to be completed in 2005, will cost the taxpayer $500 million, more than three times the cost of the original estimate of $135 million and is now expected to be completed by the end of May, 2010.Health Minister Jerry Narace made the disclosure in Tobago Thursday, noting that the half billion price tag would be inclusive of all the medical equipment for the hospital.
Narace was speaking after a tour of the construction site with with Prime Minister Patrick Manning and senior Tobago House of Assembly officials.
"This contract is near $500 million with the equipment and that is the fixed equipment...It will not exceed another US$2 million or US$3 million," Narace said.
Last year Narace told the House of Representatives that China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) had won a $241.3 million contract to complete the construction of the hospital and had submitted a tender for $236.3 million in respect of the supply of medical and other equipment.
That figure plus the $241 million gave a total of $477.3 million.
Manning confirmed that the Chinese company would be responsible for supplying and maintaining the facilty "for quite some time".
The original contract to build the Scarborough hospital was given to Northern Hemisphere International (Caribbean) Ltd (NHIC).
The project became the subject of a national scandal over allegations that Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley had wrongfully removed materials from the hospital site to a private housing development in Tobago, owned by his wife, Sharon.
Rowley was eventually cleared of all charges and won a landmark ruling against the Integrity Commission, which forced the entire commission to quit.
Read the story: T&T Integrity Commissioners quit
No comments:
Post a Comment