MOVES to potentially scrap the approved plan for Jersey’s future hospital at Overdale ‘makes a mockery of our democratic process’, the former political lead for the project has said.
Deputy Lyndon Farnham, who held political responsibility for the Our Hospital Project during his previous term of office, described the news as ‘hugely disappointing, probably expensive, but not surprising’.
He also questioned the objectivity of the recently announced review of the project being carried out by Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet, who was formerly a member of the Friends of Our New Hospital campaign group.
Mr Binet has previously levelled criticism at the Overdale plans – including labelling the site selection process as ‘flawed’ – but has said he will remain unbiased in his approach to the review.
Deputy Farnham said: ‘The Chief Minister has always been clear that she was opposed to the project, and this allegedly independent review is being carried out by one of its biggest critics.
‘Any moves to delay the hospital project will not serve Islanders’ interests – when is it going to stop?
‘The States Assembly democratically agreed the location, the access and the budget and all of the plans were subject to proper scrutiny and debate, so I would hope any changes would come back before the Assembly.’
He said that further delays would ‘only lead to additional expense’ and compromise the health service’s ability to ‘deliver the high standard of medical care that Islanders deserve’.
He added: ‘It makes a mockery of our democratic process for the new government to come in and start halting major projects.’
‘The dual-site option was previously considered but the clinical preference has always been for a single-site solution for financial and logistically sound reasons,’ he added.
