The Jamaican Government on Tuesday (January 16) officially broke ground on the long-awaited infrastructural upgrades under the Health Systems Strengthening Programme, beginning with the modernisation of the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine.
The contract, signed by Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, signals a new shift in primary healthcare across Jamaica.
In his keynote address, Holness noted that past governments deviated from the right path of managing the economy which would increase the productivity of the people and in turn create greater human capital development.
“It has taken us decades to recover from that [economic shocks such as global oil and commodity price increases; FINSAC] but because we have built the economy on strong footing, putting in the necessary fiscal buffers and making sure that we manage expenditure, we have been able to reduce our debt and reduce our debt servicing so that we have more money to spend on the things that matter to you. Today is a perfect example of what a good business delivers for its citizens.”
The prime minister argued that to build more hospitals, better roads and other important infrastructure, there must be more personal productivity paired with good fiscal management of the economy to generate revenue.
In the meantime, Holness said the government is focused on the mission to create prosperity by improving peace and productivity, thereby creating a virtuous cycle.
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