Anticipated to positively impact the delivery of health care, the 12-storey, 540-bed Port of Spain Central Block was expected to be delivered in July this year. However, a tour of the health facility on Friday morning painted a different picture.
Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John, accompanied by Minister of Health Dr. Lackram Bodoe, Minister in the Ministry of Health Dr. Rishad Seecheran, and staff of the project managers, the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), invited members of the media to tour the facility.
Minister John told reporters that the block is far from finished.
“I’m being told it’s 90% complete but I’ve done these things over the course of my career. I wouldn’t say it’s 90% complete. I wish it was. I will allow UDeCOTT to correct the information and to really say what percentage is complete. But we will not unreasonably delay the opening of this hospital. We can’t, because the people need it.”
The Minister confirmed that work on the facility continued apace despite the change in government.
She said the people of Trinidad and Tobago need and deserve world-class health care facilities, and with a price tag of just over a billion dollars attached, she said the government cannot be irresponsible with taxpayers’ money.
“They deserve the best medical care. And that is what infrastructure—whether it’s Couva, Point Fortin, Arima, this one—will represent hopefully in the long run, if we really bring on the beds, we commission well, we operationalise well, and there’s a vision for excellent health care for our people.”
The facility will include state-of-the-art radiology, laboratory, surgical, and critical care units, and will have the ability to house patients needing intensive and high-dependency care.
Minister Bodoe shared Minister John’s evaluation of the state of readiness of the facility, commenting that “there’s still a long way to go” to house patients.
“No matter if you have beds and so on, without the proper medical equipment, diagnostic and laboratory services and so on, you will not be able to treat patients. So, as Minister John stated, our government is all about working for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and we anxiously await the day when this hospital will be fully open and operational to benefit all of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”
UDeCOTT has given March 26th 2026 as the deadline for completion.
The previous Port of Spain General Hospital Central Block was challenged by infrastructure and congestion issues, with Cabinet approving its replacement by note in 2017.
The Official Commemoration Ceremony for the achievement of the practical completion of the construction of the PoSGH Central Block was held in March this year.