Health Minister Patrice Minors announced the preferred site for a new hospital. She said a ten-acre site in the Botanical Gardens had been selected as the most viable option for a replacement hospital.

The announcement sparked an Island-wide campaign to save the Botanical Gardens from development. Consultants had concluded the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital would reach the end of its useful life in 2013.

To replace the hospital Government proposed building a new $500 million hospital over the next seven years on a portion of the Botanical Gardens.

According to the Health Minister it would cost an extra $100 million to rebuild the hospital on its current site.

Making the announcement she said: "There was a collective decision (by Cabinet), there was a lively discussion, but we have ultimately made this decision."

In an immediate response, National Trust director Stephen Conway said the decision-making process made Government's "much vaunted sustainable development initiative" appear a complete charade.

He added: "We do not accept that the Botanical Gardens and the hundreds of acres of protected land under the National Park system should be viewed as an exploitable resource.

"Government should lead by example and practice what it preaches regarding public input on the largest project in decades, anything else presents the sustainable development process as a complete charade."

UBP Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons said: "The wolf has dropped its sheep's clothing. Government has demonstrated yet again this sustainable development plan is a charade and nothing else. They have no real concern about protecting our open spaces and natural resources.

"I am told Cabinet overturned the decision of the Environment Minister. They have made a cost-based decision."

The Government proposal would see the new hospital built at the Botanical Gardens and, once completed, the old hospital would be demolished and that area would be returned to the Botanical Gardens.

But there was an outcry amongst the public at the thought of losing one-third of the Gardens. A campaign and petition was launched by the Save the Gardens group and thousands of signatures were collected. A "Green Day" was also organised where people were asked to wear something green to show their support for saving the Gardens. The call met with support from Dockyard to St. George's and even Johnny Barnes joined in wearing suitably coloured clothing as he waved to traffic from his spot at the Foot of the Lane roundabout outside Hamilton.

Premier Alex Scott made a public statement that, in view of the public reaction, the decision was not irreversible. But soon both he and Mrs.Minors were no longer Cabinet ministers following the election of Dr. Ewart Brown to leader of the country.

Within two months of the initial decision, newly appointed Health Minister Nelson Bascome announced Government was no longer seeking to build on the Gardens and had asked consultants to re-examine the options.

A decision on where the new hospital will be built has yet to be confirmed by Government.