Opposition queries latest plans for Morgan’s Point
The One Bermuda Alliance has asked if a design for medical tourism at the Morgan’s Point site got the seal of approval from a government-owned company created in 2022 to oversee the site.
Michael Fahy, the Shadow Minister of Housing and Municipalities, and Home Affairs, also questioned what had become of hopes to repurpose the failed hotel project into a residential development along with a restaurant and retail complex, as announced in the 2024-25 Budget statement.
He said: “There are so many unanswered questions, so we assume more information will be forthcoming and will look for the memorandum of understanding to be tabled in the House of Assembly.”
The Government unveiled its MoU with the firm Medical Concepts Consulting Management last Thursday.
David Burt, the Premier and Minister of Finance, said the planned “world-class” healthcare facility would create a medical tourism centre and boost tourism overall.
He added: “It will not compete with, but instead enhance, local healthcare access for Bermuda and its residents.
“The development of this new facility will also create hundreds of jobs during construction and hundreds more once operational in medicine, science, diagnostics, hospitality, technical trades and support services.”
Mr Fahy highlighted that Mr Burt had declared the work at Morgan’s Point as one of three major projects that would help to bolster employment in construction.
He questioned how the medical tourism facility would tie into the Premier’s earlier announced plans and if the retail development park had been “put on the back burner”.
The Opposition MP referenced remarks from Mr Burt in February 2024 that groundwork had been readied over the course of a year to start a development that would “immediately add high-end housing stock to the country as support for the significant demand from our growing international business sector”.
Mr Burt further stated that the extra rental capacity generated by finishing the project’s partially constructed buildings was “the best way to begin to reclaim value at the site, with the lowest execution risk”.
During this time, he said that the Government was “working to finalise the Morgan’s Point Development Company Board” as well as discussing financing for the first phase of the project with banks.
The concept would have delivered 35 housing units from the completion of five buildings that were partially built at Morgan’s Point before the previous project ran out of financing.
Mr Fahy said: “There has been little said about this since then.
“In the meantime, the board has been finalised and in March of this year, MP Zane DeSilva was designated as the minister responsible for the company.”
Robin Tucker, the Shadow Minister of Health, claimed last week that the timing and focus of the Government’s MoU signing for a medical tourism facility raised concern “especially in view of the realities at the hospital and broader issues across our healthcare sector”.
She noted that the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital faced ongoing challenges such as “insufficient patient beds, staffing shortages, long wait times in the emergency department and patients lined up in the emergency room hallways”.
Ms Tucker said: “If fully realised, medical tourism has potential economic benefit for the island, but it is incumbent upon this Progressive Labour Party government to protect the interest of Bermudians to ensure that if this initiative becomes a reality, while delivering premier healthcare services to international patients, that every day Bermudians also have access to these top tier healthcare services and are not relegated to second place in their own country.”
Mr Fahy questioned if the MoU had been approved by the Morgan’s Point Development Company Board.
He asked how much land would be used for the facility and if it would be built on leased or purchased land.
Mr Fahy claimed it was “interesting” that Mr DeSilva, who is the Deputy Premier and Minister of Housing and Municipalities, was absent from the press conference when the MoU was announced.
He also noted there was no appearance by Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport, adding: “So just what is going on?”
The Government was asked for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.
You must be Registered or to post comment or to vote.
