FALMOUTH, Trelawny – Health Minister Horace Dalley says the $248.8-million upgrading work to be carried out at Falmouth Hospital is neither an effort to garner votes for his ruling People’s National Party (PNP) in the upcoming general elections nor only to facilitate next year’s Cricket World Cup.

Dalley said the ministry could lease a ‘combat hospital’, similar to the type used by the US army in Bagdad, Iraq for US$1.2 million to be used during the two months that the cricket tournament. But he said the “investment of $248 million in Falmouth is not just for visitors it is for the people of Jamaica”.

Said the minister: “Let me say at the outset that while Cricket World Cup might have influenced us coming here today it is not Cricket World Cup that caused us to have commissioned and have the money to carry out all this work here at Falmouth that’s not because of Cricket World Cup. We are not spending any pre-election money. We are doing things that must be done.”

At the same time, the health minister, who was speaking at Wednesday’s contract signing for the upgrading of the Falmouth Hospital, said the major renovation planned for the facility was a part of government’s programme to upgrade all major health facilities.

“We are not just working on Falmouth. We have a plan that we are working on which is to bring the medical services of Jamaica to first class standards,” he said.

“In 2006 there is no reason why the Jamaica health services should be like that of a war torn country,” he added.

Dalley also announced plans for a major expansion at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, which would increase the number of beds at the intensive care unit from two to seven. Additionally, all the windows at that facility are to be changed and the building painted during the month of December.

The $248.8 million upgrading at the Falmouth Hospital was awarded to four contractors.

One of the contracts, valued at $34-million, was signed by Asphaltic Concrete Enterprises Limited. The work will entail the rehabilitation of the driveways, drainage, fencing and landscaping of the hospital.

Meanwhile, D T Brown Construction Limited will undertake work for the modification and expansion of the accident and emergency departments. The contract for that job is $71 million.