KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Leader Andrew Holness says Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s short statement in Parliament Tuesday was “grossly insufficient”, and that it did very little to comfort those who lost their babies as a result of the bacteria outbreak or give the nation any assurance that corrective measures will be implemented to address the challenges confronting the public health system.   

In a media release Wednesday, Holness said that the prime minister’s “poor and insensitive” handling of the unravelling dead babies scandal, highlights a trend and fundamental shortcoming in her leadership.  

He added that whenever Simpson Miller is confronted with situations that require her to act in the national interest instead of her political party, she chooses to protect political affiliates rather than protect the citizenry.  

Holness said: “The Office of the Prime Minister is the custodian of public trust and confidence.  With a series of fatal failures, the public is rapidly losing confidence in the public health-care system.”

He added that to restore confidence the prime minister should relieve the minister of his duty, release the report of the audit into the public health system, and adequately fund and fast-track the PAHO recommendations aimed at addressing the existing gaps.

“I believe it is very important that the public is made aware of the exact state of our health-care system and we are now preparing to get the report under the Access to Information Act,” Holness said.