Dear Editor,

Do the citizens of Westmoreland remember that in October 2018, when the Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie addressed them, ‘selling’ the importance of local government, he made a promise to you?

Do you remember, talking about the hospital, he said: “We are in the stage now of constructing a brand new matron’s quarters… We are also now considering the building of a brand new ward to replace the old one, so as to improve the capacity at the facility.”

It is now over a year. Did the hospital get the brand new matron’s quarters he promised or brand new ward to replace the old one?

I don’t want to rub salt in your wounds, but I told you to be wary of promises made by any politician.

Too often politicians make outlandish promises that they know they cannot keep, or have no intention of keeping. They continue to make them because no one will question or take them to task. Worse, we the people — most of us anyway — have the usual nine-day memory span.

I crave the assistance of the media to ask Minister McKenzie what happened to the promises he made to the people of Westmoreland. Did anything happen to advance the plan? What stage is the brand new matron’s quarters? Is there even still any consideration for building a brand new ward to replace the old one?

Authnel S Reid

reidaut@icloud.com