Dear Editor,

The $23-million scandal that unfolded at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) is not merely a financial irregularity, it is a profound breach of public trust — one that strikes at the very heart of what a national health institution is supposed to represent.

The latest reports confirm that a publicly funded hospital used its tax-exempt status to import goods on behalf of private companies, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue to the Government. Worse still, the hospital itself is now expected to pay those taxes and penalties, meaning the ultimate burden will fall on Jamaican taxpayers.

This is not a minor administrative error. It is a systemic failure. When a hospital — an institution entrusted with saving lives — becomes entangled in arrangements that appear to benefit private interests, something has gone fundamentally wrong. The public does not expect perfection from its institutions, but it does expect honesty, accountability, and integrity. Those expectations have clearly been violated.

What makes this situation even more unacceptable is the context. Jamaica’s public health system is already under enormous pressure: patients wait for hours to be treated, equipment is often outdated, staff are overworked and under-resourced, and we just had the Cuban specialists sent back home after a 50-year bilateral agreement came to an end. At a time when every dollar should be strengthening patient care, millions were apparently lost through decisions that cannot even be properly explained.

The most disturbing aspect is the silence. UHWI officials admitted before Parliament that they could not say why the practice occurred. “What can go so?” How can such a serious breach happen in a major national institution without clear accountability? Who authorised the imports? Who benefited? And why did it continue long enough to cost the country millions?

This behaviour must not be normalised. It must not be excused as a “system failure” or dismissed as a “technical breach”. When public institutions are used — directly or indirectly — to help private entities avoid paying taxes, the consequences go far beyond money. It erodes public confidence, weakens national institutions, and sends a dangerous message that accountability is optional.

Jamaica deserves better. The country’s only teaching hospital should be a symbol of excellence, professionalism, and integrity. Instead, it is now at the centre of a scandal that raises serious questions about governance and responsibility.

The investigations now under way by the Integrity Commission, Jamaica Customs Agency, and the police must not end in vague conclusions or quiet administrative reshuffling. The public deserves full transparency. If individuals were responsible, they must be held accountable. If systems failed, they must be fixed immediately.

This is not simply about millions of dollars, it is about trust. And trust, once broken, cannot be restored with excuses; it can only be restored with truth and accountability.

Oneil Madden

maddenoniel@yahoo.com