KINGSTON, Jamaica–Opposition spokesman on Health and Wellness Dr Alfred Dawes is calling for an independent inquiry into the death of a baby at Cornwall Regional Hospital on Good Friday.

“This tragedy is the direct consequence of nine years of neglect and a culture of no accountability from Minister [Christopher] Tufton,” Dawes said in a press release. “His consistent pattern of denying involvement and deflecting blame must end. The unfinished corridors of Cornwall Regional Hospital are monuments to this Government’s failed leadership. Jamaica deserves action not another PR moment.”

Dawes expressed profound sorrow for the mother of the baby, 33-year-old first time mother Shandale Ballentine.

READ: Cornwall Regional Hospital conducting review after death of baby delivered at hospital

“No mother should ever suffer what Ms. Ballentine has endured. And no Jamaican should suffer because a minister refuses to lead,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dawes argued that the death of the newborn is not an isolated incident, but an inevitable consequence of sustained institutional failure under this administration.

“Minister Tufton has been at the helm of Jamaica’s health system for a decade” said Dawes. “He cannot separate himself from its failures. Accountability is not optional for those who seek power; it is the price of leadership.”