HANOVER, Jamaica – A group of placard-bearing protestors organised by the People’s National Party (PNP) in Hanover staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the Hanover Health Services – Noel Holmes Hospital and Hanover Health Department – this morning as the party intensifies its call for Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to resign over the recent deaths of 11 babies due to bacteria infection at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH).

Following the revelation last week that the babies died of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, the leadership of Dr Tufton, who had admitted that he was made aware of the outbreak but did not publicly disclose the information, has come in for questioning.

The deaths occurred between July and September of this year.

“Tufton must go. Jamaica people fed up with Andrew Holness and his team,” stated Councillor Caretaker for the Lucea division, Neville ‘Bibby’ Humphrey.

Meanwhile, a former Government MP and Speaker of the House Pearnel Charles Sr, had reportedly stated that calls for the minister to go is a form of disrespect after all he and the PM had done for the country, Humphrey did not share that sentiment.

“I am not ashamed. Tufton did a fairly good job during the pandemic. Now, he must go. He failed,” insisted Humphrey during the demonstration on Wednesday.

Humphrey was among a group of approximately 20 placard-bearing protestors who called for the minister to resign.

One placard read, “Tufton the PM and the Country in the dark about the dead babies. Tufton needs to be fired.”

“Another read, “Tufton, you had information about the dead babies for months. What else are you holding from your PM and the Jamaican people?”

Also written on one card was, “We want justice for the parents of the dead babies. Tufton, do the honourable thing and resign.”

Anthony Lewis