The Tribune

AS THE Princess Margaret Hospital continues to be dogged by a host of issues including leaking roofs, rodent infestations, chronic supply shortages, and repeated delays in opening its new accident and emergency department, the former Minnis administration has been accused of rejecting a $5 million investment offer to tranform the children’s wards from Disney’s Global Team of Heroes children’s hospital initiative.

The offer came after the then president of Disney Cruise Line toured then Cruise Line toured the crumbling, dilapidated PMH in 2019.

But the proposed $5m investment was never accepted by the Minnis administration, a decision former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands describes as a “significant loss” for the Bahamian people.

Former deputy managing director of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Lyrone Burrows confirmed that an offer valued at around $5m was presented for a full renovation and outfitting of the paediatric wards in Disney’s signature creative style, with the company’s Imagineering team having full design and management control of the project.

Mr Burrows said his understanding was that then prime minister Dr Hubert Minnis rejected the proposal, possibly due to concerns that accepting it could create the appearance of a conflict, as negotiations were ongoing for Disney’s Lighthouse Point development in Eleuthera.

“It would have covered the full renovation and outfitting, and it would be like a Disney-style,” Mr Burrows said.

“The only caveat was that they would have design control and management of the project. It was presented as far as I’m aware, and my understanding is that at the time then-prime minister Hubert Minnis rejected the offer.

“I don’t have any idea about the reasons for it. I know that Disney’s Lighthouse Point project was being negotiated at that time, so perhaps there was concern about it appearing to be a conflict or potential payoff to get the island approved.”

Mr Burrows argued that international developers should be encouraged — or even required — to make direct community investments as part of large-scale projects.

The proposal was supported by correspondence between the PHA board and Disney executives and was championed by then PHA deputy chairman

Robert Dupuch-Carron, who presented the initiative to Disney outlining the hospital’s critical, urgent needs and the opportunity for an entity that derives billions of dollars in revenue from the islands to rebuild its children’s facilities, as it has done in many other countries.

A May 2019 letter from Tribune President Mr Dupuch-Carron to Disney Cruise Line president Jeff Vahle thanked the company for touring PMH and exploring ways to “reinvent patient and family experiences”.

The documents and renderings highlighted collapsed wards, high mortality rates and the hospital’s struggle to recover from storm damage, framing the potential partnership as a way to “transform the delivery of public healthcare” in The Bahamas.

While Dr Sands declined to discuss Cabinet deliberations, the former health minister confirmed that the proposed contribution “never came to fruition”, despite months of discussions, site visits and preliminary design work.

“It never came to fruition, and that was a significant loss to PMH, the Public Hospitals Authority and the people of The Bahamas,” Dr Sands said.

According to Dr Sands, the paediatric wing sustained serious damage during Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and was partially closed at the time of the offer.

Mr Dupuch-Carron stated: “It’s a disgrace that my son and the loved ones of dozens of other parents have had such prejudicial outcomes due to the conduct of a select few.

“And no one – I repeat, no one, has ever explained to me why this didn’t happen.

“I view it as my greatest failing that I couldn’t get this across the line. Will somebody, please, just tell me why it didn’t happen.”

Dr Sands confirmed that all paediatric wards at PMH — with the exception of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) — remain shuttered nearly a decade after the hurricane.

Disney has made similar philanthropic investments worldwide, including $5m to Texas Children’s Hospital, $10m to London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital and $4.1m to the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital.

The company’s $100m global commitment to children’s healthcare has supported immersive, child- friendly environments that integrate storytelling, technology and therapeutic design.

Disney Cruise Line did not provide comment when contacted by The Tribune.