The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas government said it is seeking “urgent clarification” from the United States over what it called an “unusual” public intervention against its Chinese-backed hospital project, days after breaking ground on the $285.25m facility in New Providence.

“The record will show that there are no unresolved or unaddressed matters connected to this agreement,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday. “All associated documents have been tabled in the Parliament of The Bahamas.”

The response followed pointed remarks from US Ambassador Herschel Walker, who questioned the financing structure and raised concerns about sovereignty.

“We are disappointed to see this project move forward so quickly when fundamental concerns about the terms of the deal remain unaddressed,” Mr Walker said.

“I question the decision to rush forward with a deal that places the hospital financing under Chinese law and jurisdiction on Bahamian soil.

“The United States remains committed to supporting healthcare infrastructure that truly serves Bahamian interests, under terms that respect Bahamian sovereignty, adhere to international norms, and mitigate project risks for The Bahamas. The United States’ offer to help The Bahamas secure better financing options—whether from public or private sources—remains on the table.”

Rejecting suggestions the project was rushed, the government said it had engaged US officials over several years but did not receive financing that met the country’s needs.

“Any suggestion that the government acted with undue haste is misplaced,” the ministry said, noting that further delay “is something our national interest can ill afford.”

Officials also said the project includes US participation, with medical equipment to be supplied by American vendors under standard commercial terms.

The ministry said the matter is settled and that the government will safeguard national interests.

“The Bahamas is a sovereign country and is fully capable of advancing and safeguarding those interests while acting in the public interest,” it said.

Chinese ambassador to The Bahamas Yan Jiarong expressed a similar sentiment on Friday, saying: “We believe that the Bahamian government has the sovereign right to choose its international partners based on its own national priorities, development needs, and public interests.”

At Friday’s ceremony, officials defended the project as critical to easing pressure on the country’s healthcare system.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said existing facilities can no longer meet demand.

“Let us be honest, the Princess Margaret Hospital was constructed in the late 1950s when our population was just over 100,000 people,” Dr Darville said.

“The hospital is ageing. It's crumbling. We're chasing one infrastructure repair after the other, and it is simply unable to meet the demands of our current population.”

Currently, Princess Margaret Hospital and Rand Memorial Hospital serve as the country’s main tertiary facilities.

The new hospital will be built on a 50-acre site in the Prepall tract and is designed primarily for women and children. It will include a trauma centre, medical-surgical wards, maternal and child health services, diagnostic and treatment units, same-day surgical suites, intensive care units, advanced imaging, and the country’s first reference morgue. Plans also call for a 510-space parking facility and green spaces for patient recovery.

Dr Darville said the facility will reduce the need for Bahamians to seek care abroad and improve the country’s ability to respond to future health crises and mass casualty events.

Prime Minister Philip Davis said the project forms part of a broader push to modernise healthcare and expand access.

“Health care begins in hospitals, but the story of health starts much earlier,” Mr Davis said. “A stronger system is one that catches high blood pressure before it becomes a stroke, helps a diabetic manage the disease before it advances, detects cancer early enough for treatment to change the outcome, reaches a young person facing depression before despair takes hold, and gives an elderly parent care that preserves dignity.

“It also means that a family on a Family Island should feel that the country sees them fully and serves them fairly.”

The project is backed by a $195m concessional loan from the Export-Import Bank of China at two percent interest over 20 years, with a five-year grace period.

Chinese Ambassador Yan Jiarong said the development will improve daily life and support the local economy.

Managing Director of the Public Hospitals Authority Aubynette Rolle said the new hospital will complement existing facilities.

The Free National Movement has opposed the project, arguing it will not address systemic problems in healthcare and that priority should be given to repairing Princess Margaret Hospital and addressing staffing shortages. The party has also signalled it would not proceed with the project if elected.

The development has also raised concerns among residents about potential flooding at the Prepall site.

The project is being constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation under a framework requiring a 50-50 split between Bahamian and foreign workers.

Construction is expected to take between 30 and 36 months.