Tufton Condemns PNP’s ‘Carpet Bombing Attacks’ on Senior Health Officials

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is labelling as ‘carpet bombing’, what he calls the daily attacks on senior officials of the health sector by various members of the Opposition People’s National Party, PNP.

Carpet bombing refers to a devastating bomb attack that seeks to destroy every part of a wide area.

Since last Wednesday, the PNP have published at least seven press releases criticising the health sector and calling for the resignation of two senior public servants plus the entire board of directors of two regional health authorities.

Daina Davy reports.

The PNP, through its professional affiliate the Patriots, have called for the resignation of Permanent Secretary Dunstan Bryan and Chief Medical Officer, CMO, Dr. Jacquiline Bissasor McKenzie.

Both Bryan and the CMO have been criticised for being woefully out of the touch with the state of healthcare in Jamaica.

Other releases from the PNP have called for the immediate resignation of the boards of the Southern Regional Health Authority, SRHA, led by Wayne Chen and that of the North East Regional Health Authority, NERHA, led by Laura Heron.

At SHRA, the PNP says the board must resign because of concerns over the high maternal mortality rate.

Meanwhile at NERHA, the PNP says the board must go because of the mounting complaints from users of the public health system.

Minister Tufton, who’s still recovering from a recent motor vehicle accident, appeared at Wednesday morning’s post-cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House walking on crutches.

His left arm was bandaged and he had a brace on his right leg.

He told journalists that the flurry of press releases is part of a coordinated attack on civil servants.

Dr. Tufton says the issue boils down to partisan politics, where the PNP is prepared to do and say anything to attain power.

The health minister says it’s a morally bankrupt strategy.