Tufton Says Cornwall Regional Hospital Rehab Could Finish Ahead of Schedule

Montego Bay, St. James (McKoy’s News) – After years of setbacks and frustration surrounding the long-delayed rehabilitation of the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is now expressing optimism that the massive project could actually be completed ahead of schedule.

Dr. Tufton, who toured the worksite in Montego Bay last Thursday, later told reporters at a press conference held at the S Hotel, that based on the pace and progress of the ongoing works, there’s growing confidence that the restoration could wrap up before the projected September 2026 deadline.

“The temptation is always to push back the date a month or two to get the work perfect,” Dr. Tufton told reporters. “But my position now is that we have to deliver on time. ‘On time’ may mean a month or two after the announced date — but we cannot go far beyond that, and I’ve made that clear to the project team.”

The $23.5-billion CRH project has endured a rocky road since 2016, when toxic fumes forced the evacuation of the Type A hospital and sparked a massive, multi-phase rehabilitation plan.

Originally slated for completion in September 2018 at a cost of $2 billion, the project has been hit with repeated delays and ballooning costs, pushing the timeline to April 2026 — and now potentially even sooner.

“I do not normally like to give dates,” Tufton added, “but I’ve heard September mentioned in one article. Based on my discussions with the team, I’m pushing for an earlier date. We have to do it before September.”

In the same briefing, the Minister also addressed issues surrounding the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital, currently under construction on the CRH grounds. He admitted that the recent protest by Chinese workers over unpaid wages has raised concerns about the pace and continuity of that project.

“There have been some issues, and those have been suspended,” he explained. “But we are concerned about what the impact of those issues will mean in terms of delays. The dialogue will have to continue to get the best possible turnaround time.”

Despite the challenges, Tufton remains confident that both facilities will be completed within a reasonable timeframe.

“When both CRH and the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital are completed,” he declared, “it will be the health campus of the Caribbean.”