IN JAMAICA: New ward for Bustamante Hospital for Children... More beds needed, Shaggy explains a new three-storey, 150-bed ward, set to cost $150 million.

BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter johnsonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Shaggy

The Bustamante Hospital for Children is to benefit from a new three-storey, 150-bed ward, set to cost $150 million, using the majority of the funds coming from the Shaggy & Friends concert staged in 2018.

The announcement was made yesterday, just over a week after it was reported, that well over a year after the staging of the popular concert organised by two-time Grammy-winning artiste Shaggy, the hospital is yet to benefit from the funds raised.

During a press conference at the hospital, Shaggy sought to clear the air regarding the use of over $100 million raised by the biennial concert, noting that initially the funds were earmarked for the construction of an intensive care unit (ICU).

He disclosed that midway, the plans changed due to the more pressing needs at the hospital, the only one of its kind in Jamaica, and it was felt that the need was for more bed space.

“I had this idea that since we only have five beds in the ICU for the whole of Jamaica, maybe we can increase it to 10. We set a goal and we made $100 million. Let's face it, $100 million not going to build an ICU. One bed is [US]$150,000 and we need five of them. Then on top of that you have to get a building. So having that money there [the plan] was to keep another concert or do other fund-raising here and there, just to see how we can make this happen. Halfway through the whole thing Rebecca [his wife] called to say we have a big bed problem right now because of dengue. She went to a meeting and called to say just buying beds alone won't work because they have nowhere to put the beds,” Shaggy said. more