PNP Backs Naming St James Children’s Hospital For Portia Simpson Miller

The People’s National Party has endorsed Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ announcement that the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, is to carry the name of former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

Holness disclosed the decision this afternoon during a rededication ceremony for a Ministry of Labour building that has also been named in Simpson Miller’s honour. Simpson Miller was Jamaica’s first woman to serve as head of government and previously led the PNP as president.

The prime minister said the honour was fitting.

The 220-bed specialist hospital is being built on the Cornwall Regional Hospital compound. When completed, it is expected to be the first facility of its type in the English-speaking Caribbean.

PNP President Mark Golding, who also addressed the ceremony, said the St James hospital is closely tied to Simpson Miller’s record of public service and her work in advancing national development.

Golding said the children’s hospital in Montego Bay originated with Simpson Miller, and that she made the required approaches to the Chinese Government to obtain financial backing for the project.

He said naming the Ministry of Labour building for her was a meaningful gesture, but argued that Simpson Miller’s service to Jamaica deserved wider national recognition.

Golding described the former prime minister as a leader who reshaped national life, pointing to her work in labour, tourism, social development, economic reform and public infrastructure. He also noted her place in history as Jamaica’s first female prime minister and the first woman to become president of the PNP.

Janice Allen, the PNP caretaker for St James Central, also supported the hospital-naming decision. She said she had been publicly calling since 2022 for the institution to be named after Simpson Miller.

Allen said Jamaica’s history must properly record and acknowledge leaders whose decisions helped create the groundwork for national progress.

She added that residents of western Jamaica recognise the link between Simpson Miller’s leadership and the hospital’s development, especially the partnerships and arrangements made during her administration.

According to Allen, the hospital is more than a building project, as it stands for better healthcare, renewed hope for families, greater opportunities for children, and a long-term investment in western Jamaica and the wider country.

The PNP said the naming is a significant national tribute to Simpson Miller and reflects the lasting effect of her commitment to improving the lives of ordinary Jamaicans.