BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 25, 2025) — Dale Rowe slams land giveaway to the African Export- Import Bank (Afreximbank), accusing the government of prioritizing foreign interests while neglecting Barbados’s crumbling healthcare system. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for the City of Bridgetown criticized the free allocation of 2.037 hectares of the former general hospital site, situated just metres from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), which he described as being in a state of alarming disrepair.
The site, located at the corner of Bay Street and Jemmott’s Lane, is earmarked for development into a trade centre, a luxury hotel, and corporate offices. However, Rowe raised strong objections during a recent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) City constituency branch meeting, as reported by Barbados Today, calling the move a misalignment of national priorities at a time when the nearby QEH — which replaced the colonial hospital six decades ago — is reportedly in a dire state.
“When I went to the children’s ward and I saw the condition, I could not believe that we pay taxes,” Rowe said. “Ward C7 — the nurses had to close that ward because it is leaking hot water and the tiles in the roof [are] falling out. This was reported since 2024, and no one seems to care.”
Nurses forced to operate without basic supplies
Rowe described a visit to QEH that left him appalled by the lack of essential supplies. He said staff had submitted requisitions as far back as December 2024, but no deliveries were made.
“There’s no toilet paper, there’s no napkin to dry your hands in on the wards,” he told party supporters. “But yet still we can give away land for free.”
Healthcare workers at QEH have long raised alarm over substandard infrastructure, equipment failures, and staffing challenges. The DLP candidate’s remarks underscore growing public frustration over the government’s management of the country’s lone public hospital.
Dale Rowe slams land giveaway as misuse of national resources
While the Mottley administration has praised the Afreximbank partnership as a strategic move to strengthen ties with the African continent and spur regional investment, Rowe insists that the land could have been better utilized to meet urgent social and community needs.
“We could extend the hospital, we could provide housing, we could provide a community facility for the children in that area,” he said.
Rowe pointed to Nelson Street — located near the proposed Afreximbank complex — as an example of underserved urban communities. He criticized the government for failing to provide structured activities and safe recreational spaces for children and teens.
“You will see all of the little boys and all of the little girls bareback, barefoot, all over the street. And it’s not their fault — there’s nothing to do, there’s no activities, there’s not a community centre,” Rowe added.
He also took aim at the stalled redevelopment of the park near London Bourne Towers, stating, “They started work for three days and then work ceased. This shows me that we have a government that doesn’t care.”
Transparency questions remain unanswered
Rowe has called on the government to disclose the estimated value of the land and explain why it was given away free of charge rather than being leased or sold to fund public services. The lack of transparency, he argued, raises serious governance concerns.
While government officials maintain that the Afreximbank project will boost investment, regional financing, and international cooperation, Rowe contends that the administration is overlooking the daily struggles of Barbadians in favor of high-level diplomacy.
The DLP is expected to continue pressing the issue as part of its campaign narrative ahead of the next general election, positioning itself as a defender of healthcare, transparency, and community equity.
Continue following Unitedpac St Lucia News for more verified political updates and Caribbean regional developments.
