THE prime minister has slammed the PNM for what she called "malicious neglect," when, as the then government, it not only kept the new Couva Children's Hospital shut down for ten years, but also allowed almost $100 million worth of brand new medical equipment to remain unused.

This equipment, the PM said, which includes state-of-the-art MRI machines, had deteriorated to the point where they are now useless and were never used to save lives.

Delivering the feature address during a Christmas concert to commemorate the official re-dedication of the hospital, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar – who coughed several times while speaking – said an assessment of the facility, immediately after her administration was sworn into office, showed the extent of this wanton wastage.