The Ministry of Health & Wellness notes the recent media report related to the lease of the Marbella Hotel property for the purposes of quarantine and isolation to curtail the spread of COVID-19 and wishes to provide the answers for the public.
- The property is owned by ZDA Construction Limited and was leased for a period of 12 months.
- The total price of the lease is some J$33.5 million and was executed in collaboration with the National Land Agency.
The Ministry also notes the public utterances related to whether value for money was retained in the use of purchase orders to acquire accommodation from hotels as part of the National COVID-19 Response.
It is the Ministry’s assessment that value for money in the use of hotel properties for this purpose was attained.
This is evidenced by the 2,364 members of the public affected by COVID-19, who were able to benefit from the isolation and quarantine space made available at a single All-Inclusive property – referred to as ‘contractor #4’ on page 19 of the Auditor General’s COVID-19 Expenditure Audit: Compliance Audit Compendium Report.
This service came at a cost of approximately J$151M at this facility – an average price of J$57,327.26 per person from the shortest stay of 3 days to the longest of 33 days.
The 2,364 persons were accommodated for the following reasons.
| PARTICULARS | # OF PERSONS | REMARKS |
| # In Isolation | 346 | Longest stay 33 days; shortest stay 14 days |
| # In Quarantine | 206 | Longest stay 33 days; shortest stay 14 days |
| # of Ship Workers Quarantined | 1,679 | Longest stay: 14 days; Shortest stay: 3 days |
| # persons repatriated by flights | 403 | Longest stay:
Shortest Stay 3 days |
It is to be noted that approximately 6,000 persons were accommodated at isolation and quarantine facilities over the COVID-19 response period.
The Ministry also wishes to note that in its submission to the Public Accounts Committee of Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service attested to the fact that under the Public Procurement Act, accommodations are exempt and that for the purposes of accommodation, a purchase order may be used once there is sufficient risk management to protect the interest of the Government. Accordingly, no rules were breached in the execution of this necessary action for the COVID-19 response.
The Ministry again wishes to reiterate its commitment to good governance and transparency as it strives to provide universal health coverage to Jamaica.