The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in Kingston, Jamaica, owes more than J$40 billion in unpaid taxes and fees to the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) and other government agencies, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard on Tuesday.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Eric Hosin told the committee that, excluding interest and penalties, the debt stands at more than J$18 billion. He noted that the outstanding amount has accumulated over several years but does not include employee contributions, and has not affected the hospital’s ability to access loans.
The disclosure came as UHWI officials appeared before the committee amid ongoing investigations into the alleged misuse of the hospital’s tax exemption status to facilitate the importation of goods on behalf of private companies. A recent report from the Auditor General’s Department flagged the institution for the breach, which reportedly resulted in losses exceeding J$20 million.
The Auditor General’s report also revealed that the hospital failed to provide documentation for work contracts valued at approximately J$521 million.
Responding to questions from PAC Chairman Julian Robinson, Hosin said the hospital is now current on payments to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the National Housing Trust (NHT).
“We are now current with our payments for NIS and NHT. So every month we pay that amount,” Hosin told the committee.
However, he acknowledged that the hospital does not currently have sufficient funds to meet its other tax obligations and confirmed that there is no payment plan in place with TAJ.
Hosin also revealed that UHWI is currently operating under a temporary Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC), which is set to expire next month. He was subsequently asked to provide additional documentation, including details on the total amount owed, the portion relating to employee contributions, and the time period over which the debt accumulated.
Meanwhile, the opposition People’s National Party criticized the situation in a social media post, highlighting the scale of the debt and raising concerns about accountability.
“$40 billion owed. Let that sink in. The University Hospital of the West Indies is under pressure as unpaid taxes, penalties, and years of financial strain come to light. So much so they were not tax compliant until they were issued a temporary TCC which expires next month. The big questions are… what’s the plan moving forward and will anyone be held accountable?” the party said.
The PAC has requested further information from UHWI as scrutiny continues into the hospital’s financial management and compliance with tax obligations.
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