THE Council of Ministers did not issue or sanction a ‘gagging order’ to stop a leading consultant from speaking out on the Our Hospital project, according to the Infrastructure Minister.

Deputy Tom Binet spoke out after an anonymous source close to Dr David Ng – who has criticised the government for halting the Overdale proposal, putting the possibility of a two-site facility split between Overdale and Gloucester Street back on the table – claimed that the doctor had been told to stop speaking to the media about the hospital scheme.

Dr Ng featured in a JEP article last week, in which he said it was a ‘travesty’ that the Our Hospital project – in its current form – had been abandoned.

His comments came days after Deputy Binet announced that the plan to build the £804 million facility at Overdale was ‘no longer feasible’.

An anonymous source told the JEP that Dr Ng had since been ‘gagged’ from speaking out – under a veiled threat of suspension – at the direction of the Council of Ministers.

Responding to the claims, Deputy Binet said: ‘I am not aware at this point as to what Dr Ng’s contract does or does not oblige him to do, or what he is supposed to do, but, as far as the Council of Ministers is concerned, there has never been a gagging order and I welcome any criticism from anyone, at any time, on any subject, and that includes from Dr Ng.’

He added that as soon as he was aware of Dr Ng’s concerns, and especially a reported comment in the media in which the doctor claimed that halting the new hospital project delay could cost lives, he contacted him and invited the consultant to a meeting.

‘We never imposed or sanctioned any form of gagging order,’ the minister said, adding that he could not rule out, however, that someone ‘in the system’ had told the doctor that he could not air his views publicly.

Deputy Binet also said that he and his ministerial colleagues were conscious of the fact that they were responding at a sensitive time following the Queen’s passing.

‘We are keen that there should be no further comment on the matter as we all progress through this period of mourning,’ he explained.

•Editor’s note: Despite concern expressed by Deputy Binet that the Council of Ministers did not want to enter into political argument following the Queen’s death, the JEP has decided to publish his response today in the interests of balance.