Govt secures funds to build new Grand Bahama hospital

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

As of Friday, July 22, 2022

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville revealed that government has secured the money to build a new state-of-the-art hospital for Grand Bahama.

“We have the money for the construction of this facility,” he told healthcare workers and volunteers for COVID vaccinations in Grand Bahama at an appreciation dinner on Thursday evening. “When you have the money that is the number one thing.

“We have the money, and I want to say to the residents of GB in front of the witnesses from the Ministry of Health and our volunteers that we will build a state-of-the-art hospital in GB, and I am going to break ground on it very soon.

“I say that in the camera, and I am that bold. You are going hold me to this word, and I don’t say it lightly unless I have substance behind what I am speaking,”

Dr Darville noted that they are moving quickly to bring it into reality.

“I am dedicated to it. I live it, I breathe it everyday,” he said. “And today I am pleased to announce that the land that we have been looking at, we now finished the geotechnical studies. I have spoken to the geologist, and it is high ground.

“It is a good selection of land, it is about a little over 30 acres and we have been working very aggressively with our healthcare planners.”

The minister said that he is aware that everyone is concerned about the health care service in Grand Bahama and wonders whether a new hospital will be built after talking about it for 15 years.

Even though the Rand Memorial Hospital after Dorian went through a transformation and metamorphosis, he said it still has challenges.

“What we are going to do too is improve manpower resources,” he said.

“We, in this administration are going to build a state-of-the-art hospital for the residents of GB,” Dr Darville stressed.

The Rand Memorial Hospital sustained significant damage during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The public health care facility was flooded by storm surge, and lost equipment, supplies and beds.

The former Minnis Administration had spent $20m to renovate the hospital.

ThisIsOurs 1 year, 9 months ago

There's a truth about ALL systems. Maintenance is minimum double the cost of construction. When you plan, plan for maintenance BEFORE you start. The donors should DEMAND this NOW

TigerB 1 year, 9 months ago

The nurses working here at the RMH are dead tired. My wife is one. They are terribly under staff. Imagine a bigger hospital, with no staff. Politically it sounds good.

JokeyJack 1 year, 9 months ago

They are tired because of the silly Covid protocols and not being able to breathe oxygen while they are at work. Also because many have quit being nurses and doctors, refusing to work at a circus and being forced to inject some kind of tingum into their veins.

Eventually when this foolish approach causes everyone to die, then there won't be any problems to worry about.

rosiepi 1 year, 9 months ago

One must foolish indeed to think folks believe such woodenheaded nonsense. Healthcare workers in hospitals, from the surgical theater to the labs etc do their jobs using protocols that include masks in their PPEs. Whose seen them dropping like flys for lack of oxygen?? Our workers are run off their feet, are ready to or have quit because this pandemic here, all over the world what they’ve been warning us for years. Our gov’ts have been defunding healthcare cutting bed numbers, cutting staff and patient services for years, all the while ignoring the inevitable reckoning they knew was coming. Lives would be lost when those chickens headed home.

realitycheck242 1 year, 9 months ago

Priority for this government in Grand Bahama should be the Airport. because the sale of the Grand Lucayan depends on what Gov does with the Airport and how fast they fix it to world class standards. Alraedy Electra America Hospitality Group is seeking assurances/guarantees from the Government that it will do whatever is necessary to fix Grand Bahama International Airport in the timeline required. There appears to be a delay in closing of the sale because of the state of the Airport.

sheeprunner12 1 year, 9 months ago

Agreed. Without a new airport GB is as good as dead.

Will Govt get any help from GBPA? This ga be long.

realfreethinker 1 year, 9 months ago

The previous gov. had already budgeted money fot the new hospital. If I remember correctly the new day gov said they are going to use that money for other projects. Now all of a sudden they have money. Where did the new money come from. I suspect it's the old bait and switch situation.

Cobalt 1 year, 9 months ago

The PLP government is blowing their usual smoke! All talk and no action. The PLP knows that they have no intentions of building a new, state of the art hospital. Who does Mr. Darville think he’s fooling? We’ve all heard and smelled their hot air before. What good does it do to secure funds for a project that is never started or finished!

JokeyJack 1 year, 9 months ago

Exactly. They could start by buying some Band-Aids and bottles of peroxide. That might make people feel better. A pay raise for the workers at the hospital might help too because long before they can build a new hospital, most of these working there now will have immigrated to Canada.

DDK 1 year, 9 months ago

IF they have the funds, where did they find them and at what cost to the Bahamian Public?

birdiestrachan 1 year, 9 months ago

All around the mulberry bush, not I my question where is the site . .?.There are enough mulberries on this site doomsayers and the likes

Sickened 1 year, 8 months ago

Where is the site is a good question. Any ideas on this? I haven't seen the plan for the hospital either. That would be nice to see. Are they building the hospital in phases? What's the anticipated cost? What's the anticipated completion date?
Whatever the cost is you know we will need to at least double it by time we're done.

Can the Tribune please investigate this as I've seen nothing reported.

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