The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE $52 million Princess Margaret Hospital Critical Care Block is on schedule and about 20 per cent complete, Cavalier Construction's managing director said yesterday, telling Tribune Business the company had been "challenged" by underground utilities.

Richard Wilson told Tribune Business: "We are due to complete in June 2013. Everything is on schedule and on budget. We are approximately 20 per cent complete. We have approximately 400 workers, and we have about 20 sub-contractors, all Bahamians."

Mr Wilson said 20 per cent of the project's budget, around $13 million, had been spent to date.

He added: "We have added a lot of challenges with underground utilities. Having to keep the hospital open while working around the underground utilities has been a challenge. Other than that, everything has been going well. Right now we are waiting on BEC to move some cables in the service yard, and there are also about three poles that need to be moved."

The construction of the proposed Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital has been dubbed the "single largest investment in healthcare infrastructure" at the public tertiary healthcare facility.

The block is being constructed on the northern grounds of the hospital. A contract for its construction was awarded to Cavalier Construction last November.

Upon completion, the block will comprise six state-of-the-art operating theatres with modern technology. The unit will also comprise 18 recovery beds; 20 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) rooms; 48 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds; new laboratory facilities; upgraded administrative facilities; upgraded electrical, water and sewerage; air-conditioning and fire protection services; and a new main entry into the facility and shared services.