The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A CIVIL engineering report has concluded that the multi-million-dollar specialty hospital planned for the Perpall Tract area will not worsen flooding in nearby communities and is expected to help protect them, according to Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville.

He said this while contributing yesterday to a resolution to borrow $201m for the construction of the new specialty hospital.

“I am pleased to report that the preliminary findings from the civil engineering report verified that the newly purposed hospital will not, I say will not add to the flooding challenges in surrounding communities,” Dr Darville said. “But will instead add much added value and protection by the design drainage system for the hospital.”

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Darville said residents had expressed concerns that the hospital could make flooding “even worser.” Those fears were raised during a heated Department of Physical Planning hearing in October.

These concerns were also highlighted in the town planning certificate, prompting the committee to require an in-depth drainage plan for the hospital. The Ministry of Works later approved this plan.

After the town hall meeting, a contract was awarded to Caribbean Civil Engineering Group Limited to study the East Grove and Perpall Tract drainage systems and recommend mitigation strategies. Dr Darville said the drainage design for the hospital’s 50-acre site has been completed and submitted to the Ministry of Works. A detailed engineering analysis of the well fields was also provided, addressing how heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Imelda affected the Fort Charlotte area.

The report outlined maintenance issues in the well fields, including malfunctioning floodgates and uncleared drainage canals. It also proposed a broad mitigation strategy for nearby communities, including expanded drainage ponds.

“This flood mitigation strategy will carry a substantial cost that will have be underwritten by the government in collaboration with the Water and Sewerage Cooperation with meaningful input from the Member of Parliament for the Fort Charlotte consituency anfd the residenyts of Forth Charlotte to ensure that the long-term resilience, addressing public health safety issues and ultimately the protection to their properties,” Dr Darville said.

Residents have continued to argue that flooding from Tropical Storm Imelda shows Perpall Tract is unsuitable for the new hospital. Many recalled widespread inundation after the storm. Dr Darville previously clarified that the facility will not sit within the well fields and that its buildings will be positioned on higher ground, seven to fourteen feet above sea level.

Dr Darville said further details will be released in the coming weeks regarding the engineering report, the labour composition ratios of Bahamian versus foreign workers, and the projected 30–36 month construction timeline. He assured the opposition that all signed agreements and technical reports will be tabled in the House of Assembly.

Dr Darville said conditional approval was granted for a concessional loan equivalent to $300m by the China EXIM Bank. He added that after technical review, engineering consultants recommended switching to reinforced concrete, resulting in more than $22m in savings and lowering the project’s estimate to $268m.