The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE government has signed two contracts to expand and repair primary healthcare facilities in Abaco, moving ahead with the construction of a new clinic in Cherokee Sound and the repair of storm damage at the Cooperstown clinic.

Health and Wellness Minister Michael Darville said the Cherokee Sound project will deliver a 1,200-square-foot clinic designed to provide primary healthcare services, particularly for elderly residents and those living with chronic non-communicable diseases. The facility will be outfitted with diagnostic equipment and staffed by nurses and support personnel.

Dr Darville said the cost of completing the Cherokee Sound clinic is about $266,000, with a contingency of roughly 15 percent. The scope of work includes electrical installations, air conditioning, plumbing, and exterior softscape and hardscape features. The clinic is expected to be completed within four months.

“Like the rest of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Abaco is one of those islands where we have a lot of elderly people, many suffering from chronic non communicable diseases, and we want to make sure they have access to these essential services in a timely fashion. I'm very pleased and we are really excited to work along with the principals of P.A.R Construction,” Dr Darville said.

Hartman Albury, a principal of PAR Construction, said the project has been stalled for years and struggled to progress after Hurricane Dorian, relying largely on fundraising and donations to reach its current stage.

“There's been an ongoing project from 2012, I think, and since Dorian, it hasn't been anything happened there. All of what's happened there so far, there's been fundraisers, donations to get the building to where it's at now. This will get us to where we need to go and get it finished and hopefully very soon,” Mr Albury said.

In Cooperstown, officials signed a separate, smaller contract to address damage to the clinic’s front entrance caused by weather-related deterioration. Rather than issuing change orders under the original agreement, the government closed that contract and awarded a new one valued at just over $10,000 for the additional work.

Deavelo Russell of D &L Construction said the damage, which dates back to Hurricane Dorian, left the main entrance unusable, forcing patients and staff to rely on an emergency entry. He said the repairs are expected to take no more than two weeks.

“It mean a lot to know North Abaco right now, because a lot of the person has been complaining about it, and older persons who need access to it have to use the back entry. So that's something I've been crying for and the locals here been crying for a while,” Mr Russell said.