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‘VG Health Facility to start early 2015’ – Hon Ronnie W. Skelton

-Politicians playing the political flute – Resident
An impression of the new medical facility for Virgin Gorda which is slated to start early 2015. Photo: VINO/File
The existing facility. Photo: VINO/File
The existing facility. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - “In the coming weeks Cabinet will decide and we will announce the contractor selected to construct the new Nurse Iris O’Neal medical facility in Virgin Gorda (VG) and work will begin early in the new year,” said Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton yesterday December 17, 2014.

It was at the occasion of the official opening of the New Peebles Hospital in Road Town Tortola an occasion the masses had gathered to witness.

Hon Skelton said that investing in the health infrastructure clearly remains a high priority for this government and that it is just one component of their integrated health strategy that will take the National Democratic Party (NDP) to its common aspiration as a world class health system.

The cries for a hospital facility that caters for emergency and other services in Virgin Gorda have been a long and never-ended one of the residents there and when the announcement was made yesterday of a ‘new Health Facility’ while there was much applause heard several persons were heard with dissenting voices, one of which appealed to the media to have his thoughts heard.

The man who give his name only as Mr O’Neal of Virgin Gorda said that he sees the move to announce the plans for commencing work on the new facility at Virgin Gorda as ‘politicians playing the political flute’.

Asked to explain his statement Mr O’Neal said that he feels it was a deliberate act of the National Democratic Party (NDP) government to wait close to another elections period to ‘rush something down our throats’. He said that he finds it strange that as the NDP Government has gone to the stage of identifying a contractor but cannot come out clearly to say what the ‘Facility’ will be.

“What is it going to be? Is it just an improved or advance clinic or will we be having what we need, a hospital?” asked Mr O’Neal. He was supported by several others including a number of persons who had travelled from Virgin Gorda to Tortola for the opening ceremony.

Hon Skelton said that his government’s work to improve the health infrastructure of the Territory is not yet done. “We are not done yet,” said Hon Skelton.

13 Responses to “‘VG Health Facility to start early 2015’ – Hon Ronnie W. Skelton”

  • wize up (18/12/2014, 09:35) Like (11) Dislike (10) Reply
    wow; with in 4-year NDP seeking to upgrade the health care in VG(after so many years under the VIP)
    • voter (18/12/2014, 13:44) Like (16) Dislike (6) Reply
      How much will this one cost? What ever they say triple it just like the new hospital.
      How much will this cost to run? With the incompetent HSA just triple that too

      The Treasury will just bleed some more and the politicians will have a field day
  • Well Sah (18/12/2014, 09:38) Like (8) Dislike (12) Reply
    Love the artist rendering of the new facility. It nice to see that new architects are thinking differently and coming up with better designs than what we commonly see around the BVI
    • +++ (20/12/2014, 00:27) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
      Unfortunately that clinic could be anywhere in the world and says nothing about where it is. It sticks out like a sore thumb. New architecture doesn't have to be glitzy or wanna-be high end. It has to be functional and efficient and relate to its surroundings. There is much wasted space in this rendering and it is NOT pretty or culturally significant. It tries too hard to be different which makes it unappealing in my opinion (as a preservationist and architectural historian). We can be more relevant than this. I would rather the expense go into the facility than into the building materials.
      • shaw (20/12/2014, 23:23) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
        It is true that new buildings like this usually cost more because of engineering and new materials instead of the tried and true. It can be beautiful and fit at the same time. Sorry to say this is not it. I know that architects are hungry for opportunities to stretch their wings and imaginations, but they HAVE to consider context for a lasting design. Please architects.... look at the surroundings.
  • ccc (18/12/2014, 10:02) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    They promised the people a hospital now yhry get a clinic...more ndp lies
  • Interesting (18/12/2014, 11:00) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
    The hospital in tortola cannot be fully functional but they want to start build hospital in vg. I wonder how much years and tax payers money the vg hospital will take?
  • cbvi (18/12/2014, 11:19) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Well the premier said that they would not be able to build a mini hospital in VG, so I do not know what hospital they are now talking about, I guess the facilities would be upgraded and once it can accommodate the ill at least until they are stable, that can work for now. Also, I heard that they are planning to get the same contractor from Tortola who is currently building a visitor's centre at Copper Mine in the Valley, I hope that is not the case because Virgin Gorda has many contractors who can do the job....
  • Get Real (18/12/2014, 11:53) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Them ain't going to do a dam thing. Just a bunch of talk just to look good.
  • VG (18/12/2014, 12:06) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Health Facility in VG! Sad to say, but this is just another political game. both parties always play this on us every election year. Yes I agree that someone will get the contract to clear the bushes from the land as they always do every election year, then they will grow back and it happens all over again. Regardless of which government is in, the other islands always get left behind. When talking season comes, we don't care to see or hear anyone with their lies. Promise is comfort to a fool.
  • ooooo (18/12/2014, 12:59) Like (4) Dislike (9) Reply
    could hardly get the main one finished and now to start another one....POOR TAXPAYERS
  • dog (18/12/2014, 23:53) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    ANOTHER ndp lie TO FOOL THE PEOPLE BEFORE ELECTIONS BUT THAT DOG WOULD NOT HUNT


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