Helicopter pad part of new National Hospital says PM Skerrit

Artiste’s rendition of a section of the new hospital

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that a helicopter pad will be among features to be added to the new state of the art National Hospital which is being constructed by the Government of China.

Speaking at a signing ceremony of a $120-million Economic and Technical Agreement with China on Monday morning, he said the pad will be part of the second phase of the construction of the facility.

Some of the funds from the agreement will go towards the construction of the hospital.

“The second phase will include, among other things, a helicopter pad that will be able to pick up patients at the hospital and transfer these patients to a hospital overseas…,” he said. “The challenge we have is that we would have to transfer patients to Douglas-Charles sometimes or Canefield and some patients are not able to drive any distance and, therefore, we will have this helicopter pad.”

He said when his government broke ground for the new hospital, he articulated the vision for health care.

“I included some of these components and we are now getting the resources allocated to realizing those interventions,” he stated.

Furthermore, he stated that there will an increase in the water storage for the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and solar-generated energy.

He went on to say that there are other components of the hospital the Ministry of Health will discuss with the Chinese government

He said that some of the consideration will be for the Government of China, in the interim, to provide Dominica with medical specialists in areas identified by the Ministry of Health.

“What we are seeking to do is with the construction of the hospital and the training of our medical practitioners is to eliminate or minimize the need for Dominicans to go overseas,” Skerrit revealed. “We will have it as an interim measure, the government of China providing us over an extensive period of time certain medical specialists here in Dominica. We will also have our medical doctors going to China to be exposed to more improved and advanced technology, so that when they come to Dominica they are in a better place, a better position with added knowledge to pass on to our patients.”

He said his government also wants to introduce to Dominica traditional Chinese medicine.

The US$40-million China-funded project forms part of the four-pillar projects agreed to in Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China when the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2004.

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42 Comments

  1. Truthbetold
    October 31, 2018

    So the helipad going on top the hospital that in the clouds coming..

    • Friendlyelse
      November 3, 2018

      Teuthbetold stay behind with your negativity. Such a foolish comment.

  2. October 30, 2018

    “Them double PhD’s” seem to be having some effect on the brain of this delusional wanna-be; please Lord don’t bestow any more upon this guy. You see he talking about helicopter pad; for he and the Cabal to travel for medical attention overseas; the next time he will talk about a Rocket launching pad somewhere at Vieille Case or heaven knows where else; no mention about a state of the art hospital in Marigot/Portsmouth or wherever he is going to build his international airport. I beg of you sir reject any further offer of Fake PhD’s for the sake of good/accountable; governance and the sanity of recovering Dominica’s good name.

  3. October 30, 2018

    Why is everything election is near? The man is working and doing his best. You all are lazy, lowlife UWP SUPPORTERS, jealous and envious of the man. I do not think Lennox Linton and his flock of sheep can do any better. Stop pumping trash.

  4. enough is enough
    October 30, 2018

    helicopter Pad !! nice idea !!
    like this you will be able to escape faster, whenever it will be needed.

  5. Carrotop
    October 30, 2018

    Where is the helicopter ? This must be a private launching pad for Skerrit.

  6. October 30, 2018

    i think is time the PM purchase a private plane. its a need.

    meanwhile, have anyone of you bloggers travel on the eggleston to Giraudel road? that is so sad how the ppl have to get to and from their villageS. it isnt safe. please someone…….IN AUTHOURITY, do something to help these ppl. FIX THEIR ROAD in Jesus Christ helpful name, amen.

  7. Neverson St jean
    October 30, 2018

    Shouldn’t the heli-pad be part of the initial drawing. He may add a submarine base before its finished built.

  8. Iamanidiot
    October 30, 2018

    Uhum, what is a helipad nuh, essentially a slab of concrete, but there was a helicopter promised.

    https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/health/pm-skerrit-sets-eye-on-helicopter-ambulance-service-for-dominica/

    Those fellas promising the same thing every 5 years lol

    • Moistest Jheri Curl
      November 1, 2018

      they’re regurgitating the same headlines
      they just rinse and repeat

  9. jamie
    October 30, 2018

    Keep on fooling them Skerro,really want to know.What is so state of the art about this so called drawing,dominicans are becoming more and more dillusional.

  10. great things
    October 30, 2018

    I am not even seeing the point of all this. This airport, hospital, road network, new Roseau, revamped Portsmouth has been repeated year after year in the annual budget. It has been printed over and over in the past three manifestos of the DLP. So people we dealt with this already. PM what is new for 2019….no repeats Sir.

  11. RasB
    October 30, 2018

    What has happened to the international bodies who were interested in opening schools on Ross Campus? Team was supposed to have visited several weeks ago, What has happened? Did any team visit or leave Dominica? If so was there a fanfare or simply more of the same, hot air exuded by the PM?

  12. Not A Herd Follower
    October 29, 2018

    The PM wants to introduce us to Chinese herbal medicine?

    • Moistest Jheri Curl
      November 1, 2018

      You think the hospital going to pay for itself?
      We have to open our market for their trash

  13. Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots.
    October 29, 2018

    Phase three, the Chinese colonization of Dominica + Naval Base at Portsmouth and instead of EC dollars Chinese Yen.

  14. Channel 1
    October 29, 2018

    @Mr. Ben Dover – In truth, you’re spot on here. A helicopter pad really ain’t know novel sophisticated thing to build. Any large-enough open concrete/hard surface area with appropriate markings & lights for a helicopter to land can suffice.

    Somebody must ask Skerrit if he, his wife & his DLP government ministers will utilize the services of their much touted state-of-the-art hospital if or when it is completed.

    • anonymous2
      October 30, 2018

      You know that answer to that one.

  15. %
    October 29, 2018

    Election is closer than we think….
    Did you expect a modern hospital without those features…?
    Stop have people laughing at you Skerrit…You are clearly trembling now,but you have to go.Your reign of terror will soon be over and Dominica will breathe again

  16. analy thomas
    October 29, 2018

    The helipad initiative was about time! A welcomed move once it comes to fruition.

  17. Jacinta
    October 29, 2018

    I am so tired some of Dominica people, all u Just like Donkeys Just braying nonsense out of your mouth.
    If Skerrit wasn’t doing anything I understand but he’s working really hard. Pray for him, stop bashing him.

    • Shame on a CB dauhter.
      October 30, 2018

      Once an original DLP cadre watered down in ur old days. keep singing J B poor ting. What ever happened to your revolutionary zeel?

    • RandyX
      October 30, 2018

      What exactly is he doing in your opinion?? The only thing he has been doing up until now is talking about projects to come, sell the country to the Chinese and releaving the country of a lot of cash. …and blind bats like yourself are still following him and sing for your supper.

    • OpenMind
      October 30, 2018

      Ask them to b pay for itb see how quiet they become. Dominicans want 1st world goodies without giving up anything. We have no oil, no cobalt, no gas no mass agriculture to export, yet people think we should have every thing.

    • LISA GOBER
      October 30, 2018

      when the opposition parties were in power, did you pray for them or did you bash them
      MAN IN THE MIRROR

    • Karl Orndem
      October 30, 2018

      15 years now we praying for him wi. At what point do we realize that doing the same actions and expecting different results is madness?

      • Dread
        November 1, 2018

        The real Dr IP had said in one of his articles years ago that we should have a Helicoter as part of the new hospital.Why dont they listen to real doctors?

  18. dissident
    October 29, 2018

    what helipad!
    DE PM is begging for a vote……alas!!!!
    1 year after Maria de mighty chinese economic giant can’t finish a hospital in a poor third world country with a population of less than 100 000
    During de budget i heard de PM say that the Chinese were coming to recommence construction………..go there and see for yourself!!!!!!

    so when i walk into the hospital grounds past de casualty……….is there anyone working there?????

  19. dissident
    October 29, 2018

    a whole year after hurricane Maria walk up de road past de round about and look……is that a real jobsite?
    do you see any Chinese there?
    I thought i heard de PM during de last budget saying that de Chinese were about to recommence work on de hospital in 2 weeks!!!!!!!
    You can’t even recommence work on de hospital and you talking about helipad!!!!!
    But what happen de PM begging us for a vote!!!!!!!

  20. jus cool
    October 29, 2018

    very smart move.. Support this access move a 100%
    However i thought this project was included in the 300 million grant when we signed the MOU
    “The US$40-million China-funded project forms part of the four-pillar projects agreed to in Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China when the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2004.” Thank DNO for the reminder.. since 2004 now we 14 years :) :) ..priorities of these government ..smfh

  21. foreign observer
    October 29, 2018

    A helicopter pad at the hospital? That’s a priority? Canefield Airport is a mere 4.5 km from the hospital itself, and if the case is that urgent, a police escort would certainly get an ambulance to the airport in less than the 9 minutes google maps says the journey takes. But to be air-evacuated from the hospital, doesn’t the patient have to get there first? Strikes me that some of this largess from the PRC would be better spent on fixing the roads around Dominica (especially the EO Leblanc highway between Portsmouth and Roseau – Macoucherie Bridge, for example), so that people can receive timely medical attention in the first place. If helicopter pads must be built, better they be at medical centres around Dominica so that urgent patients can be transferred to Canefield and then up to the PMH rather than overland journeys…

  22. Voice of the South
    October 29, 2018

    Skerrit must go on to bring good healthcare to the people of Dominica! Go Skerrit go!!!

  23. Ou fou compere
    October 29, 2018

    “The second phase will include, among other things, a helicopter pad that will be able to pick up Skerrit & the entire Cabal when war breaks out to safety. at the hospital and transfer these patients pts like the president the Min of Agriculture and the other sickly ones wil go to a hospital overseas…,” he said. “The challenge we have is to bypass the Ahfouah wee foot soldiers in Marigot Wesley Woodfordhill opposition areas.

    • Shame on us
      October 30, 2018

      Ou fou compere man I like ur style blunt no reading between the linesis ur MO you are referring directly to the President’s bad Heart & Reggie’s boboo lol)
      Any other sick one we havenot been told about in the cabal? How is Both Sr.Counsels healthwise. I know the Black one has a bad backthe other ED as is well known.

  24. Just thinking
    October 29, 2018

    A helicopter could land in the Lindo Recreation Field as and when required so no need to Spend on a Helicopter Pad.
    Little thought,no vision,just sound bites and nonsense.The island is in deep trouble and we should see what China extracts with its loans

  25. david
    October 29, 2018

    Well, good luck with that……

  26. Your auntie brother
    October 29, 2018

    Helicopter pad sounds good but is no good without a helicopter. I have a writing pad but no pen! I suspect the Chinese plans are much bigger than anyone of us expects. They will have a helicopter here, don’t worry as part of their defense plan, mainly for their own people protecting their assets around Portsmouth.Maybe they even let Skerrit use it next time he has to run away again from his country like when he was airlifted, the only person the day after Maria.

  27. DEE
    October 29, 2018

    Gi me a break nah man .
    First you said ”state of the art Hospital ”
    ”one of the best in the Caribbean”
    now you saying a Heli-pad ( that’s what it is called) to take patients from your fully equipped and ”state of the art Hospital” , to another Caribbean Island hospital for medical care . you really confusing you know man . Do you actually mean, in the case of emergency, where the ”state of the art hospital” do not have the relevant qualified staff to deal with a specific medical complaint ? or do you mean a heli pad that can serve multiple purposes?
    you see, this is why, the people who can see through you, will always prove you are lying .

  28. %
    October 29, 2018

    Election at our Doorsteps people.The LAZY man is day parlay ing!!!
    A helipad in 2018 is a joke.. We are not fools!You want us to clap for that?Lazy!
    We saw rendition of new Roseau in 2005,2009,2014,Nothing happened! Lazy!
    We saw rendition of new international airport,nothing happened .Faire Yan!
    Your Meg back is against the wall so you coming with helipad now? LAZY!
    UWP will equip the hospital and ensure we don’t go to Martinique for toothache,or a little bruise.Faire Yan!
    Lintonnnnnnnnnnnnnñnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    Faire Yan Skerrit Must Go Now

  29. Neville
    October 29, 2018

    Of course… and the new international airport just next door to it. Isn’t this man getting of lying to the citizens of DA.

  30. Mr. Ben Dover
    October 29, 2018

    that is just a simple slab of concrete. Helicopters can lady almost anywhere, you see that on tv. So dont come and try and fool me like it is a big science project you all are doing. The most difficult part is making sure they dont caste it under a set of wires. But really that is just a slab of concrete with and H.

    • %
      October 29, 2018

      I like that… So lazy Skerrit wanted a modern Hospital without modern amenities.This man sounds so preposterous…Can’t wait to vote against your candidate in my constituency Skerrit.You are a total and absolute failure . What about the airport Skerro?
      Skerrit Must Go
      Skerrit Must Go
      LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

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