As Dominica moves one step closer to constructing the much talked about New National Hospital, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has called on citizens to unite behind what he called the “apolitical” project.
He made that statement while delivering the keynote address at the ground breaking ceremony of the hospital held at the Lindo Park in Goodwill on Monday.
“I want this hospital project to be apolitical, this is not Labour or UWP starting construction of a new hospital, this is Dominica getting a new modern well-equipped hospital to benefit every single citizen in our beautiful country,” he said. “I want citizens and residents of this country to proclaim to the region and the world that Dominica has just started construction of a modern state of the art hospital and soon will boast some of the finest acute healthcare services in the region. If we each see ourselves as ambassadors for and of this project then it can serve as a catalyst for the development of health…”
He said the facility will be 100 percent Dominican.
“It shall be a symbol of who and what we are as a people. As of today, I am calling on all Dominicans to become marketing agents of this facility,” he noted.
Skerrit said quality healthcare is among the defining features which characterize the development of a nation.
“One of the essential features that residents and investors look for is the accessibility and availability of quality, affordable healthcare,” he stated. “One needs to know that if something goes wrong in the middle of the night they can access immediate quality healthcare…So from where I sit as Prime Minister, we would not achieve our goal of leading Dominica to the next level unless we had exceptional public healthcare services that meet the basic needs of citizens, residents and visitors alike.”
He also applauded the distinguish work of healthcare practitioners in Dominica.
Skerrit declared Monday as one of the brightest days of his journey in politics and public life in Dominica.
He promised not to exit office without delivering to the people of Dominica a modern state of the art hospital, “and that promise ladies and gentlemen I intend to keep and deliver.”
Skerrit explained that during the construction of the new hospital there will be some inconveniences and potential hiccups along the way.
He said the turning of the soil is not only for the commencement of the construction of the new hospital, but it must also symbolize Dominica unto another social and economic advancement.
“We are sending a clear message to the world that Dominica shall not be left behind,” he stated.
Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux the hospital will be constructed to meet international standards.
“Ladies and gentlemen the new national hospital will be constructed to meet international standards and when complete in 2019 will replace the current PMH facility which we all know has served well beyond its years,” he said.
According to him, the new facility will offer a range of essential medical services which includes; “a two four-floor ward building that will provide accommodation for male and female medical and surgical patients, paediatrics , gynaecology, two new medical technology buildings for clinical labs and blood bank services, dialysis services, radiology, to include a CT Scan, a state of the art MRI and High Frequency Focused Ultrasound, with a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a pathology department and a four room operating theatre.”
Dr. Darroux said a new modern Accident and Emergency Department with emergency rooms and emergency operating rooms, asthma rooms, doctor and nursing rooms among others will also be constructed.
He noted also that there will be accommodation for the teaching department with classrooms, single and double room hostels for consultants and students and a theatre-style lecture hall.
He said the Ophthalmology unit will also have new accommodations.
Meantime; Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Dominica, His Excellency Li Jiangning said the occasion was momentous for Dominica and for China-Dominica relations.
According to him, this project is testament of the deep and lasting friendship between the two countries.
He said the new hospital will bring higher quality health to Dominica, “in the years to come.”
“I am confident that this new facility when it is completed in a couple of years time it will enhance the capacity of Dominica..,” he stated. “It will contribute to long term, social and economic development of this beautiful country. Good things need time and effort to come through.”
The hospital will be constructed by HUNAN Construction Engineering Group Corporation.
The construction of the hospital is being done at a cost of US$40-million funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and is expected to take approximately thirty (30) months to complete.
Francisco, I should not be answering to all the dog you keeps on writing on DNO that alone tells me that you are not as intelligent you say you are, You are working hard to convince Dominicans Linton is the best man for Prime minister of Dominica, you are a sick joke and a lier trying to be what you are not.?
You have not responded to me in any event; and I should not waste my time to respond to carnivorous: a fox is related to a family of dogs, smaller than wolves with short legs, and large erect ears, with a long bushy tail, that’s what you are a common animal!
To say I am trying to impress Dominicans with some crap is down right stupid of you. I am not running for anything in Dominica, I am not begging anybody in Dominica for anything, I do want to be government minister in Dominica, so what impression do I have to create: to who?
You can reference my intelligence, for as long as you live, and die, you will never accumulate, nor come close to get into your head what I have in mine! You are jealous of my academics; and each time you think of how smart I am it mesmerizes you mind; that might cause you to hang yourself, nevertheless, you cannot get nor take my education away from me!
Eat you miserable heart out;
You have failed to clarify this dishonourable service to the people of Dominica and we challenge the misinformation coming from the devious offices of the government circles.
One observation is missing though in that a building, a new hospital, a reconstruct hospital is not a functioning hospital. For this to be called a new, or renovated hospital it has to be furnished and equipped with the necessary facilities and tools with the necessary required human resources to make so. Therefore all these ministers who are rushed to Martinique, Guadeloupe, USA ( Prime time) Barbados for treatment at tax payers money will now have to keep their sick bodies here to be treated. Are we there…? I doubt this very much. This government is a joking deceitful government.
I’ve one question, which is, how could a hospital built by Chinese labor and funding be 100% Dominican?
Dominicans a MUST READ !!!!!!!
Dominica, Chinese Firm Inc. $300M Deal For Hotel, Hospital And Airport
December 5, 2013.
The Dominica government and a Chinese company have signed a new cooperation agreement in the amount of US$300 million.
Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and the president of ASCG, Xue Song, signed the agreement on Nov. 8 at Pudong Shangri-la Hotel, Shanghai, according to media reports.
An ASCG statement states the works for this cooperation agreement “includes the reconstruction of an international tourism hotel, construction of an international airport and building a new hospital, totaling about USD300 million”.
Among these, the international tourism hotel is the first project to be built, and it will be located in ……….
Remember that my people? So China, we were told would fund that project totally, yet Skerritt takes loan, not with Gov’t of China, but with a private financial firm, part for that same hospital? STRANGE !!!!
12 Years…
This man is unwell. You forgot that you told your supporters to confront those who were not wearing Labor Red. Did you forget how you and your goons treated Brisbane when he wrote that letter and complained about the “State Malice?” Now you talk about “Apolitical.” What an incredible and surprising statement from the Prime Minister. Did you forget when Baroness what’s her face told Dominicans to “Sousay Sel?”
The hospital staff is supposed to be 100 % Dominican staffed ! This means that the level of care will be as crappy as it is now!
Don’t forget to build the funeral home opposite the hospital .
I will wait awhile, before I start jumping and clapping about Skerrit’s promises of gold and green forest
the sadness of this really is that future generations will have to live with this.
is that an old fashioned bourgeois appeal of goodwill from the upper class syndrome which influenced this backward idea of remaining in the 50,swith a twist of chinese in GOODWILL ..
Why not break new ground in a new development ..?are we still with the old ancient and passe”idea of goodwill of the era of Frank Baron and the statue of RAWLE .
Too late for this comment to make a change but Dominicans in the diaspora ..why are you so silent in the face of such backward and non inspirational decisions by a one man Government ?
Another sad day of myopic immature and narrow vision
Why not take advantage of the larger expanse of land owned by Government and the Social Security at WARNER to have a STATE OF THE ART HOSPITAL like ST Lucia for eg .
Same IGNORANCE AND LACK of Vision as Savarin and SKERRITT did with the WASTE of opportunity at the former Melville hall Airport where good faith money from CHAVEZ ETC was literally thrown wastefully away and has made Dominica look ridiculous in the OECS in the face of ANTIGUA and now ST VINCENT airports .
Now to RECONSTSRCT AND IMPROVE a crumbling Princess Margaret hospital is so ridiculous and this is an inditement of the DOMINICAN people who have lamely kept quiet over such ignorance and lack of vision allowing Skerritt to indulge in his very limited scope of what constitutes development like he did with Melville hall AIRPORT .
I have spoken about this Roseau location for the hospital already…It’s poor,myopic and quite frankly the job of blind bats!!!
Alas..gown…Dominicans…can you Highly Educated People. Just…STOP…BREATHE…YOU GUYS ARE SO NEGATIVE ..ALL THE TIME…STOP…STOP…THE WORLD IS WATCHING AND LAUGHING!
Off course the world is laughing at our desperation, lack of innovation, laziness and inferiority complex. Let me remind you of a few jokes; Dominica winter olipians mr and mrs silvestri. The closest thing to snow in Dominica was hail in penvile. The cheapest passport on market and passport being our leading revenue and export. State house, stadium, roads, abattoir, coffee house, hotels …..funded by foreign governments built by the foreign companies. Theses are supposed to be multi million investments yet the funds go right back to donor countries with little impact on locsl economy and population. Government wages have not budged in 20 years. Yet at every ground breaking there is a party with a pm asking population to boast of our Chinese accomplishments. That my friend is standup comedy at its best. I am not even going to add the party was voted again on no substance and a pm whose constituency have no work and only parro and elderly.
All I want to witness is the Hon. Skerrit to have one of his beautiful babies born there….after that, I’ll personally build another wing for free for Dominica…….
Skerrit’s definition of “unity” is, accept what I say or what I do regardless of the truth and future consequence. But does anyone expect anything different from a dictator?
I have been looking at the pretty photos:
Has anyone noticed the spelling of the hospital name is incorrect?
What does the prominent Chinese writing at the centre of the backdrop say?
Couldnt it have also been translated to English as that is the predominant language in Dominica?
Having just read the article on the Afghani construction, I hope the Prime Minister and the incumbent govt takes the time to ensure that similar issues do not arise in the Dominica project. But then again, these things would have been reviewed during the design stage when assessing the suitability of the site.
I wish this project all the success in the world because the people of Dominica truly need a first class hospital. We will see what happens in 30 months time.
Btw, are we still getting an international airport? Are there any dates for groundbreaking and completion?
What is the situation with the abbatior? Are we breeding livestock or importing live animals to kill in our new facility?
Please add better human resource and customer service. Also I hope there is a FEE for services at the hospital and insurance fees. Because I would hate to see the conditions at this new hospital diminish because we cant maintain it
All the pretty pictures and plans are marked RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL??
He wants it to be ‘apolitical’ and wants unity, yet he shows up with a red tie, red shovel, supporters have their red ‘labor ka twavay’ T-shirts on etc… very ‘apolitical’ don’t you think
Lets wait and see how many UWP supporters are actually employed on this project before we assess the “Unity” or the “apolitical” as Hon. Skerrit has put it.
Hon. while I fully support the development of a state of the art hospital, can we say that it is safely accredited to accept and care for international patients. can we perform surgical operations unlike Trinidad that left a fellow Dominican dead after a gun shot to the ‘leg’ – not even the abdomen.
Hon. what level of input have you afforded to the Opposition Leader in formulating this project to bring it to fruition. Have you even made an ounce of opportunity available to the “Opposition Government” so that they would have had a minute say in where to place even a parking lot, let alone a decorative fountain to spark up the beauty of the edifice.
If that was not done, Hon., right is right, and wrong is wrong, it makes absolutely no sense to break ground and now scream out Unity.
Yes glad we are expanding the hospital but please equip the Princess Margaret with proper equipments for Doctors and nurses to work with, a lot more care and lives can be saved. Build but equip the present one
Why would i boast to the world on somthing i did not build or create? Why would who i am be defined by someone else? Pride in self, pride in hard work, pride in Dominican creativity has been severely eroded. Leadership is about empowerment and making people accomplish things they thought would be impossible. A hospital by Chinese is what it is. A hospital by Chinese. It is the same people that the PM did not trust in delivering his kids that going to work there. What makes a country great is its people not its roads or buildings. So to what makes healtcare great is the quality of medicak professionals not the buildings. Everything else falls in place when people are empowered and there is pride and respect in ones own creation.
Not in this world will there be something called “apolitical” in Dominica. Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Government, ONE MAN, you have dismantled that aspect of our Dominican culture. One man is the lead spokesman for Education, Finance, Sports, Agriculture, Tourism, Disaster, Et al et al et al.. You have done well.Your work is almost done….. See you in ……………..
Only in a place like Dominica anything goes!
If what we see is supposed to be a State of the Art Hospital, I would not like to see the artist rendition of one that is not the State of the Art!
What we are viewing is precisely the same as the Chines built in Afghanistan, there is even more danger in what is presented here. Indeed Dominica is in the tropics, and whereas the architecture may be design to suite the tropics, they have forgotten that each year hurricanes comes along.
What we are viewing will endanger the life’s of the unfortunate patients who might be in such building when a powerful hurricane storm arrives!
Maybe Skerrit will have a fleet of Air Ambulance station there in order to Air-vac the patients when the buildings are thorn apart by a hurricane.
Viva Roosevelt Skerrit! The damage you are doing to our country, will haunt you into your grave, your demonic soul shall never rest in peace. I will be in peace on the other side; nevertheless, every once in…
Every once in a while I will come down into hell and call out to you!
Hey yo; dead Mountain Chicken Carpaud (Crapo) Mentality Sly Eye Sir knight Indian doctor of nothing; Roosevelt Skerrit; how hot is the fire today? I will help stoke the fire to keep your sprit and soul burning; I go bring wan fark wid me fu chuk you black big behind to see if you the crapo done cook oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Mr. FET, did someone hack your account and write this garbage or are you really just an idiot? How many degrees do you have again?
Idiot
I don’t often agree with FET, but watch out if the chinese start importing plenty styrofoam…
http://shanghaiist.com/2012/10/04/the_chinese_built_hospital_thats_to.php
I appreciate this post because I can relate this poor work with the west coast road and the stadium.
Thanks for the details; I wish you had some of the pictures I’ve seen, to present to “dem Daminicans” who sell dem soul to de China-man an dem oui!
You got to watch out, soon most of all what the Chines built in Dominica will crumble and fall to the ground. If that happens in China their own country, where the built thousands of residential homes which were built and cannot be occupied because they are substandard, and poses a hazard to anyone who ventured into them.
Another thing I hope that medication are not bought from the Chines to be dispensed to Dominicans, as remind Skerrit of what the did to the Haitians, selling them green Radiator coolant , as cough medication, and when people gave the poison to their children, they all die!
That took place in the late 1970; they did the same to children in Africa!
You have to decide whether I am an idiot or not!
I cannot tell you; although I know but I doh talking, so I advise you to ask that Mountain Chicken Crapo Roosevelt Skerrit what he thinks about me; I am sure his response will be, “the day I get my hands around the neck of that kid Francisco I go choke him life out of he eh!”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Here’s my 2cents and I dont need change…
I think it would make a whole lot of sense and set us part from the rest if there where a Naturopathic wing to this hospital where Naturopathic doctors in and from Dominica & around the world can learn and practice. That concept is in line with our motto ‘Apres Bondeu c’est la terre’ n the Nature Isle and natural tourism. We must start leading in the things we are experts in in our own knowledge and strengths as well as learn from other cultures and countries but we should not forget what we already know just to follow their mistakes.
Bless
Get the basics right first and then think about your chicky micky stuff. Some people always want to run before they can walk.
“‘Apres Bondeu c’est la terre”
You are talking nonsense: What after God is the land or dirt have to do with learning, or practicing medicine, who in their right mind would leave some developed more modern country where medical research are conducted to go to a backward place like Dominica to do as you fantasize.
When a chicken dedicates a white substance for the first time, it looks back and believe it lay its first egg, that is your mentality at this time, there are more modern hospitals in the Caribbean that proposed Chines stupid looking structure.
Be quiet!
You seem to think that you are Kim Jong-un. You are convinced that you are knowledgeable and can advice on every single sector and talking point in this country. News flash!!!! Your confidence is disproportional to your abilities. Carry on my wayward son!
Francisco
You are confirming you are a real idiot
Need i say more ?
Most people on here may share my view but too politically correct to voice that aloud .
Moin meme par malay ein
Nice! After it is built the building will always be there. But will it always be functional? Will it house sufficient professionals and staff so people can always receive care? When you want an MRI you don’t want to hear that the technician is at lunch or out sick, etc. Also, the government needs to follow through with more training of health care personnel.
I hope that these govt ministers and elites use the hospital should the need arise, and not always run overseas for treatment.
In the new rendition i not seeing Landscape
I sincerely hope beautification with flowers , trees for shade and soil preservation , lawns for relaxing and seats outside for both visitors and patients will be taken into consideration.
Plans for paid parking should be initiated to finance the maintainance of the grounds .
Lets go man we on de move . Thats the good news i like to hear . Not the political ramblings all de time like that .
Now de PM starting to talk like a PM .Now dow let nobody come and write rubbish fing again for you to say OK .
This hospital should have been their first priority, instead of building that state palace.
You’re still on this? Really?!!!
Pictures lie a lot Skerrit,this is an upgrade on the existing hospital,my friends if this hospital would be newly built,would be in a new area or the old one would have been completely demolished,skerrit practice what you preac man,i hope you listened to one of the greatest black man alive and true to the world,Obama speech in Africa to so called leaders like you,just taking advantage of the needy.
Ok I am impressed. This is great for Dominica. Just hoping the Margaret is really Margret as spelled in the plans. But it’s all good.
Well is this just grand
After Skerrit play politics with this refurbishment of the hospital for over 12 years and is STILL playing politics with the one in Marigot- suddenly- this is now apolitical?!
You sound so foolish. If the hospital ain’t safe why would they jeopardize people’s safety. You did not hear they’re also going to build a hospital for Marigot? Y’all Dominicans are just too bias and politically blinded. Open y’all eyes and educate y’all selves. It would have been a different story if they left it open and people started getting sick.