Now that a “generous grant” from the Government of Mexico for the construction of a new hospital in Marigot has been finalized, the government is now awaiting the designs from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux has said.
He stated at a press briefing on Wednesday that UNOPS was contracted to do the designs for the new facility.
“We are now awaiting the designs from UNOPS,” he stated. “UNOPS, that is the United Nations Office for Project Services has been contracted to do the designs for us. So we are now awaiting the designs, of course for our input.”
He stated that tenders for the demolition of the old structure have already been sent out since the new hospital is going to be built the old site.
He said recommendations have already been made for the award of contracts for the demolition works.
“So that being said and I recall at the consultation with the members of parliament that one of the things that came to the fore was the issue of how do we juxtapose, how do we deal with the issue of primary health care at the hospital,” Dr. Darroux stated. “While they are related, there is this clear demarcation between the hospital and a health center.”
He stated that health center for Marigot will be constructed since in the past the old building at Marigot served as both hospital and health center.
“There are this two different schools of thought to whether or not they should be housed within the same physical structure,” he noted. “There is one school of thought that suggests that would make more physical sense because it would save staff etc, utilities. There is this other school of thought that suggests that the two of them should be quite separated because a hospital setting would require a lot more movement of traffic, emergencies, etc. So we have taken the decision to go ahead with the hospital aspect of it, in the meantime, we are trying to ascertain the ownership of the surrounding lands in the area so we can then determine the construction of the Marigot Health Center.”
He stated in that way the two facilities will not be sharing the same physical structure but will be close to each other.
The much-talked-about Marigot Hospital was shut down in 2016 due to mold and fungus infestation. Before that, it was shut down because of a severe termite infection.
In March this year, the Government of Dominica announced that the Government of Mexico has committed US$5-million for the construction of the hospital
dos Dominica have a special place in airline and passengers security?what if an accident happen how far will the injured will travel to a hospital?
The public relations of my party is the lousiest of any in the Democratic world. Why rush to the podium to announce an idea? The property ownership has not even been verified, the location of the health center is under consideration and the cost will not be determined before design completion. There is a pattern. This rush to deliver undermines the good intentions and exposes the poor planning that stymie so many projects in the pipeline. The pipeline is clogged!
Your party is not only lousy at public relations. To keep it simple, they are lousy at everything. Sorry, correction, they are very good at corruption and lying.
Hot air form a Cuban graduate! Man some of you guys have roosvelt the dishonourable Dr Punjab using you all like Muppets! Worthless the late Fidel Castro would be ashamed of you!
Darroux, for an old man like you,aren’t you tired of talking B S like this on a daily basis?
Talk some sense for once,all of you morons in this Labour party.
People want to see and hear of job creation,better standard of living,opportunity for the youth,health facilities, roads,manufacturing,,sports,and more.
Everyday is the same ” mamaguying” ,a bunch of crap and nothing is happening.
For your information, it’s only the Labour party morons you are fooling.
This isn’t going to happen, it’s all stupid politics.
can U.S. $5,000000 build a hospital?????
This is a house man
The people of Marigot, including Dr. Christmas, should hold Dr. Martin Christmas responsible for the state of their health and hospital today. I mean Dr. Christmas was the resident doctor when the hospital was closed due to termite infection. To make matters worse, Dr. Christmas jumped on Skerrit’s boat and then contested the 2014 elections for Skerrit, despite the mess Skerrit left his fellow villagers in. In other parts of the free world that would be called conspiracy against… For that, the people of Marigot should hold the doctor responsible, by ensuring that when the next election is called, Dr Christmas and Skerrit should not get one single vote in Marigot! Furthermore, every single villager that dies, going back to the date the hospital was closed in 2012 or 2013, the people of Marigot should put on every grave the words “IN MEMORY OF DR. CHRISTMAS & PM SKERRIT”, so that when babies ask why, it could be explained that is because of how the doctor and pm treated the people
You are right. Martin was a waste of time in the first place and he’s still a waste of time even now. Never cared one thing bout Marigot ppl. He is there for his own selfish gain. And think it’s his education that gave him 300 votes. MARTIN CHRISTMAS IS A WASTE OF TIME
As a Dominican and Marigotian livng aboard but follows what is happening on her Island I totally agree with every word you have said, in other places the so called Dr Christmas would be held accountable for his actions, his irresponsible, neglegent, behaviour and be allowed to jump ship.
Anotherthing is our people need to use there voices and make their stuation known to the world of the behviour of the cowboys and the leader of the pack. Stand in the middle of Weirs and shout to the top of their voices, call in the media from other Island to moniter their dem. If their is an accident people has to go all the way to town that ******** or Porstmouth. a child with severe astma has to go all the way to Westley for treatment, this is not fair.
Boi boi look more crap when is election we will hear ground breaking next they win electionno money just biuld the hospital and stop with all that excuse
Someone please help me understand how this Government is still in power!!
Only in Dominica, my friend. Only in Dominica!
Government waiting on design? What I will say to Skerrit and company is WAIT PATIENTLY. They say they going to make Dominica the first resilient country in the world; so I guess their definition of residence is to break down existing hospital and let the people die. For sure this is the first Government I know that closing down a hospital without a replacement plan
This is a perfect opportunity for the government to work with the parliamentary representative of the area. Give the population a chance to witness true collaboration between members on opposite sides of the political aisle. Political partisanship and expediency are always part of this government’s modus operandi. Only collectively can this country lift itself out of this quagmire. Selfishness, greed, ignorance and hunger for power would keep Dominica in a perpetual state of underdevelopment and decay. The country needs a new dispensation. We can’t expect a different result when we persist with the same antiquated style of politics. The present administration looks at the country’s many problems in political rather than human terms. Every thing that is done by this government is carefully calculated to get votes. They see people as voters and not as human beings. Today, most Dominicans are experiencing a decay and decline in their quality of life. Change should be inevitable .
Very sensible comment.
Then one can conclude that is use they using all resources they receive for the furtherance of Dominica for their own demises……watch and see the volumes of Dominicans especially the young, talented and health leave by the drones……I’ve witnessed heard and seen Dominicans make it in time of workers party Edison James presently the vision is on their noses!….empty promises this present administration don’t know what you’ll don’t ….this is frustrating
Just how much more blatant misrepresentation will we hear on this project..The PM has given us his version on a number of occasions.The health minister his version.Now apparent they do not have a clue.Why build TWO buildings.Siimple economic
tell you to build a complete hospital/health centre in ONE unit.Scale gives you better value..Don’t hold your breath waiting. For this to come to fruition.
If I hear about that hospital one more time!! Darrow you all need to stop talking and start working. I thought you all already had a design? Lord!! It seems as though is retarded you all are dealing with. If you all cannot do the job get out of Government; and all those Marigot people that forever jumping LABOR, LABOR..I HOPE YOU ALL SEE THAT THE GOVERNMENT ISN’T WORKING FOR YOU ALL. A bunch of jokers that is in this place. Smh
On the 24 Nov 2016 it was shared with the public by Mr. Darroux that they are sourcing design on the Marigot Hospital.
Now fast track to March 29th 2018 and Mr, Darroux is still awaiting design for the Marigot Hospital.
This incompetent minister and the DLP GOVT is killing this NATION!!!!!
The country is already dead!
Firstly, I have a problem with a male minister rocking bling in his ears. When I went to highschool, Dominica Grammar School, it was a very big thing that young men couldn’t wear earings.
Secondly, why is the government doing things in the Marigot constituency without consulting with the parl rep. The government always seems to want to do things in constituencies that they lost without the parl rep getting involved. I’m very concerned about this. Get the parl rep involved in what goes on in his constituency. As government, you must do for all Dominicans. However, you must respect the parl rep, you must begin involving the Parl rep. He was the one voicing concerns for this hospital.
I’m also concerned that you have no designs, but know how much the hospital would cost. How does that work? You recieve a five million grant, then request designs? Do you even know where you will build the hospital? I’m confused cause you’ll seem to be announcong this wrong.
God bless Dominica
Unfortunately I share the same sense of confusion with you but also irritation. On 11 Dec. last year GIS issued a press release stating that on the previous Wednesday, at a press briefing, our P.M. declared that the government had finalised all of the documents to submit to the government of Mexico. I would have thought that a plan/design for the hospital would have been an essential part of this. How else could they arrive at a costing for instance. Did the P.M. mislead us because according to his Minister the UN is still working on these plans today. Forgive me for saying that I don’t know what to believe any more regarding this project. Clarity is needed instead of vague promises.
You only hear of these projects when they start thinking of elections,
In a meeting in penville earlier this week, Skerit indicated to his people, to prepare for earlier election