$500K now set aside for hospital signage
The government has allocated $500,000 for the design, supply, and installation of a new sign for the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital, according to a recent Schedule of Additional Provisions (SAP) update from the government.
This investment addresses a long-standing call for a proper sign to honour the legacy of Dr Smith, who is a physician and former multi-term Premier.
During a House of Assembly debate, the issue of the hospital’s lack of signage took centre stage. The government explained the allocation as part of an effort to finally address the concerns raised regarding the hospital’s appearance and recognition of Dr Smith’s contributions to the territory.
“We have $500,000 to cover expenses related to the design, supply, and installation of the sign at the hospital,” Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said. “Obviously, that’s something that has been long outstanding. It came to my attention, and I said to the Ministry of Finance, let’s solve it. Let’s not let it linger any longer. Let us solve it and ensure that we honour my cousin, my father’s first cousin, Dr D Orlando Smith. It’s been way too long.”
Former Deputy Premier Lorna Smith, Dr Smith’s wife, recently criticised the hospital’s condition, calling it a poor reflection of Dr Smith’s legacy. She argued that, given Dr Smith’s years of service, the facility should receive due respect, especially in its outward appearance.
“Given that man’s contribution to this territory, for 50 years or more, we are sending a wrong message,” said Smith, underscoring the importance of improvements. She pointed out that the hospital remained “unpainted” and “unsigned,” which she argued failed to properly honour Dr Smith’s accomplishments.
Exemplary service
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn echoed her remarks, expressing frustration over the delayed recognition of Dr Smith’s work. Walwyn argued, “Dr Smith has given exemplary service to this country… when you look to see who delivers you [as a baby], it’s Dr Smith.” He suggested that the lack of a sign might be politically motivated, describing it as “nothing but politics,” preventing the proper recognition of Dr Smith at the hospital.
Walwyn also noted the relatively low cost previously proposed for signage. “I think it was a measly $40,000… some small sum,” he said, implying that financial constraints were not an obstacle. He continued, “Your party cost more than that,” Walwyn said while addressing Premier Wheatley.
With the new funding now earmarked, the government has committed to working with the Health Services Authority to ensure the sign is installed without delay.
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What half a mil for a sign, this is madness.
this dude really know how to squander taxpayers money , or is it just a front the game that’s being played on us ❓️ well we can always blame the white slave masters ○¿○ OR CINDY OR LORNA AS THE WIGGED ONE LOVES TO SAY
OH, SO THIS IS A FAMILY THING?
Absolute madness. With the state of the roads that is how you spend half a million ? Dont count on my vote !!!!!!
This is a priority? Please provide a breakdown of how a cost of $ 500k was arrived at? Just for signage and lights? I call the usual pork barrel.
I dont even know what to say about this. I want to see what a $500k sign looks like. Maybe you would see it from St Thomas
you mean, from the moon.
That sign better be saying “THIS WAY TO HEAVEN”.
I HOPE THIS INCLUDES A PAINT JOB TOO, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT HOSPITAL LOOK- IT’S A DISGRACE TO THE EYES NO JOKE
500k!!!?
Wow hungry people who ain’t working wow
this is madness!!
We the Staff of BVIHSA cant get an incentive on our Pay
We the staff are overworked and underpaid
DO BETTER!!
If you feel so then resign….oh wait you slow pathetic azz probably can’t work any other place cause nobody there to hook you up.
Vanity project when the building & services inside need that money far more.
Slap a Red Cross on it most will get the idea . $100 and a ladder
Maybe they should pay the electricity bills so to Clinics could stay open instead of a overpriced sign Corruption at its best, how much money is going into pockets where it dosent belong.
By all means, this is outrageous. Mehson all yuh need to get this boy out before we become literally doomed. So sick and tired of grown folks letting this nyn***poop do as he please for the sake of keeping a ministerial position. Shame on all of them.
$500K for signage at the D. Orlando Smith Hospital ! Really! This is not effective management of our budget resources. Clearly, this is a project, which was not effectively estimated. It seems like a number that was pluck out of thin air, does it not? We need to maximized budget efficiency to deliver the best service to the most people. This proposed project cost is not doing this? We can aim to do anything but we cannot do every thing at once. Consequently, we must prioritize our expenditures and maximize the efficiency of spending budgeted funds.
Our sister OTs, viz, Bermuda and Cayman Islands have billion dollar O& M budgets, smoking us. What could we do effectively with an additional $500K? $500K for this sign is not a fair and reasonable price. It is loco budgeting. Someone prove me wrong.
I am a BVIslander and own a company right here that produces signs. I haven’t seen any bids for signs. I know I could procure one for a lot less.
Maybe you aren’t related to the right folks.
Take down the old sign, put a small plaque at the entrance, and use the money to fix the leaking roof and mold.
First let me state upfront, I have tremendous respect for Dr. Smith and his legacy.
However, a signage costing 500K seems a bit much. What kind of sign do they have in mind?
Surely, a signage can be created and installed for less than half of that cost. Just my opinion.
honor the legacy of a premier who invested our $7+ million dollars in a scam airline and then disappeared after Irma?
Better to leave the Peebles name on the exterior of the hospital and invest the $500K on the staff and interior of the hospital.
Four letters on 2 sides – D O S H – done.
$450,000 saved.
smh half a million for a sign that cant do nothing but look pretty on the side of the building.
IT MUST BE A GOLD SIGN
The sign probably cost 80 thousand.
BECAUSE DR. SMITH WAS THEIR BOY
SAY SOMETHING
LEH WE GOOGLE THE PRICES FOR HOSPITAL SIGNS
The government has allocated $500,000 for the design, supply, and installation of a new sign for the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital?
Are you mad 1/2 million dollars so someone can have their name in lights?
NO
We have far more important needs oh wasteful useless government.
Look at all the comments and tell me what the people want, I tell you it is not more wastefulness, that I can guarantee you.
$500,000.00USD? No! we want this government gone!
1/2 million for a sign? And you can’t fix the dump?
Are you for real?
Now google what’s the average cost of a big sign for a church or hospital. Google say anywhere between 2,000-50,000 so how TF we reach half a million dollars!? What the other $450,000 is for?
This government is full of sh** , half a million dollars for a sign, we are getting ripped off again and money gone in someone’s pocket.
Same allocated for vg clinic… 500k is the new $20 in government.
AND LETS DONT FORGET OUR PRIORTIES ARE COMMING SOON THE HON.VIBES CARTEL . WHILE VIBES WILL BE SINGING, BVISLADERS LIFES AT RISK EVERYDAY BECAUSE OF UNPAVE GOVT ACESS.
It was allocated but I imagine or would at least hope that the entire figure will not be utilized, because that would be madness.
Government announcement enormous amount set aside, public objects , premier intercedes and tries to take credit for listening to voters YAWN
A sign? Healthcare workers have not received an increment in over 10 years and the government is worried about a sign for $500000. How does Healthcare workers survive with the cost of living so high. How do they provide for their families?I wonder if the government just ignore the hospital workers because majority of them are expatriates.
The hospital not even running at its best , but you have monies to waste on sign ..
they don’t have plates to take x-rays at the hospital but need a 500 k sign. when is the UK stepping in to put a stop to this nonsense of money wasting here.
these are not serious people.
This is some serious fu*** going on here.. 500k for a damn sign.. and then telling me bull s**t s**t about paying pension plan. When those the non sense stop!! Uk please do something!! This is out of control now Blatantly! U can build a frigging building with 500 k for God’s sake natalio get your head off that w**d!
No confidence march tomorrow
As somone that is knowledgeable with signs this price is flipping ridiculous… 500k for what?!?!? Even if they said 300k id be scratching my head. I wish they release the quotes for the sign, and the bids for installation. This is a ridiculous investment…. Well don’t worry while the whole country is litteraly crumbling around us we will have a pretty sign to watch as we fall… Set of jokers.
SOO MANY PROBLEM AND THIS IS WHAT THEM SMARTASS PUT ASIDE MONEY TO DO
Forget that sign and look about moving all the Govt offices back to the Govt. Complex by the end of summer next year.
$500,000 for a sign instead of properly staffing our medical facilities? Have we really already forgotten someone died recently due to no medical staff over on VG? 10’s of MILLIONS of dollars going to the private medical sectors because our own hospital is so run down that we can’t even run scans and test needed. Intelligence tells the ignorant that we should be worried about what’s going on on the inside, yet we are worried about the exterior vanity? That make sense?