BVI News

Changing sign at hospital predicted to cost over $100K, old sign to remain a while longer

The ‘Peebles Hospital’ sign still mounted atop the recently renamed Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital is expected to remain a while longer as the cost for the change is predicted to be more than $100,000.

This is according to Chief Operations Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Cedorene Patricia Malone-Smith who gave that indication during a recent airing of the Honestly Speaking with Claude Skelton Cline radio programme.

While answering questions on how soon the public can expect to see a renamed sign being mounted, Malone-Smith said: “That’s going to take a little while because the financial support that is going to be needed to do that is going to be a bit.”

“Just putting ‘Peebles Hospital’ up alone I know that the cost of that was quite substantial — close to $100,000. So, we’re going to expand on the name and all of that stuff so we have to get the quotes in and then go forward in that manner,” she further said.

Still adjusting to new name

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the BVIHSA Dr Ronald Georges apologised for not changing the sign as yet.

He explained that the hospital has been undergoing a lot of transitioning in regards to documentation following the change of its name some nine months ago. He further said the name-change is still an adjustment.

“We’ve been doing that from time to time because you know its been Peebles Hospital for quite a long time, so a lot of people slip up. But we’ve been doing that process to ensure that people get the name right,” Dr Georges said.

Commenting on the name-change — which was done in honour of former Premier, Dr D Orlando Smith — Dr Georges also said he agreed with sentiments that persons who contributed significantly to the history of the BVI should be celebrated while they are still alive.

“It is very important for any country or territory to have the things that it holds dear and the things that people can see as representing that territory,” Dr Georges argued.

Just more than a month before losing the February 2019 General Election, former NDP government, through Cabinet, decided to rename the then Peebles Hospital after the former Premier. It was in recognition of his pioneering efforts to improve healthcare for the residents of the territory.

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33 Comments

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  1. smh says:

    Glad somebody has the sense to let it sit for a while. The Territory is in much need of life’s necessities not changing a sign!

    Like 22
    Dislike 2
    • Dumbasses says:

      Just take down “Peebles” and leave “Hospital”. Why does anyone’s name need to be on there. If Dr Smith wishes his name up there he should give the hospital an endowment just like everywhere else around the world. I think the name should be changed to BVI AIRWAYS HOSPITAL. They deserve the name because they made all you dummies look like fools.

      Like 35
      Dislike 8
    • WOW says:

      LET HE A** PAY FOR IT THEN!!! Mr Olando Smith, after you don’t take all the gov$, PAY FOR IT!

      Take off “Peebles” and leave “ Hospital”

      – Please and Thankyou (Orlando, PAYUPP)

      Like 3
      Dislike 6
    • Accuracy please says:

      The current sign is incorrect.

      The hospital was named after Major H.W. Peebles so it should say “Peebles’ Hospital” in the same way that “Nelson’s column isn’t “Nelsons column”.

      Similarly, “Graves’ disease” isn’t “Graves disease”.

      You’re welcome.

  2. 100k? says:

    I am guessing as one last trick Dr. Smith is benefiting from having his name put on the hospital?

    Like 8
    Dislike 12
  3. wow says:

    LORD HAVE MERCY ON US TAXPAYERS

    Like 14
    Dislike 2
  4. How? says:

    On what planet? As a taxpayer I am disgusted!

    Like 14
    Dislike 3
  5. Anonymous says:

    100K for a sign. Let me tell you that my company can do it cheaper. Contact my company 787-600-0071

    Like 17
  6. Sarcastic Asian says:

    Paint it on instead of fancy backlit signage. Will suffice.

    Like 16
  7. Headless Chicken says:

    The insanity, and prioritization of thing in our country never ceases to amaze me. For the love of God, Honourable Premier, please get ahold of things! Each day I think things can’t get more crazy here then this country’s leaders takes things to new levels.
    The sign can be done, but it is not a priority right now! Paint his name on the building for now if everyone is so desperate to honour Dr. Smith and dismiss Major Peebles.

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  8. Dman says:

    You gotta be kidding me!

  9. Money down the drain says:

    Wait is this sign made of gold or diamonds 100k for the sign does that include removing old sign and putting up new one?

  10. Jane says:

    There are thirty letters on that sign – are we really saying its going to cost $3,333.33 per letter? Come on people arent stupid, something is very rotten and Ms Malone-Smith ought to have had a bit of common sense before making such a statement.

    Like 16
    • See says:

      Fix a road and name it after him . Get a sewage plant up and running and name it after him . Put out the fires in pockwood pond and name the pile after him . Have a government owned flatbed to pick up junk cars and name the truck after him . But 100k for a sign that does nothing ??? Its a luxury .

      Like 25
      • Marilyn says:

        YOU MAKE ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD JUST GET ALL THOSE MAJOR THINGS DONE WITH THAT MONEY ELSE FOR GOOD. THE FORMER PRIEMER IS STILL HERE AND THERE ARE MAJOR THINGS TO BE DONE FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE BVI – HELP THE NEIGHBORING ISLANDS. BVI HAVE MANY PLACES TO PUT THE FUNDS IN GOOD UPKEEP OF THE HOME LAND. SPEND TIME ON BUILDING THE SOCKER STATIDUM AND THE EXTENSION OF THE COLLEGE ALL TO BE DONE IN LONG LOOK/EE, AND MAIN CONCERN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOSPITAL IN GOOD STANDARDS WITH THE ACREDIATION BOARD, WHICH KEEP THE HOSPITAL OPEN FOR EVERYONE. A NAME CAN WAIT – YES A NAME CAN WAIT. MORE IMPORTANT THINGS MUST BE DONE.

    • @Jane says:

      it’s referred to as kick back, redirectionl of fiscal allotments, or simply, put corruption, so it appears.

      Clean hands and minds are non existent these times.

    • Harrigan says:

      You are 10c out, my friend.

  11. See says:

    Fix a road and name it after him . Get a sewage plant up and running and name it after him . Put out the fires in pockwood pond and name the pile after him . Have a government owned flatbed to pick up junk cars and name the truck after him . But 100k for a sign that does nothing ??? Its a luxury .

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  12. Please read carefully says:

    “Just putting ‘Peebles Hospital’ up alone I know that the cost of that was quite substantial — close to $100,000. So, we’re going to expand on the name and all of that stuff so we have to get the quotes in and then go forward in that manner,” she further said.

    Did anyone read the story? They haven’t even gotten quotes for the name change yet. She is guessing the cost will be high based on the cost of putting up the existing sign.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  13. SMH says:

    So how much do you expect it to cost to fabricate and erect a sign that big? If you read the story the CEO is saying that the original sign cost around $100K so it’s anticipated that the new one, which will be much more work because of a longer name, may cost more. It doesn’t mean that if they shop around they won’t find a better price. Take the funds from the seized monies and keep it moving, why we love to harp on so much f**kry is beyond me. There’s a story about the Autism Center back up and running and nobody commented, but let’s bang our heads on the wall over a f**king sign! I swear!!

    Like 8
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    • Jane says:

      Indeed the first sign cost $100k because someone got a lovely back-hander for it then. So benchmarking against the original cost doesnt mean that is the honest price. Y’all never heard the saying “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and we will call it the Orlando Smith Hospital”

  14. No nonsense says:

    We don’t give a s%%% about quotes!Too many life time memories with that individual at the helm of the vessel. That vessel ran a ground in Road Reef and will be there for generations to come. No!!He is not deserving of that honor

    Like 4
    Dislike 5
  15. who to blame says:

    It is very interesting that you all has so many negative things to say. where were you when Dr Smith was making contribution to this country,you all think he was only a Premier but go take a seat. He has save many life’s when he was our sergeant and everything in the medical feel.You brook foot he fix it, he deliver babies, he even reattached severed limbs when chop off.
    Why aint Dr. Georges telling us how much he paid the Puerto Rico firm to replaced the Air Conditions ($600,000.00 plus)

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  16. Planning Committee says:

    Just got clarity. The new building is what was renamed Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital. The Major Peebles which we all know as Peebles will remain with its name. So there are 2 wings. Major Peebles wing and Dr D. Orlando Smith wing. So in all fairness it’s not Peebles to why they were allowed to renamed the new hospital structure while leaving Major Peebles name and legacy lives on for his contribution to the healthcare in British Virgin Islands.

    Nobody was making any fuss about why the old names is still there. It was a question asked on the talk show as 2 representative of BVIHSA were guest there and an answer was given.

    We need not to run anywhere with things we see in media before assuming. But again let me apologize as we are all humans so assumptions are usually inevitable. But in future we should do some sourcing of information.

    But one day when time is right it will eventually get its name replaced.

    Thanks to all for reading.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Meanwhile, beginning the decolonialization process, physically and mentally should become a pertinent part of our ongoing future.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  18. Google says:

    Typical custom steel signs cost about $20 to $30 per square foot while aluminum and plastic designs usually cost between $10 to $20 per square foot. The least expensive signs are made from urethane and generally cost about $5 to $10 per square foot.

  19. venum says:

    it’s been peebles forever. why dont they just leave it. dr orlando aint no founding father of the territory or nttn like that. what he did that was so special that the name gotta be changed?

  20. well says:

    if Dr Smith want his name to be there then he should pay for it not my tax money,

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  21. :) says:

    Too much money keep the name the same. Name the planes after Dr. Smith.

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  22. Diaspora says:

    Undoubtedly, signage are important to provide directions, add aesthetics………etc to a facility. But $100K to replace signage at the old Peebles Hospital to Dr. D. Orlando Smith is unreasonable. The Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital is the major Hospital on Tortola. Everyone knows where the hospital is; it is find. Further, the signage does not have to affix to the top floor; it can be at the ground level. Additional directional signage can displaced at the entrance and at other locations, ie, traffic signs.

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