Honour the man! Lorna Smith blasts hospital appearance
Labour Minister and Deputy Premier Lorna Smith has criticised the external condition of the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital, named in honour of her husband, the former Premier of the BVI.
Speaking in the House of Assembly, she urged fellow lawmakers to respect his legacy by maintaining the hospital’s appearance to reflect his immense contributions to the territory.
Smith said she was speaking as a concerned resident and stressed the need for improvements to the facility. Referring to comments made by a colleague, Clyde Lettsome, Smith noted that he described the hospital as “unpainted” and “unsigned.”
“Given that man’s (Dr Smith’s] contribution to this territory, for 50 years or more, we are sending a wrong message. The appearance of the hospital, the external side of it, it needs to be fixed and we need to at least honour the man as we should,” Smith remarked.
Smith argued that the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital’s condition falls short of the respect and care it should receive. She urged action to restore its exterior appearance, adding that it would require minimal effort: “A little bit of paint, a little bit of changing a door here and there, just making the place more attractive.”
Smith also expressed frustration with the dilapidated state of the hospital’s outpatient facilities, calling for these areas to be revitalised as well. “There is little reason why our outpatient facilities are in the decrepit state that they are in compared to other private facilities,” she said. The Deputy Premier further argued that the hospital belongs to everyone and should not reflect any discrimination based on patients’ ability to pay.
Politics at play?
Smith’s concerns were echoed by Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn, who passionately argued for the hospital to be properly marked in honour of Dr Smith. “Dr Smith has given exemplary service to this country. Exemplary service. I’m sure all of us who might be around my age or younger, or even older I should say, when you look to see who delivers you, it’s Dr Smith who delivers you. Go to people’s house, do all manner of things for them, don’t charge them a cent,” he said.
Walwyn strongly suggested politics might be why the hospital remains unsigned despite Dr Smith’s years of dedicated service. “It cannot be anything but politics why the hospital does not say Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital on it,” he asserted.
Walwyn added that the cost of addressing the issue is not prohibitive. “I think it was a measly $40,000 or something they said was the cost for the hospital [sign],” Walwyn said before swiping at Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley. “Your party cost more than that. It’s some small sum, Premier… It is some figure that is not prohibitive.”
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That Hospital should be fully funded by the government. The only FREE health care system they let patients do what they want. NO PENALTIES LOL!
Yea well maybe if we had that 7 million lando help them white boys “appropriate” maybe we could have renovated the hospital.
Best believe that $20M would go much, much further.
Free health Care? Where?
This is nepotism at its finest and out there on display for the whole world to see.
What is important is that Health Services be improved, not honoring the man. Roads need to be improved and bush cut. Where are your priorities, just shameful nonsense talk.
But as usual in this country we are always worried about the wrong things.
Tall boy love political confusion he knows politics has nothing to do with this matter
as much as you like , you knew who you were with – you knew what you were getting into before you did the moonwalk , that there are snakes in the grass on both sides , even with all the inexperience you possess U cannot perform miracles even the wigged one taking shots at you , blame you , for the lack of genuine unity amongst themselves which even today they are only doing an acting job to make it look real , but not everyone is fooled by these set of power hungry wannabe aristocracts
Yes!!!
HONOUR the man!
Visitors to the territory have been in search of Orlando Smith Hospital.
Based on their knowledge, they know that this is the name of the hospital.
So even though they can see Peebles Hospital, they are in search of the other hospital.
What-A-Thing.
Yes, he is Lorna’s husband, but I totally agree here.It is a disgrace,That sign should have changed many years ago and the hospital is in a decrepit state inside and out.
The hospital needs to be brought into good condition so that it can properly serve the population – and the fact that it is named after somebody is irrelevant.
Maybe you should research who Major Peebles was.
And she still turn around and joined their government for a position. What does that say about her? Lorna cares only about Lorna. That is who that woman is.
Peebles is a better name for the hospital than Dr. Smith. Why should a man that allegedly lost over $7 million for an airplane be honored?
I waiting to see ayo come trying to name something after AF.
You sound so selfish. The name reflects the contributions that were made as a Medical doctor, not a politician. Some of you who’s talking , don`t even know who Dr Smith is.
Premier now 20 million mistake…
Perhaps the shabby appearance is a reflection on what some may think of Smith’s past performance? Wasn’t he at the wheel during the Pier Park project that cost almost twice as much as originally estimated and included missing $10 million in “soft costs”, a followed by a $ 1 million audit of the project that found insufficient documentation to complete a proper audit? All public money.
If the facility is decrepit, it’s because building maintenance is not a thing here. How much money is budgeted for facility maintenance and upkeep? How many employees in the maintenance staff? Who is in charge of maintenance? It’s on them.
Aren’t you tired with the bullshit? Just imagine what the BVI would be like without the Pier Park. Also, what is the value of the pier park development inclusive of the value of the businesses and commerce happening at that property? Do tell!
Too right I’m tired of the BS. Tired of the notion that making things better for the Territory is seen as some sort of colonial yoke. Too tired of watching elected politicians negligence and general indifference to doing what is right over decades. More important it seems to put someone’s name in bright lights because they come from the right families.
The buck stops with the MOH and the cabinet for underfunded infrastructure! Looking to blame the workers who have to wait for supplies to do their tasks in not any fail of their own. Check out the fire state of: HLSCC campus infrastructure, suss the state of the facilities at the schools, ports of entries, ALL government owned facilities are in shambles – look at the complex 7 years on from IrMaria!
If the MOF does not budget and appropriate funds for any of these (roads, waste management, water distribution) wtf you all expect to happen?!?!
Blame the people that have been elected and held ministerial posts for their lack of integrity, leadership, management and accountability to US as law abidin citizens who have become accustomed to mediocrity that is the norm for 20+ years of underdevelopment.
Pandering to the pubic is not the way to solving these glaring issues of financial mismanagement Ms malfeasances. It takes a major event/catastrophe before the Ministers get things moving. Prove e wrong that these ilk have ever, EVER been proactive?!?
What a wonderful world it could be!
Our culture of sweeping issues under the rug ia part of our problem. Yes now that construction is finished the pier park is good for the country but alot of crookedness happened while it was being built and so now we clap for them because it cost twice as much and now we have the facility. Some serious mess went down brother man. An audit was done which revealed some of the mess and no one has been held to account. So we pretend like the crooked ways got straight and someday soon it will be erased from history.
This place is never gonna get better
We’re a dehydrated country anyway
what the outside looks like if the money is spent inside the hospital to save lives. Every penny counts.
Everybody calling for this and calling for that and ignoring the elephant in the room… The government seem like it broke!
So she cares more about the appearance of the hospital because it’s in her husband’s name than the overall failing Healthcare system, lack of doctors and nurses and lack of proper working equipment in the hospital and the clinics. SMH
Don’t vex, we are a developing country, 3rd world status soon come.
I concur, “@thought”!
You know, I remember the “wailing and gnashing of teeth”, that took place during the planning phase of Pier Park.
AND, it was Premier Smiths’ diligence, and unwavering support, along with his cabinet, that brought that project forward!
Where would this country be without Pier Park, Premier Smith, and the NDP
..YES, Continue to honour his legacy,and repair the facade,and the interior spaces, of the hospital!
If it was any one of us, and our legacies, we too, would want it honored, cherished, and preserved, in a manner that’s dignified!
I agree we should honor him. But at a cost of 40K for a sign. I am sure that money could be put to better use like buying equipment that is needed, giving the staff a raise, paying the light bill, fixing the generator on the clinic VG etc etc.
Take a look again at that quotes cost …..
With all dew respect, that hospital should not have been renamed. Peebles hospital was donated to us when we had none. They could have named the surgery ward or a wing of the hospital in Mr. Smith’s honour. WE MUST BE A GRATEFUL.
Think it may be cheaper to changes it back to Peebles. Sign is still up. Think how much all thise extra letters will cost. We would need another fund raising party!
Is Delilah serious? She speaking like someone in the opposition! Who are you blasting for the hospital appearance? Isnt it the same people you joined up with to form the Government? Why aren’t they fixing it? Why do you have to bring this to the HOA and not speak with them directly? Afterall you are in the same Government with them. You get up and praise them every chance you get while many of us sit and watch in disbelief.
If your husband’s name and legacy meant that much to you, you would not lie in bed with the same people who criticized him bitterly and continue to defile his leadership every chance they get.
Get out of here with this nonsense!
In BVI we do not maintain our facilities. It is real sad. It look bad in truth. I just smh everytime I drive by.
The D. Orlando Smith Hospital, the sole public hospital in the [British ] Virgin Islands( VI), operating as a statutory body has been an abject failure. Clearly,,it cannot operate as a self-sufficient, self-supporting facilty. . The NHI is a failure; service providers don’t have a set fee structure to charge for specific services. Instead, it appears some providers exploit and rape the system. The BVIHSA/Hospital needs to revert to a Department. I digress.
In regards to the deplorable appearance of the D. Orlando Smith Hospital , its non-aesthetically pleasing appearance, in addition to being disrespectful, it can have a psychological adverse impact on patients mindset, entering or seeking services in the facility. A positive mind set can play a key role in patients wellness, speed of recovery.
Accessible, quality, affordable healthcare must be the number #1 national priority..Every resident in the VI at some point will need healthcare. And when needed,,it shoukd be available. Health care is a factor in the territory’s human development index(HDI).
So if the Dr. Orlando Smith Hospital has a more aesthetically pleasing external appearance,,patients would have a more positive state of mind, higher level of confidence in their outcome, recovery? Deep or some bull.
lol fix the roads leading to the hospital while you’re at it
Both names represent two distinct periods in Virgin Islands Medical History one, from the very empty, hungry and brutal days just post Slavery, and the other representing the bridge between that period and the transition into modernity.
Both names represents tremendous history and millions of lives. Indeed, the represent the Dr. Osborne and Dr Smith eras. One must bean authentic local to now where that is coming from.
I am proud to have known and to be treated by both. My land; myhistory.
Now please dont annoy the reading and intelligent people with the racist qestion typed last time, “what is a authentic local.” Only the hateful, unread and uninformed would speak such.
Both must be laid upon those buildings.
Any other person this heifer would be quiet.