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, he 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!
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.
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.
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?
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!
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.