VG residents asked for more time for gov’t to outfit Medical Centre
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley is asking for Virgin Gorda residents to be patient regarding the government’s plans to outfit the Nurse Iris O’Neal Medical Centre with proper equipment and improve functionality for residents.
The Premier noted that the new Health Minister, Marlon Penn has just assumed the role and is still getting acquainted with the portfolio and the different challenges of the health sector.
Therefore, he is asking for a time as the minister develops a plan for the medical centre. Nonetheless, the Premier noted the well-being of the Virgin Gorda residents and residents of the other sister islands is one of his top priorities.
“The first thing I should say is the welfare of the people of the sister islands is very important to us. We saw the building of that structure as being very important. But contrary to belief, we don’t want that structure to be a shell. Just to say it is something that we built and for it not to be functional,” the Premier said.
“The Minister of Health and Social Development Marlon Penn is focused on enhancing the service that we offer to our residents on the sister island. Certainly, we expect that as he is getting comfortable in the role, he is able to put forward a plan for some of the things you have described. So, I am just asking for you to give him a little time to put together that type of information and he can report to the public on his plans to enhance the medical services offer to Virgin Gorda residents as well as residents of the sister islands,” Dr. Wheatley added.
The Nurse Iris O’Neal opened its doors in February of 2020 and was expected to be a state-of-the-art facility to cater to the needs of the people of Virgin Gorda. Additionally, it was expected that the medical centre would reduce the need to travel to Tortola for medical services, especially in life-threatening medical emergencies.
However, since the medical centre opened its doors, residents of Virgin Gorda have complained that the centre is not properly outfitted to cater to their medical needs, and they still must travel to Tortola for most health-related problems.
In March of this year – while being the Opposition Leader – Penn had criticised the then Andrew Fahie-led administration for its neglect of the medical centre. He said at the time that the government must find a way to properly prioritise resources for key infrastructures needed to advance the territory. Penn further argued that Virgin Gorda was important to the BVI’s economy and therefore its residents need and deserve proper healthcare and healthcare services.
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You should press the North Sound groups to help donate equipment. They have access and the ability to source this stuff far cheaper than Government. Even if it is only part of the equipment, it is a start!
Other owners of businesses on the main island of VG can help as well. There are a lot of big local BVI people there that can easily donate and help (but never do).
No one trusts Government with cash, but if you put out a list of equipment and items needed for the Clinic I am sure people will get involved.
It is to the best interest of businesses and residents of VG that this clinic is fully operational!
UR testing VG’s patience patients! Hurry up and finish our clinic!
VG people life and their health was not top priority for the previous, and most definitely no priority at all for the Fahie administration.
Why also then, if one can ask, that “donors” can come forth with monies for ESH, but not even one for VG clinic, especially with hundreds of white epats lving there in their segregated enclave, and a few billionaires living there?
Same crap different government.
So the VIP government celebrated with nice pictures that this facility was finally ready.
Now this “new” government is again coming up with all sorts of words and nonsense of why this facility is not operational.
Natalio knows absolutely nothing about nothing and can’t get anything done! What a waste of time, bring in the UK!!!
Bottom line.There is no money !
There is plenty of money. But they just discovered that medical equipment suppliers dont pay kickbacks.
Wasn’t there a full handover from Hon Malone regarding this project? or are you saying nothing was done? Incompetence at its utmost. and people say no direct rule, well Sa!
No money seems to have been spared building this grand looking facility. Whose pockets did all that money go into? Perhaps a simple plain utility building would have left money to properly equip the facility. The BVI never stops wasting money for taxpayers, then when the money runs out, up comes the lame excuse of no more money. Absolutely sickening. Please Governor Rankin, time to fix the BVI.
You’d think the lesson would have been leaned with the Peebles hospital. Building a clinic is not the same as building a commercial building. It has to be commissioned. That means budgeting for all the necessary and customary equipment. Plan it right from the beginning instead of building a fancy building and then begging for others (mostly non-belongers) to donate the equipment.
The World was not built in one day.
It’s showing that country is broke. This and the high school.
Shameful lack of planning. Nothing is ever going to change in the BVI with the same old same old in charge doing what they do best, NOTHING. More bad days coming in the BVI.