The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

Crobards@tribunemedia.net

GEORGETOWN, Exuma – The $14 million Georgetown hospital could be open by year-end following the completion of construction at the end of June, Deputy Prime Minister and minister responsible for public works, Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday.

Mr Davis said the Ministry of Health is now in the process of identifying what is needed to outfit the facility.

He said the hospital is essential for attracting more foreign direct investment to Exuma and the Bahamas in general.

“It all fits together because the Bahamas is in need of foreign direct investment,” said Mr Davis.

“Persons who are going to invest and persons who are going to share in investments want to know if anything goes wrong with their health that there is at least some delivery of first class world class health service to them.”

Mr Davis added that the government is obligated to provide healthcare facilities for its people.

“It is a fundamental responsibility of any government to ensure that residents and its citizens alike have access to first class health care services and it is our mandate to ensure that where a Bahamian is, where a visitor is, those services are available,” he said.

Senior deputy director of National Insurance, Theresa Burrows, said outfitting the facility will be a major challenge for the Ministry of Health.

Ms Burrows said the National Insurance Board is underwriting the cost of the hospital.

“We’re very pleased with what we see in terms if the construction, it’s going very well so far,” she said.

Mr Davis said he and his team from Ministry of Works were also in Exuma to identify an area to build an administrative complex, make plans for a bypass road to ease traffic throughout the island, check on remedial work on the island’s dock and bridge and look into reclaiming the island’s regatta site.