Don’t get jealous of new Health Centre at Byrea – PM

GOVERNMENT is preparing to spend $4 million to construct a new Health Centre, as well as a temporary clinic at Byera in the North Central Windward constituency.

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph, Parliamentary Representative for the Constituency, along with partners in the project, chaired a consultation with Byera residents on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at the Pamelus Burke Government School. He explained that government intends to first construct a temporary clinic at the site of the old chapel, using land purchased from the Anglican Church. After operations are moved to the temporary clinic, the old clinic will be demolished and the new Smart Clinic will be built over a 12-month period.

“We will break down the old one and build this fantastic Smart Clinic. The two facilities together will cost about $4 million. The temporary one is about $700,000 … and this [new] one here will take about 12 months to build,” he said.

In his presentation to residents of the community, the Prime Minister addressed the claim of special treatment for the North Central Windward constituency.

“Some people might say Georgetown is just up the road, let people go up there instead of building another one.You can’t send the people in Prime Minister’s constituency to go Georgetown.”

The Georgetown Smart Health Centre which was officially opened in March last year is one of the facilities retrofitted under the Smart Healthcare Facilities Programme.

Gonsalves added that there are certain “privileges” which come with being represented by the Prime Minister.

“The same in South Rivers, the word Prime in front of Minister must mean something. But I don’t want the other constituencies to get jealous of that. It is one of the privileges if you are represented by the Prime Minister.”

Planner in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Chiaka Bowman presented on the scope and need for the World Bank funded project, explaining that the existing clinic is no longer fit for purpose.

“The structure while still in operation is on its last leg. There is evidence of structural damage, termites and other things that are making the building not safe.”

The new clinic will be built to withstand up to a category 4 hurricane, and will have rain water harvesting provisions in the event of water shortages. It also will have a pharmacy, consultation rooms, a triage room for emergency, and Bowman said while the clinic has been designed as a one-storey structure, there is capacity to go up at least one storey.

Residents at the session raised the question of having a nurse stationed at the Health Centre and PM Gonsalves said clinics across the country have been having difficulties with nurses being willing to stay.

“We build a lot of facilities with nurses quarters, but the facilities are not occupied.You may have a nurse who is living and working in Byera, but she has a partner in Prospect. She would rather stay in her house in Prospect. It is a difficulty that we have, but we are willing to put in a nurses quarters.”

He disclosed that if the Byera Health Centre is outfitted with nurses quarters it will cost the government $1 million more.