By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville revealed that government has secured the money to build a new state-of-the-art hospital for Grand Bahama.

“We have the money for the construction of this facility,” he told healthcare workers and volunteers for COVID vaccinations in Grand Bahama at an appreciation dinner on Thursday evening. “When you have the money that is the number one thing.

“We have the money, and I want to say to the residents of GB in front of the witnesses from the Ministry of Health and our volunteers that we will build a state-of-the-art hospital in GB, and I am going to break ground on it very soon.

“I say that in the camera, and I am that bold. You are going hold me to this word, and I don’t say it lightly unless I have substance behind what I am speaking,”

Dr Darville noted that they are moving quickly to bring it into reality.

“I am dedicated to it. I live it, I breathe it everyday,” he said. “And today I am pleased to announce that the land that we have been looking at, we now finished the geotechnical studies. I have spoken to the geologist, and it is high ground.

“It is a good selection of land, it is about a little over 30 acres and we have been working very aggressively with our healthcare planners.”

The minister said that he is aware that everyone is concerned about the health care service in Grand Bahama and wonders whether a new hospital will be built after talking about it for 15 years.

Even though the Rand Memorial Hospital after Dorian went through a transformation and metamorphosis, he said it still has challenges.

“What we are going to do too is improve manpower resources,” he said.

“We, in this administration are going to build a state-of-the-art hospital for the residents of GB,” Dr Darville stressed.

The Rand Memorial Hospital sustained significant damage during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The public health care facility was flooded by storm surge, and lost equipment, supplies and beds.

The former Minnis Administration had spent $20m to renovate the hospital.