NRPs Rohan Isles: “We still don’t know when the hospital is going to be finished”

CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, February 15, 2021 (Nevis Reformation Party) — Healthcare continues to be the topic of conversation among many people on the island of Nevis as big questions remain surrounding the Alexandra Hospital Expansion Project initially scheduled for completion in 24 months time but five years later, still ongoing. 

“The time it has taken doesn’t meet basic construction criteria if I may put it like that because if you are constructing a 500-room hospital, the general time is five to six years and that is from conception to opening the doors to provide the service,” said Mr. Rohan Isles while appearing on ‘Your Voice with the NRP’ on Monday (Feb. 14) on VON Radio. 

Mr. Isles, the NRP’s candidate for Nevis 3 (St. George’s Parish), added: “That is not the case here. And so the question must be asked what is taking so long and I think we understand what is taking so long. 

I think that because this present administration refused wise counsel in terms of its design and what ought to have happened, this is why we are here now. $19 million [and] 24 months. That was the original plan. We are $19 million in going on five years and we still don’t know when the hospital is going to be finished,” he continued. 

During the October 06, 2021 press conference hosted by Premier and Senior Minister of Health the Hon. Mark Brantley, he said “I don’t want to misspeak. I believe that the numbers I saw were just over half a million US dollars that the cost was for the additional work…”

Mr. Isles continued: “One of the government’s rebuttals to the questions and concerns raised of the present state of the new hospital was that they had only spent $14.5 million which meant that they were on budget. Leadership of this government at one point in time said that the construction was over budget and that there was to be a need for some more [funds] so which is it? Are we under budget and on-time or are we over budget and over time? 

Healthcare on the island of Nevis is in dire need of attention and the lack of necessary life-saving medical equipment such as Dialysis Machines and MRI Machines continue to negatively affect the delivery of healthcare. 

A $19 million dollar budget was set for the Alexandra Hospital Expansion Project that broke ground close to five years ago on May 31, 2017.

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