Last Updated on September 19, 2024, 1:42 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Basseterre, St Kitts: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew visited the site of the new climate-smart J.N. France General Hospital where the land is getting cleared to facilitate the soil testing and other environmental assessments.
The Prime Minister made this significant visit on September 18, 2024 and the Government of St Kitts and Nevis shared this information.
PM Drew was accompanied by the Special Advisor to the Government, Leon Natta-Nelson to the site and emphasised the immediate need for the construction of a climate-resilient medical facility amongst the growing challenges posed by the climate change.
The reason that the climate-smart hospital project is being prioritised is because St Kitts and Nevis has been facing drastic climate change and hurricanes. “We must have a hospital that can withstand that,” Dr Drew stressed.
Dr Drew also responsible for the Ministry of Health mentioned how the Hurricane Beryl affected the health infrastructures of Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
He emphasised that their nation cannot afford the same so if a hurricane hits, they have to make sure that if there is one infrastructure that should be standing, it should be a hospital.
Additionally, Ambassador Natta-Nelson noted that work continues on the capital project following the signing of the necessary contracts in May, 2024.
He explained that the lands are being cleared now “because we want to get to the soil for testing to make sure that we can give the soil analysis to the architects to ensure that they establish a proper hospital that is resilient enough to withstand category five hurricanes and any natural disasters that may come along.”
Notably, the construction of the new hospital is a cooperation project between the Governments of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
