NEW TRELAWNY INFIRMARY UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Construction is now in progress at the site for the new Trelawny Infirmary. During a visit to the location last Thursday (January 15), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, announced that the foundation for the prefabricated units, which will serve as the structure for the facility, is scheduled to begin in less than two weeks.
“I am very pleased so far with the work that is taking place…we have now moved from the recovery aspect of our agenda to the rebuilding now, and this is the first phase of the rebuilding exercise here in Trelawny as it relates to the municipal corporation”, Minister McKenzie said.
“Within another week and a half, they will be ready to start pouring, to put the concrete base, so that by the end of January to the second week of February they will be putting down the containers” he added.
The project, which is estimated to cost $150 million, will be completed in two phases, with phase one amounting to some $65 million. The final phase, which includes erecting concrete structures for the laundry room, isolation rooms, staff quarters and storage areas, is estimated to be ready within 3 months.
“I want to thank the mayor and the team for the work that they are doing, we all know that we have been experiencing some torrential showers for the last couple of weeks, and there have been days when no work can take place on the site. I am hoping that we will have good skies, good weather, so that we can push on the work that needs to be done,” he added.
The Minister also took the opportunity to thank the private-sector organizations that have made donations of air-conditioning units to be installed once the structures are anchored.
“There are a number of private sector interests that have helped to make this possible and I want to say, first of all, thanks to Adam Stewart from the Sandals Group of Companies, they have donated four air condition units, and to Roy Lafayette from Geddes Refrigeration who have also provided air conditioning units for all the wards that will be put down here at this new facility,” Minister McKenzie said.
Mayor of Falmouth, His Worship Councillor Collen Gager, lauded the Ministry for the swift response to rebuilding the Trelawny infirmary.
“I am thankful for the Minister and the Ministry for answering to our call and providing a place where the infirmary can call their home… We will all work together to see how best we can help in bringing it to the final touches,” the mayor said.
In the interim, the residents of the Trelawny Infirmary are being housed at the Elliston Wakeland Community Centre after they were relocated from the Hague Primary School to facilitate the re-opening of education institutions following hurricane Melissa.
