The construction of the US$78 million new hospital in Arnos Vale is being affected by a shortage of skilled labour, with the contractor able to source only half the workers needed.
Minister of Health Daniel Cummings made the disclosure at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Attorney General Louise Mitchell in Kingstown on Friday.
The health minister announced that the government will also close the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown after the Arnos Vale hospital is completed.
The prime minister said the additional wing means additional funding for a maternity and paediatric wing.
The hospital is being financed under a US$120 million loan from Taiwan, secured by the previous Unity Labour Party administration with support from the then New Democratic Party opposition, which is now in office.
“And we will have to have additional funding to meet the needs for these two very important additions, and we’re confident that we can do so, and hopefully it will not delay the project for too much, so that we can meet some of the needs now that they’re experiencing, with respect to the shortage of labour,” Friday said.
“What we are told there by the persons who are on the ground that they need, essentially, to double the number of persons who are there,” he said, adding that there are about 185 workers at the site.
“ … they would need to double that in order to really move the project along and the pace that was originally projected.”
Meanwhile, Cummings’ statements on Friday were among his first since becoming Minister of Health, Wellness and Energy on Dec. 3, following the New Democratic Party’s victory in the Nov. 27 general election.
He noted that the prime minister, who spoke before him at the press conference, had mentioned issues regarding the construction of the hospital, particularly the recruitment of the requisite number of workers.
“…we will be working very feverishly to address that matter, including trying to bring a number of our people up to speed to be able to cash in on this and other projects, but again, as promised, our government is going full steam ahead with this very important project,” Cummings said.
He said the shortage of skilled workers is affecting not only the construction sector.
“There’s a shortage of speciality persons across the various sectors,” Cummings said.
He noted that discussions were being held with the Ministry of Education and other ministries “with a view to finding a rapid programme for bringing people up to speed, including certification”.
The MP said this will take time, adding, “but there’s an initiative to address in the next six months, some of these short-term needs, but that is something that’s going forward would have to be addressed”.
Cummings said that since taking up the portfolio, he has visited every health facility throughout St. Vincent and Grenadines, including hospitals, polyclinics and district clinics.
He said he, along with Friday, members of the Cabinet and officials from the Ministry of Health, visited the Arnos Vale construction site to take a first-hand view of what is happening on the ground.
“We have before been briefed by the managers of the project on paper about what is taking place, but it’s always so different to be on the spot to see for yourself, and it is quite apparent that the scope, the very sheer size of the projects is huge, occupying a significant land space,” Cummings said.
He said that beyond the construction of the building, there are “ancillary assignments that are crucial to the delivery of an improved health care service. Those are taking place as we speak.”
The health minister said that his party has repeatedly stated that “the building of the structure, as crucial as it is, is but a component of transforming in a positive way, health care”.
He said that he would, in subsequent discussions, apprise the media of the issues that are being addressed.
“But it’s sufficient to say today that the site visits have unearthed the need for a close working relationship between the project managers and all of the state agencies, including particularly the Ministry of Health, and that will be improved going forward. “
Meanwhile, the prime minister said the hospital is a major undertaking for the government and had bipartisan support in Parliament.
“We had some differences as to how the project was conceived, and we will make those adjustments going forward,” he said, adding that the intention is to complete the hospital as soon as possible.
“Our healthcare system, as it is now, is woefully inadequate. The building of a new facility is but one significant component of what is needed to improve healthcare services for our people.”
He said that during the visit to the construction site, he saw “there are tremendous challenges in the work that is to be done.
“We’ve heard some of the concerns or the complaints about the availability of skilled labour.”
The prime minister said the situation has to be addressed in light of the 20% unemployment rate, which is higher among young people.
“There’s a serious mismatch between the skills available and the work required. We have to address that at a national level,” Friday said.
“But as for now, with respect to this project, it was an eye opener to be able to see what was happening there on the ground, and I thank all those persons who made it possible, and we’re able to be there to assist us to have a better understanding of the scope of what is required to be done and what we must do, also as government, to ensure that it’s done quickly, that it’s done cost effectively, and most importantly, that it meets the needs it’s intended to meet,” the prime minister said.