FROM FREEPORT BY FELIX SANDS

WE MUST BUILD THE HOSPITAL

Photo of PMH side entrance.

The Bahamas General Hospital, a public facility, was built in 1952. The hospital’s name was changed in 1955 to coincide with the visit of Princess Margaret. The hospital was built to accomdate the population of the Bahamas which ranged from 84,000 to 86,000. Life expectancy, at the time, was between 60 to 64 years. Over the years, the hospital added different wards, and it still finds itself inadequate to decently house the existing population.
The Davis Administration has embarked on an audacious plan to build a new hospital in New Providence; and, a second hospital in Grand Bahama. This should have been done decades ago.
The Chairman of the Official Opposition, FNM, Dr. Duane Sands was quoted in a TV news interview at government house as saying “building the hospital was a dumb idea”. I, respectfully, disagree. Dr. Sands is wrong because the population has grown exponentially. He is wrong because people are living longer. He is wrong because we, as a country, are simply out of space.
Dr. Sands, the Bahamian family, all 400,000 of us are the most precious commodity our country has; people should always be more important than profit.
Prime Minister Davis do not blink, you are like Nehemiah of old; you have a great work to do, and a wall to build around this country. “Press On!” People are and must always be more important than things. Press On”!.
The art of Politics and Government is made better when surrounded by wise council. Dr. Sands, your assertion was simply misguided.

Felix A Sands