est. 2007

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What new QEH What?!?

Submitted by Bush Tea One is forced to wonder about the process through which Government ministers have been selected by the last Barbados government. Just when it seems that they have struck rock bottom in coming up with ill-conceived, expensive, wasteful capital projects – mostly in cohort with known international crooks, we hear that their…

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jerome_walcott_p.jpgSubmitted by Bush Tea

One is forced to wonder about the process through which Government ministers have been selected by the last Barbados government. Just when it seems that they have struck rock bottom in coming up with ill-conceived, expensive, wasteful capital projects – mostly in cohort with known international crooks, we hear that their solution to the QEH problem is to build a new $700 million hospital. …and who advised them that this is a sensible solution? It seems that an English consulting firm of ‘experts’ assessed the situation, and came up with this brilliant solution.

Do these people think that we are all fools?

In the first place, I an sure that I saw an article recently in the newspapers where a BARBADIAN engineer, working in BARBADOS won a united nations award for outstanding work in structural engineering with special mention of his work in HOSPITAL DESIGN. We all know Tony Gibbs and his firm CEP, why were they not used to do at least a preliminary assessment? Are they to difficult to bribe? Do they know Barbados too well? Or do their local base and knowledge make it difficult to instruct them what the minister wants them to say?

In the second place, who in this country has enough confidence when these ministers quote figures like this? $700 million could easily end up at $2 billion without any kind of explanation (except from Mallet with teeth but no common sense) Only a complete fool would accept that it could be cheaper to build a brand new hospital than to bring the QEH up to scratch. Obviously that place’s first need is a competent management structure – beginning with at least a minister who has some degree of respect from the public and from the professionals at the QEH, and a management team that understands the complexities of modern management.

How will a new building solve problems of poor management and bad relations between staff management and Board?

This Cabinet has to be real brazen to come up with yet another multi-million dollar scam on the heels of the Oil Terminal, Greenland, the Prison, and Flyover etc, where we have not had a single answer to basic issues that call into question fundamental issues of bribery, graft and integrity. We see that they have placed the same idiots who destroyed the old prison to mash up the new one and so have not addressed the fundamental problem. Is the plan for the new Hospital? Solve the management problem first, and let the new competent management team decide on a sensible future for the institution – even if it does mean building a new complex.

It is easy to see why Mr. Arthur found himself barely able to feed his family before his ascent to power. If this is how he ran his personal business no wonder he was broke… ….and if we continues like this we can expect this country to find itself in that same condition sooner than later.

 

Other Bush Tea Articles 

UWI Expansion Plans Misguided~Need To First Address Relevance

 The Basic Problem With Barbados

Bush Tea Is Fed-up With Richard “Lowdown” Hoad!

25 responses to “What new QEH What?!?”

  1. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    My suggestion to Owing and his gang of crooks is that they do not attempt to undertake any further projects.

    Is is very clear for a blind man to see that this lot are inept and incapable of seeing after the spending of the peoples money,projects of this present the opportunity for mega stealing as has been clearly displayed in the GREENLAND, VECO PRISON, DANOS 3 S ROAD WORKS, HARDWOOD HOUSING contracts, each of the abovementioned have companies involved with them that are before the courts in the UK and the USA for BRIBERY, FRAUD and CORRUPTION.

    It seems more now to be a case of to be able to be awarded a major contract from gov’t the main requirement is to be an international gangster and crook, then you are in like Flyn with Owing and his rabid bunch of thieves.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    How was the $700 million dollars arrived at by the government. What was the process used to arrive at such a significant amount? This is one area of governance which we have to tidy up. The public cannot continue to sit idle and accept these kind of numbers without demanding accountability and transparency of the process.

  3. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    David…

    Totally agree, there is absultely NO transparency.
    $700 million – which currency?

    How many beds, what facilties, etc, etc, etc. etc.

    Changing the subject, has anyone ANY idea when our two largest tourism attractions the New Oistins Bay Gardens facility and Harrisons Cave) are going to re-open?

  4. Margaret Knight Avatar
    Margaret Knight

    These projects will be used as propaganda items to satisfy the BLP political election machinery.

  5. Margaret Knight Avatar
    Margaret Knight

    Someone must be reading my mind! However, the above post is NOT mine.

  6. Such stupid comments Avatar
    Such stupid comments

    Bush Tea wrote “How will a new building solve problems of poor management and bad relations between staff management and Board?”

    Question for you , How will a re-branded David Thompson solve the problem of incompetence, vindictiveness and a propensity for gutter
    politics?

  7. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Clydie,
    …maybe he has matured and, being the intelligent person that he always has been- has come to recognize that the true calling of a leader is to be honest, straightforward and dedicated.
    His family life is ALSO certainly a good indicator.

    He made some mistakes – we all did, but David seems to learn from his mistakes -a useful talent.
    He also suffered from the same condition that clearly affects our most recent Rhodes Scholar -thinking that he was ordained to RULE.
    However I get the distinct impression that David now realize that this is more like a sentence to SERVE.

    If he could only overcome the (human and natural) inclination to lash out at those he may feel have betrayed him, and learn to love his enemies and to represent ALL bajans – I would truly be impressed.

    Such a re-branding would definitely address the “problem of incompetence, vindictiveness and a propensity for gutter politics?”

    ..any other questions SSC?

  8. BFPE Avatar
    BFPE

    Useless idiots.

    All TRUE Bajans welcome the new hospital.

    Our country moves forward with pride while hate-filled idiots agonise at the progress.

  9. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    When I see the actions of the likes of these blp operatives, it sickens me that they use such a sickness and manner to corrupt these blogs with their vile comments.

  10. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    The solution is not necessarily a new hospital, but another hospital… or /and other hospitals for special purposes……
    e.g. one for maternal and child heath services etc
    a serious gerontology service not just almhouses

    The solution also requires the building of a few more polyclinics in thier CORRECT locations, and the upgrading of all polyclinics to small but effective emergency centers with observation wards.

    The solution also requires at least seven polyclinics each with at least THREE FUNCTIONING AMBULANCES….minimum

    Polyclinics must be located at the apices of the wedges formed by the highways that bring traffic into Bridgetown. This is because most folk who attend clinic do so by public transport, and because these roads are the backbone of our transport system.

    For example, Warrens is our best sited clinic. It is situated at the junction of Highways 2 and 2A, and includes Highway D.

    Highway D begins on highway 2 at Sharon and traverses Shop Hill, Dukes, Porey Spring , Dunscombe etc and ends at Walkers and St Andrews Church. It empties into Highway 2

    Highway 2A traverses the western section of St Thomas, and the eastern sections of St James and ends in MIle and a quarter St Peter. This is a great catchment area.

    Highway 2 continues to Belleplaine St Andrew via Jackson Bridgefield Hopewell Welchman Hall Trio path etc

    Except for the most easterly section of St Thomas and St Andrew, Highway 2, 2a and D takes all of the traffic coming out of St Thomas and St Andrew.

    Essentially all catchment areas should be served by ambulances which move within its area, except in cases of obvious dire emergency. Otherwise ambulances should move in its catchment area and back to its polyclinic for triage, admission for observation there or stabalization to QEH.

    We have to think healthwise in terms of REGIONS and not PAROCHIALLY, because we can duplicate services for every parish or constituency, nor do we need to do so.

    Under this system ONLY REAL EMERGENCIES WOULD BE SEEN AT QEH……..NOT WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC THINKS IS AN EMERGENCY!

    I am hearing of the citing of a polyclinic in St Joseph in Horse Hill. The problem is that in our country the public transport only has a intra- parochial course when it follows the highway.Services for St Joseph should actually be below Hothersol Turning where Highways E and 3 meet.

    The clinic at the Glebe is badly cited and there should be no clinic at Gall Hill either. Satelite clinics at these cites were established in the fifties by the late Prof Standard. BUt now these clinics should be amalgamated and cited below Salters intersection where Highways X and 4 meet.

    All St George, most of St John parts of western St Philip will go there.

    All these things were pointed out to the BLP in 1985 when they were rushing to start a national health service, and when the local doctors agreed en masse not to participate.

    I know that many Public Health illiterates will now write bovine faeces here now but I like what I said and I said what I like.

    Here is another idea that you will laught to scorn as it has been laughed to scorn before.

    I will ask it ibn a question. HOW CAN THE POSTAL SERVICE BE PART OF HEALTH CARE IN BARBADOS? (only need a little bit of training in a few areas)

    WHY SHOULD THE POSTAL SERVICE BE PART OF HEALT CARE IN BARBADOS? (every house is visited by the post man every week day)

    Work on that .

    Georgieporgie in self exile

  11. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    parliament was hot today lol….Mia won the battle today definitely.

  12. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Jay // November 27, 2007 at 1:57 pm

    parliament was hot today lol….Mia won the battle today definitely.
    ————————————————————
    Who was she fighting with? what did she say?

  13. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    AH are you convinced that it is what did she say or it may be better said what did he mottley say.

  14. Leviticus Avatar
    Leviticus

    Jay, I thought Thompson won it.

    Especially quoting Mia’s previous statement as Leader of Government Business in the House. From the time the speaker said that in other parliaments members are given 12 days to debate no-confidence motions, Thompson’s position was vindicated.

    She kept a lot of noise but Thompson wouldn’t let he bite him!

    The DLP meeting on Sunday night was on her mind. Chris Sinckler was brilliant!

  15. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Leviticus,

    You certainly are an idiot and a liar.

    Pathetic fool.

  16. Linchh Avatar
    Linchh

    I think that Georgie Porgie’s comment is on the right track, and I admire his attempt to discuss the proposal of the GoB spokespersons in a serious manner. The real question is how does the availability of hospital services contribute to the improvement in health care in Barbados; what is the current status of those services, and what can be done to improve them?

    The approach of announcing that the GoB is going to build a new hospital is an insult to Barbadians who believe in a participatory system of decision-making, and demonstrates the contempt of the authorities for a planned approach to the use of our resources.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    Now that the controversial QEH Board is in position we wonder if the new hospital idea came from this group. The fact that a banker is Chairman of the Board of the QEH should lend credence to the $700 million dollar price tag.

    Not so?

  18. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    Yeah David reallygot Mia and the Bees strung out.
    They have to be changing the election date each week, cause they can’t let certain things hang in the air before elections are called.

  19. Makaveli Avatar
    Makaveli

    New big building, is consistent with the current government’s edification complex. They are not alone however, other half-wits in the region believe developed nation status is about aping the physical infrastructure of the developed nations.

    There is a tendency to avoid critical reasoning and the application of pragmatic solutions. There is poor understanding of what would profoundly enrich the lives of the populace. The temptation to blitheness and superficiality overwhelms many a politician regardless of party. Efficient systems, industriousness + work ethic are more valuable than millions of dollars in new hospital which might be another big white elephant in the making.

    I agree essentially with Georgie Porgie’s proposal. A lot more needs to be done to address primary care at the polyclinic level, and the regional approach based on the logistics of transport makes much more sense. A+ Georgie P. Such a plan should also include the dissemination of information on the various routes available to these polyclinics. This might help avoid overloading the most visible polyclinics which may not necessarily be the most accessible for some, but they might not know easier alternatives.

    In an earlier post, here or on BFP, I mentioned the use of census and statistics, this problem is a clear example of such an application. Detailed information on the catchment areas, stats like epidemiological data, demographic profile, identification of local risks etc. would be invaluable in fine tuning the configuration and services of these clinics.

    Such a system should also be part of an integrated disaster management plan, we don’t need another CWC to recognize the need.

  20. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Thanks for your kind comments Linchh
    In Barbados we get a bit emotional and irrational about health care.
    In addition we tend to equate Hospital Care with Health care.

    We need to think instead of primary, secondary and tertiary health care, and we have to stop cursing what we do have. A lot of good work is done at QEH and a lot of new things have been done at QEH in the last 40 years as recent articles by Prof H.S Fraser assert.

    We need to think of private health care and the public health care and the public preventative health care services.

    Our public preventative health care services have developed solidly and well from cerca 1950 through the efforts of the late Sir Maurice Byer, Prof Ken Standard and their pionnering nursing staff and the public health inspectors. All efforts must be made to ensure that this work is carried on and enhanced. It is imperative that the public health inspectors be empowered and facilitated in the exercise of their duties. This might mean giving them access to their own vehicles to move when they wish instead of depending on the Sanitation services.

    Whereas we have very good public preventative health care services, and relatively good sanitation services, there is a need for greater empowerment and facilitation by the officers who work in these services to advance to EXCELLENCE IN THEIR WORK.

    Generally speaking private health care (to those who can afford it) is relatively satisfactory. If you can pay your GP or the private accident and emergency services that were starting just as I left Barbados to go into exhile, you can get good primary and secondary health care. Sometimes, though, even the wealthy cant get tertiary Health Care at QEH because of shortages or mismanagement of resources and the facilities.

    Concessions and encouragement must be given to those willing to set up tertiary Health Care facilities as exists on St Paul’s Avenue and in Belleville, on the West Coast and on the South Coast that will quickly expidite a reasonably wide range of the care needed by our visitors to the island and our residents who can pay for these services out of their pockets.

    This leaves us with the matter of health care for the poor or those who prefer not to pay for health services.

    First, Bajans must be taught that the QEH is not the first place to go to seek medical attention. This imbred tradition must be forcibly be wiped away from the psyches of the general public, and of errant politicians seeking political points. Bajans must understand that the QEH and other facilities like it that might be raised up to relieve the pressure thereon for strategic or other reasons, are places where loved ones are VISITED, or where loved ones are SENT; either directly by experienced general practioners after consultation with A & E officials, or SENT by officers from the LOCAL POLYCLINICS/MINI A& E DEPARTMENTS.

    Highway 1 clinic #1 at St Peter (MBPC) must be upgraded to a POLYCLINICS/MINI A& E DEPARTMENT, and opened 24/7. There is a dire need for public transportation from the north to be rerouted to pass by this location to facilitate the attendance of the elderly and sick from the north at this facility. Currently it is easier and more convenient to travel from most places in the north of the island and get off at Black Rock PC than to attend MBPC. The St Joseph Hospital so ridicuously, scandously and maliciously closed by the BLP should be reopened forthwith and take its place in the health services of the north.

    Some proper Gerontological Centre must be opened for this region and or the centre at River Bay be upgraded to give the type of care needed. The Days of the old Almshouse should be over by now.

    I will pray to the Father that he reserves special places where the fire is hottest for the twits that closed this place down sometime after 1994.

    Highway 1 clinic # 2 at Black Rock may have to be resited again at Jenkins for parking reasons. Parking has always been a parking problem with this clinic. Perhaps the current MBPC could be the site of the Gerontological Centre for this region (i.e the easterly sections of St James and northern St Michael, and relevant sections of St James West.) sec.

    With the upgrading of Warrens to a POLYCLINICS/MINI A& E DEPARTMENT (Highway 2 clinic) and a suitable place for the Gerontological Centre for this region (some areas of St James West, most of St Andrew and St Thomas) we can see that we would have made a serious dent into the needs for ensuring the health care needs for the poor and those who prefer not to pay for health care for most of the north and north central areas of the country.

    We can go on………….

    Many of us don’t visit our elderly relatives and friends everyday, but our postmen do. The postmen can be given certain basic health care education and increased pay, to help alert the health care givers at the nearest POLYCLINICS/MINI A& E DEPARTMENT with respect to diabetics with an early but yet uninfected wound etc……..and what ever. We just want them to stop and engage the elderly in conversation, in the hope of ascertaining some little thing that might help.

    I told the BLP all this in 1985, and a certain particularly wicked and ugly MOH the same in the early nineties, and was laughed to scorn.

    As Linchh suggests there must first be an assessment of the current status of the availability of required hospital services, and a determination of what can be done to improve them
    We don’t need jokers like Jerome in health care planning. He has demonstrated that he has no ideas, or is it that his bosses did not allow him to implement any that he had. There must be a planned approach to the use of our resources as Linchh suggests.

    BUT THIS MUST BE DONE BY BAJANS.
    IT IS NONSENSE TO BRING CONSULTANTS TO REGURGITATE IN THEIR REPORTS WHAT BAJANS WHO KNOW OUR SYSTEMS AND ITS NEEDS SAY TO THEM. . Men with functioning brain cells like Prof ER Walrond et al should be consulted in this area.

    The solutions to problems in Barbados can be found by BAJANS, both at home and abroad.

  21. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Makaveli
    Thanks also for your kind remarks.

    As a Bajan, I am sure that you will not be surprised to learn that my proposals were submitted to PM Adams in early 1985, complete with maps. He was impressed, however, with the British NHS, which he saw first hand at its inception as a young man studying in the UK. By 1985, that system which is run by GP’s predominantly was already having great problems. The consultants hired to advise the Government had taken their pay after listening to our healthcare folk, and regurgitating much of what they said.

    My proposals are based on one sentence taught me as a student of the late Dr KR Rao, MOH at Warrens in 1978 before our Health Centres were upgraded to be Polyclinics. He said “everywhere people tend to depend on public transport to come for primary care”.

    As you have correctly pointed out “A lot more needs to be done to address primary care at the polyclinic level, and the regional approach based on the logistics of transport makes much more sense.” It is as simple as that.

    Fix primary and secondary care in the periphery, and thereby take the pressure of the tertiary care institution, the QEH. That is a start.

    Overloading any particular polyclinic is easily done by PROPER REGISTRATION, similar to electoral registration and national registration.

    All of the “detailed information on the catchment areas, stats like epidemiological data, demographic profile” etc of which you speak has already been collected by our cadre of excellent public health inspectors.

    Any MOH in Bim can (or used to be able to) tell you how many houses there are in the most remote areas of his catchment area, how many bed rooms in the homes, those in which there are pit toilets, and water toillets, who are keeping pigs etc etc because our public healt inspectors walk their beats and record everything that we need to know……….and this was BEFORE COMPUTERS!

    We need to stop being emotional and political about health and the QEH.

    We need to appreciate what we have attained and improve on it.

    We need to respect and consult our knowledgeable resource people whether or not they are of our political persausion.

  22. Leviticus Avatar
    Leviticus

    I hve never minded being called an idiot or a liar. These are easy words to use.

  23. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Leviticus // November 27, 2007 at 2:55 pm

    Jay, I thought Thompson won it.

    Especially quoting Mia’s previous statement as Leader of Government Business in the House. From the time the speaker said that in other parliaments members are given 12 days to debate no-confidence motions, Thompson’s position was vindicated.

    She kept a lot of noise but Thompson wouldn’t let he bite him!

    The DLP meeting on Sunday night was on her mind. Chris Sinckler was brilliant!
    ————————————————————
    So does this mean that the Barbados parliament will now adopt what pertains in other countries? and when will the 12 days be up? next tuesday??????

  24. Such Stupid Comments Avatar
    Such Stupid Comments

    AH don’t panic, the Government have until August next year. TOM PEE time is running out

  25. Such Stupid Comments Avatar
    Such Stupid Comments

    The DLP meeting on Sunday night was on her mind. Chris Sinckler was brilliant!.. Adrian Hinds.

    Where you there?

    Adrian you have to decide which lie to stick to. You did indicate that you are based overseas, so I can only assume that you are home for the holiday .. welcome home.

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