St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) was pretty much full Friday night, with hardly a bed to spare. Not that this is anything new; it actually happens quite regularly. But because it regards St. Maarten’s only hospital, some degree of concern is understandable. Of course, the French side has a hospital, but apart from not all Dutch-side residents being covered for treatment and admittance there, space is often an issue as well. There can be little doubt that the much-talked-about renovation and expansion of SMMC is very necessary and already long overdue. As it was a major election campaign issue for practically all the parties that won seats in Parliament, the voters now rightfully should be able to expect quick and decisive action. It had been announced that 5 million guilders already had been made available for urgent upkeep and improvements. If that’s indeed the case one would hope to see work start at least by the end of the year. Mind you, there are other urgent priorities such as completing and moving into the new Government Administration Building, but a bigger and upgraded SMMC simply can’t wait much longer. One could keep bringing up arguments such as the facility being located on a flood plain, but surely that issue can be addressed with the proper infrastructure, and moving elsewhere at this point is not a realistic option. A lot has been said and written about the matter and it’s time all these words led to something tangible for the people. Of course it won’t depend on him or her alone, but whoever is appointed as Minister of Public Health on October 10 now must bring this project to a successful fruition; no ifs, no buts.
