Many were shocked when United People’s party (UP) leader Omar Ottley told Parliament last Monday that the St. Maarten General Hospital (SMGH) project had been halted. According to him, builder FINSO was requesting millions more and half its personnel left the job.
Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Richinel Brug (URSM) denied such in Thursday’s newspaper. He reported being in close and ongoing contact with St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) as well as Social and Health Insurance SZV on this topic.
The minister said the continued submission and processing of related employment supports SMMC’s claim that work has not stopped. He added that during a recent site visit and tour talks covered construction progress, known delays, financial considerations involving the contractor, the global rise in construction costs, operational sustainability, staffing matters, referrals abroad and the overall financial position of SMMC.
With all due respect, some of those issues being discussed alone give reason for concern. After all, it is well-known that FINSO’s former parent company in Italy had been facing bankruptcy when the contractor was separated and allowed to continue, while at one point, there were even problems opening a local bank account.
More importantly, it regards means from the Dutch-sponsored Trust Fund as well as SZV, so any budget overrun needs to be cleared by various partners. Besides, further postponement would be highly regrettable, because the people have been waiting for their new hospital long enough.
