PHILIPSBURG--The health and well-being of the St. Maarten people are not to be taken lightly, says United People’s (UP) party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger as he questioned why the Coalition of Eight has not put focus on the creation of a new building for St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).
Heyliger said on Sunday it was quite interesting to listen to National Alliance (NA) leader Prime Minister William Marlin announce at the last Council of Ministers Press Briefing for 2015 that a top priority for the Coalition was the still-to-be-occupied Government Administration Building.
“The former Cabinet had worked on an option to bring about a new hospital for the people of St. Maarten. The bettering of the infrastructure of the hospital has been a focal point for UP and its coalition partners. Much work had been put in to get this vital project started, but it appears that it has been shelved by the Coalition,” Heyliger said.
The UP leader said the health of the population should be foremost on the mind of any Government. “The best way to serve the people is take care of things that directly affect them. The hospital is one such place,” he said.
The “new” Government administration building on Pond Island has been a “sore point” for all Governments since its ground breaking over a decade ago, said Heyliger.
“I have heard it called everything from a pigeon coop to a white elephant with a green cap. It is here and, yes, it needs to be completed for Government to move into. But, that’s for Government. The hospital is for every citizen, resident and visitor who comes to our shores,” he said.
“As we open a new year, the health and well-bring of the people of St. Maarten, as it has always been, is foremost in my mind. We cannot grow as a country or as a people without health and the access to proper healthcare. The medical staff and management of the hospital provide a vital service to our community. It is time they provide that service in a much better equipped facility,” Heyliger said.
