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Tuesday, October 28, 2008 – After months of negotiations, planning and preparation, the governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Saint Lucia are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement on the design of the Psychiatric Hospital. This agreement has been cemented with the signing of a contract with a reputable engineering contractor and hospital builder from Taiwan. A ceremony to brand this new concept and to mark the commencement of the engineering and construction work at the Psychiatric Hospital is scheduled to take place at the Neurological & Administrative Building at 11:00 am on Wednesday 29th October, 2008.
Prior to this ceremony a press conference will be held at the Government Information Service Studios, 2nd Floor of the Greaham Louisy Administrative Building, Waterfront, Castries at 10:30 am on Tuesday, 28th October. Members of the media will be invited to attend this press briefing where details of the design will be produced and explained and technical staff from the Taiwanese Hodlyear company as well as officials of the Government of Saint Lucia will be on hand to answer questions. It is expected that in less than twelve months the new Psychiatric Hospital will be completed and presented to the people and Government of Saint Lucia.
In the letter addressed to H. E. Ambassador Tom Chou dated 30th May, 2008, the Government of Saint Lucia officially informed the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) of its “decision to complete the new Psychiatric Hospital during the 2008/2009 financial year. The overriding objective of the Government of Saint Lucia, as indicated by the Hon. Prime Minister in his recent Budget Address, is to create a health service delivery system that is accessible, affordable, of international standard and is sustainable in the long run.”
“The new Psychiatric Hospital is part of the expansion of our health infrastructure, which will be the main focus of our investment in the Health Sector in this financial year and will involve: *0Transforming the new Psychiatric Hospital into a Neuro-Psychiatric Centre including about 84 beds for psychiatric patients and a number of about 20-24 beds (or two wards) for neurological diseases and geriatric (or other) patients with disabilities where care is focused on intensive nursing and interdisciplinary diagnoses and treatment concepts rather than on medico-technical services; and *1Merging kitchen, laundry, medical records, conference and library rooms, and administrative services for the Neuro-Psychiatric Centre and the new General Hospital (Medico-Surgical Centre) within the premises of the Neuro-Psychiatric Centre (psychiatric hospital under construction), thus creating functional synergies in the utilization of the technical and administrative services and reducing the space needed at the new General Hospital.”
Prime Minister, Honourable Stephenson King in his address to the nation on Wednesday, 4th June, 2008 said of the Psychiatric Hospital, “Government has now concluded the plans for completion of the new facility and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has now agreed to commence completion works within the next quarter. The estimated cost of the completion works is US$6 million dollars.”
It is against this background that the engineers and staff from the Embassy had been involved in discussions with their Saint Lucian counterparts with a view to commencing work at the earliest instant. More or less than 150 local workers will be employed to reinforce the working staff, in addition to a core managing group from Taiwan and a long-term supporting team from the Philippines.
The new Psychiatric Hospital is aimed at providing professional medical care and service to the mentally-ill in modern day facilities. Space will also be reserved for the general patients and the staff of the future General Hospital as requested by the Government of Saint Lucia; however, there will be a clear distinction and separation between the above two functions. The outpatient department (OPD) and wards of the psychiatric patients will be using the Diagnostic Building, Recovery Units, and Independent Living Units while the OPD and Wards of the neurological, geriatric, and general patients are allocated in the Neurological & Administrative Building, where administration space, dorm, central kitchen and dining hall are designed to cope with the needs for both the Psychiatric Hospital and future General Hospital staff.
The engineers of the building company would like to share the following information with the general public regarding to the major construction & engineering works they are proceeding to finish: 1. Structural Work 2. Internal Configuration / Finish/Fixtures 3. Mechanical Work (Plumbing & Drainage) 4. Sewage System & Treatment Plant 5. Electric System Work 6. Energy Supply Plant - Water Storage Pumping & Reticulation - Generator - Solar Heating System 7. Special Amenities - Fire Fighting Apparatus - Fire Alert and Alarm System - Lifts/Elevators 8. External Works - Pavements - Steps, Ramps & Handrails 9. Internal Roadway, Circulation & Accesses 10. Terrace Walls & Slope Repose 11. Major Retaining & Partition Wall 12. Clean up & Cart away Spoils
In order to give the general public a clearer idea about the differences between the original and the revised designs, a concise comparison table is provided as follows:
Following are the panorama of the new Psychiatric Hospital, computer-simulated view of different buildings, space arrangements, etc.
1. Panorama of Saint Lucia’s new Psychiatric Hospital
2. Computer-simulated view of the Neurological & Administration Building of Saint Lucia’s new Psychiatric Hospital
3. Computer-simulated view of the Recovery Unit of Saint Lucia’s new Psychiatric Hospital
4. Computer-simulated view of the Independent Living Unit of Saint Lucia’s new Psychiatric Hospital
5. Space arrangements for the Neurological & Administration Building of Saint Lucia’s new Psychiatric Hospital
6. Space arrangements for the Diagnostic Building of Saint Lucia’s New Psychiatric Hospital
7. Recovery Units are for the acute psychiatric patients while Independent Living Units are for the chronic ones
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