| |
Contact:
Primus Hutchinson
Tuesday, May 18, 2004 - A massive community sensitization campaign is to
get under way in the areas of Ciceron and Coubaril in the coming days. The
rationale is to heighten the awareness of the residents of those and surrounding
areas to the necessity for them to understand the role, which they can play in
ensuring the successful implementation of the new General and Psychiatric
Hospital Complex earmarked for construction along side the new Millennium
Highway.
This public sensitization and awareness initiative is part of the planning and
designing process for this new General and Psychiatric Hospital, which is
expected to serve the health demands of the population in the foreseeable
future.
According to officials of the National Authorising Office (NAO) of the European
Development Fund (EDF) which has overall responsibility for securing finance for
the new hospital, it is important for residents of the two communities to be
made aware of a number of environmental and social issues they are likely to be
confronted with, due to the implementation of this project.
Among the issues to be highlighted are, construction impact, such as noise and
pollution; operational impact, including the care of mental patients, sirens and
biomedical waste disposal; and traffics issues and real estate investments,
threats and or opportunities. The community meetings will, among other things
stimulate discussions on these issues; provide relevant information on the
background, scope and time frame for the implementation of the project, as well
as the Government’s overall health sector reform programme.
The meeting for the Ciceron residents will be held at the Ciceron Community
Centre on Thursday, May 27th at 6.30pm while the meeting for the Coubaril
residents will be held at the Mount of Prayer Monastery on Tuesday, May 25th at
5.30pm.
|
