VSA Minister Richard Panneflek.
PHILIPSBURG--Italian company Inso is expected to resubmit the final design for the new St. Maarten General Hospital by the end of July.
Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA Richard Panneflek told Members of Parliament (MPs) during the continuation of a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday that Inso had delivered a first draft of the final design in January 2020.
However, “based on SMMC/RHDHV (St. Maarten Medical Center/Royal HaskoningDHV) review it turned out that this first draft was not complete. Inso is now working on the required adjustments and is scheduled to resubmit the final design by the end of July 2020,” the VSA Minister said.
He said the current delay in the starting of the works for the new hospital is caused by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and not the delay in the final design.
“The fact that the detailed design is not ready does not jeopardise the mobilisation of the works and the start of the early works. These activities were started in January 2020, but suspended on March 11, 2020, due to COVID-19.
“Inso already started the preparation of the re-start (procurement of local subcontractors, shipping materials etc.). It is anticipated that the excavation for the retaining walls can start mid-June 2020,” the minister told MPs in response to questions from MPs posed in the first round of the meeting.
In elaborating on what portions of the construction funds have been spent already on the hospital project, Panneflek said, approximately 15.8 per cent of the capital budget (US 101,431) has been spent or approximately US 16M mainly for design, insurances, site management, (soil) studies, hoarding and site installation, project management and cost of financing in relation to the project.
He said the current planning was to deliver the complete, new hospital in the first quarter of 2024. However, this planning did not include the current delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Inso is working on an update of the planning,” the minister noted.
After responding to questions posed by MPs in the first round and listening to the clarifications from some MPs, the meeting was adjourned so that the minister can obtain answers to further respond to questions. The questions from one MP that were submitted during the first round, were missed and the minister needed time to get these answers.
