Temporary Trelawny Infirmary Facility to be Established in Falmouth

Four prefabricated containers are scheduled to arrive in Falmouth next week to establish a temporary facility for the Trelawny Infirmary, which sustained severe damage during the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the installation will be completed in short order, allowing residents and staff to relocate by the end of December.

He led a team from the Ministry and the Trelawny Municipal Corporation on a site visit to the new location on Saturday (November 29).

“The facility will not be the same as what existed before. It will be a little bit more modern and unusual, because it will be the first time that a facility like the infirmary will be using this mode to host the residents,” Mr. McKenzie pointed out.

He said the temporary infirmary will feature rooms for both male and female residents, along with bathrooms, toilets, a dining area, and a small recreational space.

The Minister advised that technical teams from Kingston and St. Andrew, Manchester, and St. Mary have been supporting the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in designing the facility’s layout.

Currently, approximately 60 residents and 40 staff members of the Trelawny Infirmary remain displaced following the hurricane.

“It is important that we get back, as quickly as possible, the operations of the infirmary. I know that Hague Primary School, which currently houses the residents, has been under pressure. I’m hoping by the end of December, the residents will have this new facility that they will call their home for the time being,” Mr. McKenzie said.

He added that the site selected will eventually host the new permanent infirmary, given its ideal environmental conditions.

For his part, Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collen Gager, stated that the initiative represented a significant step toward restoring normalcy in the parish.

He reaffirmed the Corporation’s commitment to doing everything necessary to get the infirmary back on its feet.

“We thank you Minister. We want to say that the infirmary is on its way again, where we can find a home for all of the residents there,” Councillor Gager stated.

Secretary of the Board of Supervision within the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Treka Lewis, noted that while the new location may differ from what the residents are accustomed to, the facility will provide safety, security, and improved care.

“The Board of Supervision will [also] ensure that we continue to monitor the facilities to ensure that the standards are maintained, as we’re used to,” she said.