Central Kingstown will have a polyclinic when NDP gets into power – Leacock

Member of Parliament for Central Kingstown, St Clair Leacock is promising his constituents a polyclinic within the constituency, under a New Democratic Party (NDP) administration.

“When we get into government…one of the things that I have sworn to deliver to the people of Central Kingstown, is a polyclinic, a health centre in Central Kingstown.

Speaking on the New Times programme on Wednesday August 17, Leacock listed this as one of the things he must do for the people whom he represents.

He also raised concerns about the proposed acute referral hospital which will be built at Arnos Vale and the scaling down of services offered at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) in Kingstown.

With the coming on stream of the hospital at Arnos Vale, Minister of Health St Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince said recently that the MCMH will be transformed into a Maternal Child and Health Care Centre of Excellence.

Other medical services will be moved to Arnos Vale.

Leacock however stated that this move is “a mistake.”

“Always make sure that your maternal facilities are located within your main hospital,” Leacock advised.

Apart from the separation of the maternal services, Leacock expressed concern about the lack of a health facility in Central Kingstown.

He also raised issue with the distance his constituents would have to travel to access services when the state of the art hospital becomes operational at Arnos Vale.

Leacock said residents of Largo Height, Old Montrose, Green Hill and other parts of Central Kingstown, “who could have easily jumped in a van to seek health care at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, must now get a second van to take them to Arnos Vale.”

The NDP Vice President is fearful of what will happen if someone in his constituency falls ill at night, when there are no vans, and that person still has to reach all the way to Arnos Vale.