Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Southern Hospitality?

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is it that the "sporting community" wants?

Do they want a track on which to run? Well, there are plenty of places to run.

Do they want a place to anchor their starting blocks? Well, they can anchor their starting blocks in a factory shell.

Do they want a green lawn on which to frolic? Well, they can water their own lawn and frolic there.

Do they want a crossbar and foam mattress for high-jumping? Well they can make their own crossbar out of bamboo and dig a sand pit for landing.

Do they want to make themselves feel important by being in a big stadium? Well, they can buy a WII and imagine themselves being anywhere and doing anything that they want.

November 24, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Anonymous said...

I think they've lost the human touch.

November 24, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Anonymous said...

We always want the easy way out
the young people continue to get the crumbs. yet we wonder why they are out there killing each other.
the stadium was built for sports, that was the purpose. why did they not stay in the schools? they left in 2 days because they had to make way for the schools?. why should sport wait for 18 months?
Why cant the government find an alternative that is comfortable for the patients and satisfy both the sporting facility and the health of the persons?m Is that so impossible? Have they really looked at an alternative in a serious way.What would thay have done if the stadium was not there?

November 24, 2009 at 6:27 PM
Anonymous said...

Look at the boys training centre?
is that how we care for our young?
no one is saying just throw the patients out? The government need to get off it backside and find a solution? why must it always be the young people who has to be sacrificed? Yes I believe the government need some time but not 18 months, that is absurd. the first 3 comments has lost the same human touch he is accusing the sporting community of.

November 24, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Anonymous said...

Yes Mr. Bishop
the stadium is filled when the senior games are held and almost empty when the young athletes have their games. what does that tell us about ourselves.
the young people are there to support their parents and the older ones support themselves, but no they cannot support the young ones.Yet we complain about the youth. We will reap what we sow

November 24, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Anonymous said...

I believe the government should have used the new mental hospital or part of it as an alternative to the stadium. What do you think people? The Tiavanese said the hospital was to big, because they are the ones setting policies for this dumb government we has in St Lucia today, so they gave the mental patients only part of the hospital, they even included an auditorium, that can be used as the hospital also. We all know the hospital will not open anytime soon because, it is not equipped. We will say it is to far from VF, we takes less than hour from VF to Castries, or we can use helecopters (spelling) in case of emergencies.

November 24, 2009 at 7:43 PM
ixi lixi said...

Sir,
I think it is misleading of you to suggest that the stadium was on the verge of caving in and that Taiwanese moneys went towards saving the superstructure. A facelift does not stop a structure from collapsing.

Now, onto the susbstantive matter. The fear is that the whole agenda for national sport is going to be put on hold for a prolonged period. The suggestion that works on a modern hospital will be completed in 18 months, when the site hasnt even been properly prepared and a tendering and selection process for a contractor has not even begun, is dubious. At best, we might expect a facility completed in 24 to 30 months. To suggest that the stadium was a white elephant and putting it to use as a field hospital is acceptable is also being unfair to the general aim of supporting sport. I have always seen the vast amounts of space at the stadium as an opportunity to establish a national or OECS sports academy. Other than a sports academy there is a lot that can be done at the stadium - fitness centre, physiotherapy centre, etc. At first I thought that the sports community was a bit hasty in its cries but in retrospect I understand their concerns. Wellness and healthy living can be greatly promoted if our stadium were properly utilized. I think the concern of the sporting community is that now both wings of the stadium are now being utilized. I think a balance could have been struck if only one wing was being utilized but now the entire stadium's lower levels have been consumed for the temporary hospital operations.

I think the government has to strike a balance in the matter. I will offer free advice on the matter.

The approach should be three pronged:

1. Use one wing of the Stadium as a temporary polyclinic, providing primary care, consulting, physiotherapy, pharmacy and other basic healthcare services. This polyclinic should have extended opening hours 0800 - 2200 hrs and open on Saturdays also.

2. Convert a factory shell at La Tourney to serve as an Acute Care Centre where accident and emergency services/surgery, maternity, dialysis and core allied supports (lab, X-Ray & Diagnostics) can be provided. This will facility will not be expected to handle any long-stay patients.

3. As suggested by a previous contributor, the new Mental Wellness Centre should be utilized to provide additional ward space for patients requiring admittance. The immediate purchase and reassignment of more ambulances to support the south should assist in compensating the absence of a full fledged hospital in the south.

This proposal ensures that core services will remain in the south and in close proximity to the population catchment, reduce the need to convert to much temporary space for the use of the hospital, and maximize existing space (e.g. Mental Wellness Centre). Upon completion of the new and improved St. Jude's the retrofitted factory shell can become the polyclinic and the wing of the stadium used as the polyclinic can revert to something sporty, like the sports academy I mentioned. Athletes and clubs will continue to have use of the George Odlum Stadium and as much as possible large events should be scheduled on weekends. Soundproofing of certain rooms at the temporary polyclinic should also be considered as a mitigation method.

November 26, 2009 at 4:55 AM
Anonymous said...

I too think that they should use the new hospital for now.

November 26, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Anonymous said...

Give the sportsmen and women back their "WHITE ELEPHANT" Montoute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 27, 2009 at 1:12 PM

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