Bears the Name of Sir Lester See Page 3
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WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021 | ISSUE 230 | WWW.POINTVILLE.AG MSJMC NOW OFFICIALLY BEARS THE NAME OF SIR LESTER SEE PAGE 3 Unveiling the plaque of the Sir Lester Bird Mount St. John Medical Centre were Sir Rodney Williams, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Sir Mowlyn Joseph and Donyelle Bird, daughter of Sir Lester Bryant Bird. BARBUDA COUNCIL AGRICULTURE DIVISION BETTER EQUIPPED TO SERVE SEE PAGE 11 PAGE 2 WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021 EDITORIAL THE CASE FOR THE SIR LESTER BIRD MSJMC Leadership, more spe- tion of that dream and Dr. Joseph ‘Joey’ John Barbuda, none of the cifically good leader- the processes involved the project soon took people whose efforts ship, is one of those in making that dream, shape and after over- were responsible for qualities that is difficult that vision, become a coming several hurdles initiating the project to quantify; an intan- reality. and battling much re- were part of the official gible that most people For decades the peo- sistance from opposi- opening. recognise almost in- ple of Antigua and Bar- tion sources, the con- On Tuesday, the MSJMC stantaneously. buda were served by a struction of the hospital was renamed in honour One of the qualities of decrepit health insti- began. of the man, whose un- a good leader is to have tution, the Holberton Unfortunately, neither wavering commitment a clear vision of where Hospital. It had been in Sir Lester nor any of the to see the construc- he/she wants to take operation since the ear- other visionaries were tion and equipping the organization, asso- ly years of the 20th cen- there when the hospital of a modern hospital ciation, or country in tury and was no lon- was completed. For, in to serve the people of the case of a politician, ger able to provide the the year 2004, the ABLP Antigua and Barbuda, but more specifically, health care required by suffered its second elec- Sir Lester Bryant Bird. to take them to heights a growing nation. toral defeat, this time at He has been acknowl- the ordinary members The construction of a the hands of the United edged to be responsible have not yet imagined. modern hospital was Progressive Party, an for the erection of this Then, a good leader part of the Antigua and amalgamation of the modern edifice and the must be able to artic- Barbuda Labour Par- opposition forces in the honour was regarded as ulate that vision in a ty’s (ABLP’s) elections country. due recognition for his manner that engen- manifesto for the 1999 Work on the project was vision and drive to see ders buy-in from his/ general elections and halted by the new ad- it become a reality. her colleagues, as well soon after the win at the ministration, but when Too often, as a society as those who are most polls for the ABLP, then its leadership recog- we have much difficulty likely to benefit from Prime Minister Lester nized the value of com- in giving honour/credit that vision becoming a Bird, was like a man pleting the project, as it where it is due. In the reality. possessed; possessed was in the best interest case of the renaming Such has been the case with the vision to bring of the country, final- of the hospital, there with the dream/vision this state-of-the-art ly work resumed and should be no ambiv- of a modern health- hospital to reality. soon after the MSJMC alence in recognizing care facility to serve the With the support of his was completed. that this is an honour people of Antigua and Cabinet, coupled with As it is the nature of well-deserved. Three Barbuda, the articula- the youthful energy of politics in Antigua and cheers, Sir Lester Bird! WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021 LOCAL NEWS PAGE 3 MSJMC NOW OFFICIALLY BEARS THE NAME OF SIR LESTER By Shelton Daniel It’s now official: The Mount St. lighted the vision and deter- John’s Medical Center is now mination of Sir Lester, a Na- the Sir Lester Bird Mount St. tional Hero, in withstanding John’s Medical Center. the mammoth financial and The formal renaming ceremo- other challenges to procuring ny took place last evening at a medical complex to replace the state-of-the-art modern the old and broken down Hol- hospital that was completed berton Hospital, whose oper- 12 years ago under an Anti- ating and working conditions gua and Barbuda Labour Party had become both odious and (ABLP) administration headed hazardous to staff, patients by then Prime Minister Sir Les- and visitors. ter Bryant Bird. In addition to these fiscal and Speaker after speaker during logistical hurdles, those paying yesterday’s function high- tribute to the now 83-year-old Cont’d on pg 4 PAGE 4 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021 former leader, also re- St. John Medical Center. of his contributions, de- conceptualized in 1993 called the intense polit- It is time that we honor spite his great efforts, when her father, newly ical opposition he faced our own in this country despite his love and installed as leader of the and endured with con- … And I think it is most commitment for the ad- ABLP, was preparing for viction; that what he appropriate for some- vancement of the peo- his first general election had set his sights upon one who has worked so ple of this country, that in that capacity. with regard to Mount St. hard to ensure that we there were opposition “The party manifesto John’s was best for the have this modern facil- elements who – on a promised a new gener- country then and for the ity here in Antigua and weekly basis – were lit- al hospital and his first foreseeable future. Barbuda.” erally beating him in ef- order of business was to Current Minister of The renaming cere- figy. I saw his pain, and ensure it was delivered. Health and Wellness mony was held on the today I can empathize The Mount St. John’s Sir Molwyn Joseph re- same date that the ABLP with him. It’s just that I Medical Center was con- called that during a par- marked its 75th anni- have his experience to ceptualized during a trip liamentary session, of versary. Sir Lester has learn from,” stated PM that year, sitting in the very intense opposition occupied a special place Browne, who went on Atrium of the Grand Hy- pushback against gov- of honor in the vener- to describe Sir Lester as att Hotel in Manhattan, ernment’s proposal to able institution which “one of the greatest Anti- New York, where the first build the new hospital, – almost a decade ago – guans and Barbudans to substantive discussion Sir Lester calmly main- named him its Lifetime grace our shores”. about a modern hospital tained his statesmanlike Leader Emeritus. Sir Lester’s daughter, for Antigua and Barbu- posture. Sir Lester’s successor Donyelle Bird, assured da was held with one of “The Honorable Lester as ABLP political lead- the appreciative audi- his closest friends, [the Bryant Bird, during that er and current Prime ence that although her legendary local medical same session, I recall … Minister of Antigua and father was unable to practitioner] Dr. Joseph I was quite impressed Barbuda, Honorable physically attend the “Joey” John.” that he raised the bar, be- Gaston A. Browne, was ceremony he was view- Despite all the oppo- cause he did not spend one of the main speak- ing the live broadcast of sition that the hospital much time responding ers during Tuesday’s re- the proceedings from project faced, Donyelle to what the opposition naming ceremony. home. Bird noted, her father was saying at the time, “Challenges are not new Sir Lester has been recu- and those with him, and I saw a statesman to this great institution perating from a recent stuck doggedly to that in Lester Bird,” said Sir … I would have seen the lower limb amputation goal of delivering on the Molwyn. pain that Sir Lester had brought on by compli- promise and on their He added: “There should to endure as the leader cations of long-standing commitment, to pro- never be any question of of this country. I recall diabetes. He is however vide modern and quality the legitimacy of nam- seeing him on several said to in good spirits healthcare to people of ing this institution the occasions bemoaning and recovering well. this twin island nation. Sir Lester Bird Mount the fact that despite all She said MSJMC was WEDNESDAY 19TH MAY 2021 LOCAL NEWS PAGE 5 NEW HOSPITAL FOR THE MENTALLY ILL PROPOSED There is a need for name the country’s of-the-art, first class cility for the mentally Antigua and Barbuda main public health treatment for men- impaired during the to construct a mod- institution, the Sir tally ill patients in An- parliamentary debate ern hospital to prop- Lester Bird Mount St. tigua and Barbuda, for the MSJMC more erly care for those in John’s Medical Centre in a new facility that than twelve years the society who suffer (MSJMC). “This is our is comparable to the ago. He said he now with mental health is- challenge today; that Sir Lester Bird MS- feels that the current sues. That suggestion as we all celebrate JMC. If nothing else, government ought to comes from Health this achievement we should mark this take up this challenge Minister, Sir Molwyn of the construction occasion by making as there is a dire need Joseph, who made the and renaming of this that commitment,” for such a facility to be case for a new mental health institution, it Sir Molwyn remarked.