A new project manager has been appointed to oversee the construction of a new hospital, which is now a year behind schedule.
A government release on Friday stated that Carlos Pena, who brings project management and development experience from various parts of the world to the island.
Pena has been on the job since July and is expected to manage the construction phase of the hospital.
Mr. Pena is said to come with substantial project management experience, leading development and construction of large-scale projects in different parts of the world, including a 98,000 sq. ft. high-end clinic in the continental Caribbean, the release said.
He has worked in director and senior management capacities for leading developers in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in PMO practices in Colombia and the United States.
The new project manager is said to be engaging with the Ministry of Health, the Project Management Office and other relevant government departments along with the FCDO on the procurement of the main contractor. He is also working on “creating synergies to support the non-infrastructure health transformation project.”
The New National Hospital Project previously had a completion date of December 2025, but this has been extended to 2026. The refit of the Margetson Home which is a necessary part of the process of moving current operations into the former home for senior citizens, was to have been completed by September 2023. At last month’s Diaspora Symposium outgoing project manager Hannes DeBruin provided updated dates for the project.
- Margetson refurbishment completing – Q2 2024
- Construction starting – Q3/Q4 2024
- Construction completed – Q3 2026
- Hospital opening – Q4 2026
The ₤19.4 million project is being funded by the FCDO through the Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG).
