Friends,
It’s good to be here.
I know the weather might not look too good today, but believe me when I say that every day we draw closer to a brighter, healthier future for The Bahamas is a good day.
Today is a comeback.
A big comeback.
For Coconut Grove and for our country.
Hurricane Matthew derailed ongoing repairs to the Coconut Grove Clinic in 2016.
That is the reality we are facing—extreme weather events are not just threatening lives, but the very systems which preserve them.
In the years to follow, the previous administration failed to restore this clinic to full operations.
The people of this community had their hopes for community healthcare dashed — by a hurricane, yes, but also by neglect.
My administration was determined not to let this clinic – and many other clinics throughout our islands – fall through the cracks again.
We are working, every day, across every island, to improve the lives of Bahamians.
Health is an important component of our Blueprint for Change.
Expanding health infrastructure, maximising access to health services, and driving positive health outcomes—these are among our top priorities.
In breaking ground on the Coconut Grove Advanced Health Care Centre, we are making progress on each of these fronts.
Accessible healthcare will soon be at your doorstep.
I have always believed that accessible, quality healthcare is a human right, and it is one we plan to fully realise for the Bahamian people.
All Bahamians deserve access to high-quality healthcare.
Today is another positive step toward realising that goal.
The Coconut Grove Advanced Health Centre will be built to EDGE certification, making it not just sustainable and handicap accessible, but climate resilient.
Climate-proofing our health infrastructure is imperative as we brace for an environmentally volatile future. We must ensure that no Hurricane can so easily impact the operations of this clinic again.
Like the Palmetto Point clinic in Eleuthera, which we broke ground on last October, this new health facility will incorporate a main clinic, morgue, medical waste building, and ambulance garage.
This community will have a modern, comprehensive facility to meet its healthcare needs.
This clinic will facilitate lab work, medical imaging, and surgery operations, amongst other vital health services.
Most importantly, it will restore the peace of mind that was lost to the people of this community in 2016.
I am deeply encouraged by what we are achieving today, ladies and gentlemen.
I see a brighter future for healthcare in this nation, and it is not so far away.
As we recognise and learn from past setbacks, we are making significant strides toward a better future.
Our government has already repaired dozens of clinics, with several new facilities set in motion across our archipelago.
In the realm of mental health, we have also made great progress with the training and deployment of personnel throughout The Bahamas.
The spike in suicides we have seen in the past weeks has certainly been troubling.
I want to assure you that we are working to address the issue.
I advise anyone who notices a friend, a colleague, a neighbour, or a loved one struggling, to intervene.
Lend an ear, offer support, or encourage them to seek spiritual or psychological counselling.
We cannot afford to ignore the warning signs.
One life lost is one too many.
These matters weigh heavily on our hearts;
but even amid such strife, we must continue building sites of hope and opportunity.
So, I close today by thanking the people of this community for their patience and support.
Thank you to the stakeholders who helped to make this groundbreaking happen, including Ministers Halkitis and Darville and their teams who were instrumental in bringing this vision to life.
The work continues, my friends.
For Coconut Grove, and for our entire country.
Thank you and may God bless you all.