by Charles Gladden
CAYE CAULKER, Wed. Nov. 23, 2022
Fifteen months ago, the Ministry of Health and Wellness broke ground in Caye Caulker Village to mark the start of construction of a premier health facility, and on Monday, November 21, an inauguration ceremony was held in celebration of the completion of the building, which will also serve as a hurricane shelter.
The financing for the $1.4-million health center came through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) along with the Social Investment Fund (SIF), which acted as the implementing agent.
On August 21, 2021, former Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Michel Chebat, when speaking to local reporters about the project, highlighted the need to provide more comprehensive health services to the residents on the island, and at the inauguration ceremony, current Health Minister, Hon. Kevin Bernard, emphasized how important it was to ensure that adequate health services are provided on the island.
“Caye Caulker is one of Belize’s prime tourist destinations and deserves adequate health facilities for both residents and visitors. I am told that Caye Caulker has an average population of 5,000 persons, and when tourists come to this community, that can go up to as much as 9,000. Having trained medical personnel is not enough to provide quality health services. Equally important is having good infrastructure with adequate examination and observation rooms, the right equipment, and also medication. The building, as already highlighted, has also been built with a flat roof for future expansion. And I want to say that today, I am saying this publicly, with the commitment of our CEO in the Office of the Prime Minister and as the chairperson of SIF, has expressed support to the ministry for the expansion of this building so we can also provide for us to be able to house the doctors and the nurses and to be able to provide additional services here in Caye Caulker. So that is the commitment we are making here today,” Minister Bernard said.
Hon. Andre Perez, area representative for Belize Rural South, expressed similar sentiments and pointed to the health center as one of the many commitments fulfilled by the government.
“It is the accomplishment of a commitment made to the people of Caye Caulker. This health center is more than just a building. It means, for the first time, residents in this community will have access to proper health care in a proper facility. This government has fulfilled yet another promise in Plan Belize. This will undoubtedly result in a healthier community and it would mean that residents and visitors alike can be confident that when the need arises, health services will now be available. Visitors to Caye Caulker can now be assured that health services are available, and this contributes to the overall tourism package that La Isla Carinosa has to offer,” said Perez.