Contracts Signed For St. Jude Hospital Reconstruction

On Friday, Construction & Industrial Equipment Limited (CIE) and Arab Towers Contracting Company officially signed contracts to undertake implementation and civil works for the continued reconstruction of St. Jude Hospital.

Caribbean Consulting Engineers Limited and Dar Al Omran also signed contracts for the design and supervision of the project, dubbed the St. Jude Hospital Reconstruction Project (SJHRP).

At the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre declared that the companies involved have experience with building hospitals.
He announced, “The supervision contract is at the cost of US2.9 million,” while the implementation and works contract “is valued at US63 million.”

Regarding the selection of the firms, Paul Hilaire, Permanent Secretary in the Department of Economic Development, stated, “The tender and procurement processes was conducted with the highest conduct of transparency and fairness, the selection of our joint venture consultants and contractors was a result of a highly competitive process. This ensured that we have chosen partners who not only met our high expectations in terms of quality but also offered the best value for the significant investment that we are about to make.”

Joint Ventures with Saudi companies for hospital construction are part of the agreement that saw the Pierre administration sign a US75 million loan from the Saudi Fund for Development in August 2023.

At the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Pierre disclosed that the financial commitment is a 20-year loan, with an interest rate of 2% and a grace period of 5 years.

He highlighted a climate-cause component of the agreement, saying, “We can apply for renegotiation and deferment of interest and principal agreements during a period of disaster.”

Pierre offered a breakdown of how the borrowed US63million to go towards implementation and civil works is intended to be disbursed.

During this breakdown, Pierre noted that a structure, referenced often by the current government as “the box”, which was being built by the former Allen Chastanet-led administration and intended to eventually serve as the new St. Jude Hospital but was unfinished when the party lost the 2021 general elections, will be included in the SJHRP.

Pierre detailed, “…East-wing works US10.7 million; the surgical building USD9.7 million; the medical laundry, kitchen and equipment and [in audible] USD8.5 million; the external works and electricals USD15.3 million, climate proofing USD6.3 million”.

He further shared, “…the volunteer quarters, the gym, the ambulance and morgue buildings USD4.4 million; the south-wing works, including the ceiling and protective works US1 million”.

Pierre added, “the south-wing works encompasses what is commonly known as ‘the box’. We will be protecting that structure for future use.”

Other items, including “Contingencies and one year maintenance for spares and supplies US7.9 million” he also accounted for noting, “in there, the equipment will comprise US4.1 million.”

During his address at the ceremony, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, H.E. Sultan Abdulrahman A. Almarshal, shared that the new hospital facility will have “a capacity of approximately 100 beds.”

Almarshal disclosed that “the hospital will also be built with enhanced climate resilience, ensuring its long term sustainability.”

Regarding a date for when a reconstructed St. Jude Hospital will be open at its original site, the Prime Minister said, “I will not say when. I will say in the near future.”