After four years of waiting, residents of Paget Farm, Bequia, have had enough and are calling on the government to expedite the construction of the new clinic.
The police station and clinic are now housed in Paget Farm’s community centre, leaving locals with no place to conduct community activities.
In 2020, the PSU instructed nurses at the Paget Farm Health Clinic to relocate to the Port Elizabeth Hospital after earth movements shifted the facility’s base, causing portions of the building to detach from each other.
A 67-year-old woman who wished to remain anonymous stated that the adolescents need somewhere to participate in educational activities outside of school, especially given the current crime rate.
“The community centre was used for different purposes, whether a baking class, sewing, or other things that could engage unemployed young people, but look now, it’s occupied with a clinic and police station.”
“The police station only needed minor modifications, but it appears the government is trying to erase history and waste taxpayer money. However, this is Bequia; you cannot erase our history,” the woman said.
Officers were transferred out of the police station nearly a decade ago, first to a rented house and subsequently to the community centre. The building has not been repaired and has been left to be devoured by the forces of nature.
The Grenadine island received financing for a number of initiatives in the 2024 budget, including improved healthcare, roads, and desalination plants, but no mention was made of repairs or the construction of a new police station in Paget Farm.
Residents told the St. Vincent Times that two people have moved into the old clinic, which they call ‘Hotel Casablanca’.
Residents also told the publication that the new site, which has already been designated for the clinic is located close to the cemetery in Paget Farm, however, no construction has begun.
The government is now renovating the Bequia Community High School, with a completion date of June/July 2024, in preparation for the start of the September school year.
Carlos Williams, Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs, stated in November 2023 that plans were underway to conduct major rehabilitative work on all roads on the Grenadine Island.
