The construction of the US$78 million new hospital at Arnos Vale is being impacted by a shortage of skilled labour, with contractors currently able to source only about half of the workers required for the project.
The disclosure was made by Minister of Health, Wellness and Energy Daniel Cummings during a joint press conference on Friday in Kingstown, alongside Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Attorney General Louise Mitchell.
Cummings announced that once the Arnos Vale facility is completed, the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital will be closed.
Prime Minister Friday said the inclusion of additional components—specifically a maternity and paediatric wing—will require extra funding. The hospital project is being financed under a US$120 million loan from Taiwan, secured by the previous Unity Labour Party administration with bipartisan support, including backing from the then opposition New Democratic Party, now in government.
Friday explained that the labour shortage could affect the project timeline.
“What we are told by the persons on the ground is that they need essentially to double the number of persons who are there,” he said, noting that approximately 185 workers are currently employed on the site.
“…They would need to double that in order to really move the project along at the pace originally projected.”
Cummings’ remarks were among his first public statements since assuming office on December 3, following the November 27 general election. He acknowledged concerns raised by the prime minister regarding the difficulty in recruiting skilled workers and said the government is moving quickly to address the issue.
“We will be working very feverishly to address that matter, including trying to bring a number of our people up to speed to be able to cash in on this and other projects,” Cummings said.
He added that the shortage of skilled labour extends beyond the construction sector, affecting multiple industries.
“There’s a shortage of speciality persons across the various sectors,” he stated.
According to Cummings, discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Education and other agencies to develop rapid training and certification programmes aimed at meeting short-term labour needs within the next six months.
The health minister also revealed that since taking office, he has visited all health facilities across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including hospitals, polyclinics and district clinics. He said he recently joined the prime minister, Cabinet members and health officials on a site visit to Arnos Vale.
“It is quite apparent that the scope, the very sheer size of the project is huge,” Cummings said, noting that beyond the main structure, several ancillary works critical to improved healthcare delivery are also underway.
He stressed that the construction of the building is only one component of broader healthcare reform and that closer coordination between project managers and state agencies, particularly the Ministry of Health, is needed.
Prime Minister Friday echoed these concerns, describing the hospital as a major national undertaking and acknowledging bipartisan support in Parliament.
“Our healthcare system, as it is now, is woefully inadequate,” Friday said.
“The building of a new facility is but one significant component of what is needed to improve healthcare services for our people.”
He noted that despite a national unemployment rate of approximately 20%, there remains a mismatch between available skills and the labour required for major projects.
“There’s a serious mismatch between the skills available and the work required. We have to address that at a national level,” the prime minister said.
Friday added that the government remains committed to completing the hospital as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, while ensuring it meets the needs of the population.
