PHILIPSBURG:--- Contract negotiations for the design, build, and maintenance contract of the new General Hospital of Sint Maarten will commence this month with the nominated bidder, INSO. The construction of the new General Hospital is still on schedule to start in the third quarter of this year. The new General Hospital will improve and expand the quality of healthcare that is available on Sint Maarten. The new facility will be able to accommodate additional services which are now not available locally, attracting more medical specialists and create new jobs. The ‘tripartite’ responsible for the development of the new General Hospital, the Ministry of VSA, SZV and SMMC are very pleased with the project development process and eager to continue into the next phases.
“As Minister of VSA, my job is to efficiently and effectively manage the resources of the country to the greatest benefit of the people. One of my main priorities has been to deliver accessible, quality and affordable healthcare that is close to home. The SMMC has served St Maarten faithfully but has outlived her functional lifespan. The staff and specialists deserve to be recognized and commended for their continued commitment and dedication even under difficult circumstances. A special thanks to the staff, board, and management of SZV as well as the staff from the Ministry of VSA for their continued support. Today we have reached another important milestone in the development of the new St Maarten General Hospital. A milestone reached not in isolation or secrecy but a milestone reached in an environment of openness, transparency, collaboration and partnership. And it is this inclusive process that will ensure that this hospital project will become a reality.” – Minister Lee, VSA
Three bids were received last month for the construction of the new hospital; BAM/Philips, INSO and VAMED. INSO is selected for contract negotiations based on the unanimous outcomes of five independent evaluation teams which reviewed the three bids based on the main criteria’s which included; price, quality, timing, local involvement, and financing. INSO scored high on price for design, building and maintenance costs, quality, timing and local involvement. INSO came out with the best overall ranking; a final score of 165,4 out of 200 points. INSO is an international company based in Italy with extensive experience in the construction of hospitals globally and in the region.
“We are happy that this important phase of the process has successfully been completed. It is now key to ensure that the next steps are completed within the timeline.” – Henk de Zeeuw, Managing Director KPMG
BAM/Philips submitted a bid of USD 138,943,852, VAMED submitted a bit of USD 80,149,443 and INSO submitted a bid of USD 59,578,655. The contract value will be based on the bid of INSO which includes the building of the new General Hospital and state of the art medical equipment. The contract negotiation phase with INSO will address the conditions and financing of the project.
There are three finance options; via the contractor, via the Government of Sint Maarten and via SZV. Financing via contractor is the least attractive option. The option via the Government saves several million USD’s and it is the clear preference to have Sint Maarten own the new General Hospital. The government is diligently working on finalizing this financing. To avoid delays in the project, SZV will be instrumental to provide the required financing. This will create a favorable return on investment of 5% for SZV, a much higher return than the current return on investment of its investment portfolio.
“With the new General Hospital, it is possible to be referred to a specialist close to home, without having to deal with the logistics of flying out to and staying in another country. An already difficult situation while dealing with illness will become a little less complicated. No traveling, not being separated from family and friends and reduced language barriers are just some of the key advantages.” Glen Carty, Director SZV
According to the project schedule, the next milestone will be the contract closing by August 30th, 2016. Upon finalization of the contract, the construction of the General Hospital would start as of next month and the new General Hospital is scheduled to be operational by mid-2019. Throughout the construction phase, all services of the current hospital will remain fully operational. It is projected that the new hospital will enable 70 plus new vacancies for medical and support staff. Current SMMC staff will undergo phased training sessions to improve the quality of service that will be available in the new facility. The new hospital will serve patients requiring medical attention in the specialisms such as urology, neurology, orthopedics, hematology, ophthalmology and pulmonology, this will decrease the amount of international medical referrals now taking place. New will be an on-site medivac heliport which will increase efficiency in emergency cases. Capacity demands will also be addressed with an increase from 66 to 110 beds in clusters of one and two beds per room and four states of the art operating theaters including one with (limited) heart intervention lab. Other additions to the facility include; a dedicated dialysis center, telemedicine for diagnosis and treatment by specialists abroad, increased parking and ease of access for patients and visitors.
“The staff, medical specialists, nurses and supporting staff of SMMC give every day all that they have to keep the hospital running under the current circumstances. We are thankful for their efforts and commitment to serve. The next big step, the construction of the new General Hospital, is around the corner. There are many more steps ahead towards realizing this goal and the Tripartite is dedicated to continuing working together, collaborating towards expanding the quality of healthcare available on Sint Maarten. This for the people of Sint Maarten, but also to be able to accommodate Saba, Statia, the neighboring islands and our tourists.” – Kees Klarenbeek, Director SMMC
“It is clear that Sint Maarten will soon have a new General Hospital. This new milestone of the Tripartite is cause for celebration. The government has given its full support to this very important project to Sint Maarten and will continue to do so. The benefits for our people, the quality of life and the economy are long-terms, truly a win, win, win for all.” - Prime Minister William Marlin.
