Sunday, December 16, 2019

THE GLEANER, MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS C8 Publication Pub. Date Deadline Time CHRISTMAS Publication Pub. Date Deadline Time Publication Pub. Date Deadline Time WATCH NIGHT SERVICE NEW YEARS CHURCH NOTICES CLASSIFIEDS DISPLAY CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE THERE WILL BE NO PUBLICATION ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 25, 2019 THERE WILL BE NO PUBLICATION OF THE STAR ON THURSDAY DECEMBER 26, 2019 THERE WILL BE NO PUBLICATION OF THE STAR ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 1, 2020 The Gleaner Thurs. 26/12/19 Mon. 23/12/19 3:00 p.m. The Gleaner & The Star Fri. 27/12/19 Mon. 23/12/19 3:00 p.m The Financial Gleaner Fri. 27/12/19 Mon. 23/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner Sat. 28/12/19 Tues. 24/12/19 11:00 a.m The Gleaner Sun. 29/12/19 Tues. 24/12/19 11:00 p.m. The Gleaner Wed. 01 /01/20 Fri. 27/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner & The Star Thurs. 02 /01/20 Mon. 30/12/19 11:00 p.m. The Gleaner & The Star Fri . 03 /01/20 Mon, 30/12/19 3:00 p.m. The Gleaner Thurs. 26/12/19 Mon. 23/12/19 3:00 p.m. The Gleaner & The Star Fri. 27/12/19 Mon. 23/12/19 3:00 p.m. The Gleaner Sat. 28/12/19 Tues. 24/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner Sun. 29/12/19 Tues. 24/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner & The Star Fri. 20/12/19 Thur. 19/12/19 10:00 a.m. The Gleaner Wed. 01/01/20 Mon. 30/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner & The Star Thur. 02/01/20 Mon. 30/12/19 11:00 a.m. The Gleaner & The Star Thur. 02/01/20 Fri. 27/12/19 12:00 Noon Publication Pub. Date Deadline Time MANDEVILLE Shop #9 E-F, Midway Mall, Mandeville Tel: 625-5831 SALES OUTLETS: Sangster’s Bookstores Ltd. Shop #5, The Springs Shopping Centre 17 Constant Spring Road Tel: 960-8264 92 Hope Road, Kingston 6 (Same premises as Bookophilia & the Paint Shop) Tel: 978-9947 KINGSTON Head Office: The Gleaner Company Ltd. P.O. Box 40, 7 North Street Tel: 922-3400, Fax: 922-2058, 967-1121 MONTEGO BAY Western Bureau, 23 King Street, Tel: 952-2454, 952-2822, Fax 952-3828 OCHO RIOS Shop #16, Point Plaza, (upstairs) Ocho Rios Tel: 974 -9383, Fax: 974 -9384 Christopher Thomas/ Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU: P ROFESSOR ARCHIBALD McDonald, chairman of the independent oversight committee monitoring the ongoing restoration work at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) in Montego Bay, St James, has given a new date for the com- pletion of the multibillion-dollar project. “Based on my observations and the information I got from the project management office, I do believe the project will be completed by the end of 2020. The cost of this project is going to end up somewhere around $3.8 to $4 billion,”McDonald said, while speaking at a press conference in Montego Bay last week. The hospital, which was partially close after workers complained about feeling ill as a result of inhal- ing the fumes inside the hospital in 2017, was initially projected to return to full service last month, never met the projected timeline, much to the chagrin of those who have experienced major disloca- tion as a result of the scaling down of activities at the Type A hospital. The issue of noxious fumes at the institution came to national attention in September 2016 when callers to The Gleaner ’s Western Bureau reported that harmful fumes were causing an uncomfortable stench inside the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department and that medical per- sonnel had stopped working and had vacated the area. In the aftermath of the initial reports, several studies were done to determine the cause of the fumes. In February 2017, a team from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) came to Jamaica at the invitation of the Government, to help in identifying the cause of the noxious fumes. This resulted inmany of the hospi- tal’s services beingmoved to other locations. Following the PAHO visit, it was determined that fibreglass parti- cles in the hospital’s ventilation sys- temwas the cause of the problem. While acknowledging the missed deadlines for completion of the CRH’s restoration work, McDonald said that the work has been pro- longed by various new issues discovered during the project. He noted that it would cost approx- imately $30 billion to build a new hospital of the size of CRH. “Maybe we shouldn’t have given a deadline at the start, because the fact is that there are exten- sive renovations going on and you discover new things every day. You look at something today which you believe is okay and can remain, only to find out on pulling away a few boards that that entire section has to be worked on,” said McDonald. “The question is being asked, why not use the money to build a new hospital? The building is structur- ally sound, and the reason it is the way it is, is because of years of poor or no maintenance. The cost of a new hospital of that size is somewhere in excess of $30 billion, which I think is beyond the people of Jamaica at this time.” New 2020 timeline for CRH restoration Professor Archibald McDonald RUDOLPH BROWN Judana Murphy/Gleaner Writer IT WAS cheer all around. Bright smiles and eager faces were seen as the clown twisted the bal- loons, and many bold children joined performers on stage to sing a line. Through a partnership between Sanmerna Foundation and Inspire to Empower Foundation, spe- cial-needs students were féted at a Christmas treat last week. The annual treat, now in its third year, was held at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre in St Andrew. Almost 150 students from Genesis Academy, Lister Mair/ Gilby High School for the Deaf, Phoenix Academy, Salvation Army School for the Blind, Hope Valley Experimental, Randolph Lopez School of Hope, Abilities Foundation, and Carberry Special School were present. Students were entertained by Laud Dance Ministry, the dance troupe and band of Pembroke Hall High School and singer Candy Isaacs, among others. The treat was extra special for 22-year-old Trishanna Bertram, who was celebrating her birthday. Bertram, a student at the Abilities Foundation, has cerebral palsy, which affects her motor skills. A former student at School of Hope, she had not met the require- ments to sit external examinations but has subsequently shown remarkable improvement since she enrolled in the data opera- tions unit. “My teachers have decided for me to do CXC principles of busi- ness, English and two other sub- jects and I will be sitting those exams [next] May.” This is not in the scope of the Abilities Foundation, but her teacher, Therese Braham, explained that she is one of three students deemed competent enough to sit exams. Bertram has set sights on becoming a data-entry clerk or a web designer and plans to focus on her writing. “I write poems – just give me the topic and I write about it,”she said, quickly adding that she posts them on social media and sends them to friends and family. She continued: “JUTC [Jamaica Urban Transit Company] is show- ing that they appreciate us who have a disability. It’s my second time, and it was fun last year. To anybody living with a disability, the sky is the limit. Don’t let your disability stop you from getting your goals.” Nigerian High Commissioner to Jamaica Janet Olisa and local star sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were two of the special guests at the treat. The children received many embracing hugs from both women and were encouraged to unearth their talents. Chairman of the Sanmerna Foundation, Viris Clarke-Ellis, said her team has been happy to serve for the past three years. “We find that many times the disabled community is under- served, so we wanted not just to help the able-bodied, but to reach out to those persons, particularly our children, who are sometimes forgotten,” she said. “The smiles on their faces and the appreciation that they showed, there was no way that we couldn’t continue. Every year we give scholarships to students who are transitioning fromprimary to high school. We are looking forward to the day when we can also offer them scholarships,” said Clarke-Ellis. JUTC Managing Director Paul Abrahams expressed gratitude to caregivers and his staff who trans- port special-needs children. “As much as JUTC supports this, this initiative is the brainchild and the development of three very loyal and dedicated JUTC staff members who have really gone out of their way to help. It does my heart good to know that there is still good in Jamaica,”Abrahams said. Sanmerna Paper Products is a local company owned and oper- ated by brothers Robert and Mark White. judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com Special-needs standout sets sights on big dreams Trishanna Bertham, one of scores of special-needs students who were féted at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre in St Andrew. IAN ALLEN/ PHOTOGRAPHER