A GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE New Machine Meets Critical Need

In a couple of weeks the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Anguilla will have a new backup anesthesia machine to fill an urgent need so that critical surgical operations can be performed to preserve the life of patients. This important piece of equipment is being funded by Cable & Wireless to the tune of US$46,000, the equivalent of EC$130,000, as a gift to the Government and people of Anguilla. The donation does not include shipping and handling costs. The contribution was announced on Wednesday March 5 at a joint meeting of Government and Cable & Wireless officials in the Chief Minister’s Office.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming said at the meeting that he was pleasantly surprised to have received a telephone call earlier in the day with the good news for the people of Angulla from the company’s General Manager, Sutcliffe Hodge. He praised the company for its very significant contribution and commitment to the people of the island. According to him, it was a result of a partnership for progress effort he has been promoting between the Government and the business community.

He explained that the question was raised, at a recent meeting with Robert Lerwill, a London-based executive, about whether there was something else that Cable & Wireless could do for Anguilla in addition to its contributions in the past to several projects and the high level of telecommunications services being provided to the island. Mr. Fleming suggested a new Health Clinic in the Valley, but eventually the decision was taken to meet a more urgent need – a second anesthesia machine at the hospital to replace the present one which has not been performing well. He was very grateful to Cable & Wireless for its prompt response to this most pressing need.

The Cable & Wireless General Manager, Mr. Hodge, noted that it was only a month ago that Mr. Lerwill had been in Anguilla and paid a courtesy call on the Chief Minister. He said the Head Office executive left the meeting promising to look into the possibility of the company sponsoring the machine, recognising its importance to the medical safety of the people of Anguilla. Mr. Hodge recalled that in the past Cable & Wireless had contributed EC$760,000 towards the Hurricane Luis restoration fund. The projects which benefited from the money were one of the blocks of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, the community home at West End, the West End Primary School and a mobile dental van which at the time cost in the vicinity of US$40,000. He added that this week’s contribution was a further demonstration of Cable & Wireless’ commitment to the overall general health and well-being of Anguillians.
Health Planner and Acting Permanent Secretary, Foster Rogers, expressed the Ministry’s gratitude to Cable & Wireless. He said the equipment was badly needed at the hospital and was coming at a time when the Health Authority was about to be introduced and there was a need to upgrade facilities at the hospital as part of the Health Plan for the island.
Director of Health Services, Dr. Franklin Lloyd, spoke of difficulties experienced in the operating room without a proper working anesthesia machine as recently as this week, and the urgent need for a second machine. He reported that in one operation case the hospital was obliged to resort to the old methods to have the surgery done.
Dr. Lloyd was relieved to hear about the new backup machine which will now be provided. In thanking Cable & Wireless for its kindness, he said more help was being expected and more often from the company. He added that there was a need for a second operating room and pointed out that although the hospital and the island were small, they had the same needs as those of larger institutions and countries.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming (seated). L-R: Parliamentary Secretary Samuel Connor, Ministers Kenneth Harrigan and Eric Reid, Sutcliffe Hodge, Dr. Lloyd and Foster Rogers