MIN. MICHAEL DARVILLE
Minister of Health & Wellness
Contract Signing Ceremony – Stevenson Community Clinic, Cat Island
Colleagues,
Members of the Inter-American Development Bank,
Members of the Media,
Good morning.
Today marks another milestone in our Government’s commitment to providing accessible, modern, and people-centered healthcare throughout The Bahamas. This afternoon, we officially sign an $8.4 million contract with SJK Construction for the construction of the Stevenson Community Clinic in Cat Island.
This project, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and executed by the Project Execution Unit (PEU) under the leadership of Project Manager, Mr. Donald Demeritte, represents more than an infrastructure upgrade. It is an investment in resilience, opportunity, and the future of healthcare in our Family Islands.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Stevenson Clinic will be a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facility that is both weather- and disaster-resilient. Designed to operate at the urgent care level, it will offer laboratory diagnostics, telemedicine, and environmentally compliant features that set a new standard for community healthcare delivery.
This project is about Cat Island, but it is also about national development. As Prime Minister Davis has emphasized, the clinic will generate job opportunities during and after construction and add to Cat Island’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment. More importantly, it will serve as a hub for encouraging our young people to consider careers in healthcare services—not just as doctors or nurses, but in the wide range of professions that support a modern health system.
At a time when there is a global shortage of healthcare service providers, projects like these underscore the necessity of ensuring that our health infrastructure is strong, well-resourced, and sustainable.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Stevenson Community Clinic is one of several new facilities being built under the $43 million IDB-supported Health System Strengthening Program. Together with ongoing projects in Moore’s Island, Staniel Cay, Black Point, Great Harbour Cay, Long Cay, and the Berry Islands, this investment is laying the foundation for a healthier, more resilient Bahamas.
On behalf of the Ministry of Health & Wellness, I thank the IDB for their continued partnership, the Project Execution Unit for their dedication, and the people of Cat Island for their patience and support. Today’s contract signing is a promise to deliver quality, modern healthcare close to home, and to build a system that will serve Bahamians for generations to come.
Thank you.
