The political drama of Cayman’s much-delayed, $24 million residential mental health centre took a step closer to ending with its official opening on Tuesday.
Politicians and guests gathered at the Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre in East End as the 54-bed unit officially opened, years behind schedule. It is expected to admit Caymanian patients returned from Jamaica before Christmas.
Dwayne Seymour, recently taking on the role of wellness minister, saw the centre through to its handover to its staff. He said he was delighted to see the “state-of-the-art” complex, which was dogged with problems and bad luck, including COVID-19 disruption, completed.
Seymour added, it was “a long-awaited and much-anticipated occasion for our nation – the grand opening of the Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre”.
He said patients who needed residential psychiatric care “for far too long” had been forced to go to Jamaica or elsewhere for treatment, which deprived them of family support, a “part of the therapeutic process”.
He fought back tears as he revealed his own father, who was in a Jamaican residential psychiatric unit for years, died of a heart attack in 2011 at age 75 just days before his planned return to his homeland.
Seymour said the centre in East End would ensure “residents are supported and remain connected to the friends and families and the broader community”.
He said he had, as minister of health in a previous administration, worked to make the Poinciana centre a reality, which had attracted broad support in Parliament.
In-patient psychiatric services are available at George Town Hospital, but they were designed for short stays rather than long-term rehabilitation.
The project, which started construction in 2019, suffered multiple delays. The coronavirus pandemic forced a complete shutdown for some time.
When work restarted, it was at first under social-distancing restrictions. The audience at the opening ceremony heard that, even after normality returned locally, the global supply chain disruption caused by COVID-19 further hampered construction.
The centre was largely complete by last year, but it remained unused because of repeated delays in getting its licences of occupancy.
Political sparring
The long-running saga was a major factor in the decision of four ministers, including former Health Minister Sabrina Turner, who attended the opening ceremony, to quit government.
MP McKeeva Bush used the occasion to launch a fresh attack on Turner over the delayed opening.
But she refused to rise to the bait and said only “time will tell” when asked to comment on Bush’s onslaught.
She also released a statement that highlighted a “myriad” of troubles, such as electrical, plumbing and mould problems, and a leaking roof.
Turner added, “The significance of this facility extends far beyond politics and its physical structure.
“It represents a commitment to bringing our Caymanian patients home, ensuring they have access to quality care and support in familiar surroundings.”
Seymour said earlier, “The Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre stands as a symbol of our collective acknowledgment that mental health is, and always has been, a critical part of our overall health.”
Marcia Mullings-Thompson, the director of the new centre, told the gathering, “This moment is a remarkable one for us at Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre.
“Though I have only awaited this since I arrived in 2023, my team and I are conscious that the wait has been much longer for Caymanians.”
She said the new centre, which will include education and training as well as psychiatric care, was designed to treat patients “holistically”.
She said it was an environment “in which the whole person, mind, body and spirit, is cared for”.
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It appears to be a beautiful place. I noticed from the pictures there are no parameter fence to keep patients in and visitors out. What guarantees are government going to provide to the residents that resides in the area for their safety will be kept paramount?l
Wow great job Government. Only 3 years behind schedule and at 444,000.00 per bed a real bargain. You all look very proud of yourselves.
“A myriad of troubles including electrical, plumbing, mould and a leaking roof”. Now we know the reasons for the delays in licences which lasted for many months. Who were the contractors for goodness sake, the public have a right to know, they are clearly to blame for this fiasco.