Work on Cayman’s first long-term residential mental health facility will finally be completed at the end of June after long delays, according to the health minister.
Sabrina Turner, Minister for Health, Wellness and Home Affairs, said on Thursday she had received confirmation of the completion date from the project manager.
“We will finally bring this over the finish line,” she said, during George Town Central MP and Minister Kenneth Bryan’s evening constituency meeting.
Physical construction of three main buildings and nine cottages in East End is already finished, she told attendees, and the final painting works are close to completion.
“Over the next several weeks, they will focus on getting the telecommunications and electrical services to this site,” she said.
Workers will also be testing all of the equipment in preparation for the final building inspections which should be done by the end of May.
The 15-acre site off High Rock Drive, which was originally slated to cost $15 million, features three main buildings.
The cafeteria includes a dining hall and an industrial kitchen, and is equipped to shelter staff and residents in the event of a hurricane.
The other two main structures are a large administration building, and a café/workshop with a craft room, meeting and events room, and woodworking shop.
Each of the nine cottages includes six furnished bedrooms, a laundry facility, clinical staff room, a living room, a mini kitchen and a spacious outdoor breeze-way area.
Project delays
The groundbreaking was in October 2019 after years of delays, with the initial projected finish date December 2021.
In May 2022, the Compass reported that a shift in government priorities caused by COVID-19, shipping delays and a global product shortage resulted in a year-long halt to the build.
Then, in January this year, Dr. Marc Lockhart, former chair of the Mental Health Commission, whose term ended the month before, announced he would not return in that role.
He cited frustration with the lack of information and communication from the Ministry of Health and the ongoing delay in completing the mental health facility – particularly lack of movement to resource and staff the facility properly.
In a video of a February tour of the facility on the Cayman Islands government YouTube channel, Turner said her first visit had been in 2021, weeks after getting into office.
She blamed setbacks since then on weather, supply chain difficulties and infrastructure approval issues, but said the project is now “much closer to the finish line”.
In January, the minister said there would likely be a phased opening of the facility, which may take a year to fully complete.
Long-term residential mental health facilities provide ongoing care and treatment for people with severe and persistent mental health conditions.
They are designed to offer a structured and supportive environment beyond what can be provided in a hospital or outpatient setting.
Length of stay can vary – from months to years – depending on the individual’s needs and progress.
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