Minister reviews plans for flood-hit Princess Elizabeth Centre

Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis and the chief executive officer of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) Dr Stephen Ramroop toured the centre yesterday. Members of the centre’s board were also in attendance.

The centre is under the Health Ministry which provides subventions for its operations. Baptiste- Cornelis said she heard that over the years the ministry has been trying to persuade the board to relocate the centre. She told reporters the board will submit a business plan to the ministry and was also working on an evacuation plan.

“The board has welcomed our intervention so we will be having a more hands-on approach to facilitate their moving. We all have the same concern, we want the best for the children.”

The business plan would be used for “ideas” which would be proposed to Cabinet.

Although some children reside in the vicinity of the centre and may be affected if there was a change of location, Baptiste-Cornelis said the facility was used by children from all across the country including San Fernando and Sangre Grande who had to travel. At a new location, she said persons residing in the West “may have to travel to another location.”

She said the impact of the flooding was not good for students with the “loss of time, treatment, trauma associated with this whole event.”