THE TENDENCY at this time is to waste what is old to make way for the new, tried or untried . . . confusing tired with tried!
Fifty-one years ago as party of the original Development Plan for the future use of all land in the island, it was proposed that roads like the Belle, St Michael, through Lears to Highway 2 at the Jackson Canewood Junction, also Highway 6 from Bannatyne, Christ Church, and Newton should be improved by realignment and lighting to reduce congestion on the ABC Highway as a limited access cross country Bridgetown By-Pass.
As soon as the ABC Highway was completed, the utility of the old roads was forgotten and maintenance abandoned. More stress than necessary was then put on the new facility.
This pattern of waste was repeated in respect of the Old General Hospital and the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Old Hospital compound like Culloden Farm House was adapted to purposes for which it had not been designed. Nothing is more destructive of any building’s soul than compromising the compatibility of its form with function.
There is hope yet that the road from St David’s, Christ Church, to Newton via Bannatyne can be realigned and illuminated (with solar energy) as alternative access cross country to the Airport.
The old hospital compound is begging to be retrofitted as the Accident and Emergency Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital relieving the existing A&E department space for reorganization of immediate functions of the facility to delay by some considerable time the demand for construction of a new hospital.
The organic growth of polyclinics into district hospitals by the addition of operating theatres, observation and convalescent wards and the integration of medical schools in the National Health Service are feasible proposals for consideration among others originating from sources outside the establishment and special interest lobbies.
The avoidance of wasted assets in any form is highly desirable.
— LEONARD ST HILL
