St. George?s rest home ready by early 2005

The new St. George?s rest home will be ready for operation by early 2005, Health Minister Patrice Minorstold the House of Assembly.

The re-structuring and upgrading of rest homes and long-term care facilities has been one of the Health Departments four biggest challenges, she said last week. The other three were listed as making life in Bermuda more accessible to those with disabilities, safety in the workplace and workers? protection, and asbestos abatement.

The St. George?s Care Facility, she added, is ?critical and long overdue?. A study on eldercare showed a severe lack of such facilities in the eastern parishes as well as a need for more intermediate care.

The new facility, which Works and Engineering recently received final planning approval for, will help to ease some of those gaps by providing multi-levels of care, as well as community activities and family events. The tenders are out, Mrs. Minors said, and contracting decisions are expected to be made by early next month. The facility is expected to be able to accommodate more than 40 seniors permanently, with five more rooms set aside for respite care. ?We hope to be ready for operation by early 2005.?

Opposition Seniors spokesperson Louise Jacksonwas doubtful about that claim, however.

Pointing out that the roof of Lefroy House is still not repaired six months after it was damaged in Hurricane Fabian, Mrs. Jackson said: ?We have no real hope of ever having a rest home in St. George?s if we can?t get a roof over these people?s heads.?

Government MP Ottiwell Simmonssaid the roof was at least in a non-residential part of the building and had not affected residents. ?I agree it should be fixed, however, and we will do so,? he added.

Ms Jackson maintained 12 seniors had to be displaced because of the roof damage, however. As for the remaining rest homes, they are not getting enough money, she said, citing Pembroke Rest Home in particular. Workers in the homes are ?burned out?, she said, and too often the homes resemble warehouses more than a place of rest.

She also returned to the question of when the St. George?s Care Facility will be complete. ?I?m hoping it?s not going to be another Berkeley Institute joke ... I mean, new senior secondary school.?

Performing arts school on the horizon

A proposed performing arts school will be available to senior secondary school students, Education Minister Terry Lister told MPs this week.

?We already know we have students who are gifted in the arts within our school system, and so this is something we wish to promote even more,? Mr. Lister said.

?We anticipate that the school will be open to senior school students in the Bermuda public school system and that they will be able to experience classes suited to their artistic strengths.?

A dance studio, visual arts studio, and practice rooms for music are features the school will include. Mr. Lister stated: ?The $25,000 represents the funding to cover exploratory costs and we would expect that future budgets will contain a more substantial request for funding so that the school can become fully operational.?

Mr. Lister also discussed plans to establish a Financial Academy to the House. ?The Academy will offer educational opportunities here in Bermuda to prepare students for entry level positions in reinsurance and banking.?

Government has allocated $100,000 for the Academy.reported in an earlier story that the Financial Academy which was announced in this year?s budget will require more funding than that allotted by Finance Minister Paula Cox.

Maxine Esdaille told : ?Money has been committed to the establishment of the Financial Services Academy in the budget but it will not be enough to cover all costs.?

Mr. Lister told the House: ?Mr. Speaker, we are grateful to Mrs. Patricia Pettit who initiated talks with us on the development of the academy and we are confident with the seed monies allocated in this budget the plans for the proposed academy can take root.?

National Training Board ?does more with less?

Bermuda Regiment members have been given training and certification in dealing with a hurricane aftermath.

Education Minister Terry Listersaid the National Training Board was helping provide valuable skills.

He said: ?We need to provide members of the Regiment with first class training to be ready when the next storm comes around.

?The National Proficiency Tests Council horticulture training and certification programme has assisted ten Regiment staff members with acquiring chainsaw, tree-felling and train the trainer skills.?

He said recruits were wrong to regard the Regiment as a waste of time and said 14 soldiers were getting technical training, funding and career assistance. Soldiers are studying music education, culinary art, business administration, masonry, electronics technology, computer information technology and welding. Mr. Lister said the NTB manages 39 programmes in total and assists the development of 1,586 Bermudians. ?We have a workforce of 27,000 people. Do the maths. It?s pretty good.?

Despite its success the NTB has an unchanged budget this year, boasted Mr. Lister. ?The Board continues to prove it can do more with less.?

Revenue bill passes second hurdle

Parliament passed a second stage of an ongoing overhaul of the Revenue Act. The bill, which was approved unanimously, provides for formal appeal procedures for settling Customs disputes, an overhaul of penalties for violating Customs requirements and the introduction of the World Trade Organisation/General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs valuation code.

Finance Minister Paula Cox, in introducing the bill, said that clients would save money by not having to initiate Supreme Court proceedings to contest a Customs decision. The changes also give the Collector of Customs power to fine people directly for contraventions.

Scott promises ombudsman bill soon

Legislation for an ombudsman will be introduced in the next few months, Premier Alex Scott has revealed.

The post has been promised in the last two throne speeches. Scope for the role was set up under the Bermuda Constitution Amendment Order 2001. The Ombudsman ? who will be independently appointed and, like the Auditor General, report to the Governor ? will act as a citizens? advocate when Government departments perform poorly.

In 2002 then Premier Jennifer Smith said work on the initiative was well underway and she said the Government would shortly receive a report containing recommendations on the role and responsibilities of the post. Premier Alex Scott told : ?After wide consultation both locally and internationally, the proposal for the ombudsman is in its final stages and, as noted in the Throne Speech, the legislation will be tabled in the House before the end of this session.?

He said wide consultation has ensured the broadest view possible on the jurisdiction and role of the office of Ombudsman.

?Bermuda has had the opportunity to take advantage of the learning in other jurisdictions. We believe we are crafting the best possible legislative arrangement for Bermuda.?

Money for behaviour management programme

The House of Assembly heard this week that Government has allocated $600,053 to a Behaviour Management Programme.

The Minister of Education,Terry Lister said: ?As part of the effort to support younger students with behaviour issues, $600,053 has been allocated to behaviour management.

?The educational therapists who operate this programme will now be able to provide increased one-on-one support to approximately 90 students at the pre-school and primary school levels.

?It is essential that this intervention takes place at these levels, so that young students learn from an early age those skills which will help them cope with life.?

Various techniques including direct intervention, monitoring and consultation through an interdisciplinary team approach will be delivered by therapists, the House heard. Mr. Lister informed the House that students will have access to anger management and social skill groups. He revealed that his Ministry are considering future projects such as the implementation of an integrated pest management programme and a comprehensive school asthma policy.