Honour the man! Lorna Smith blasts hospital appearance

Labour Minister and Deputy Premier Lorna Smith has criticised the external condition of the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital, named in honour of her husband, the former Premier of the BVI.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, he urged fellow lawmakers to respect his legacy by maintaining the hospital’s appearance to reflect his immense contributions to the territory. Smith said she was speaking as a concerned resident and stressed the need for improvements to the facility. Referring to comments made by a colleague, Clyde Lettsome, Smith noted that he described the hospital as “unpainted” and “unsigned.”

“Given that man’s (Dr Smith’s] contribution to this territory, for 50 years or more, we are sending a wrong message. The appearance of the hospital, the external side of it, it needs to be fixed and we need to at least honour the man as we should,” Smith remarked.

Smith argued that the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital’s condition falls short of the respect and care it should receive. She urged action to restore its exterior appearance, adding that it would require minimal effort: “A little bit of paint, a little bit of changing a door here and there, just making the place more attractive.”