WESTERN BUREAU – Even as the Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, two of the parish’s leading figures – Custos Royland Barrett and Mayor Jonathan Bartley – have combined their voices in a call to have the facility upgraded.

They were speaking at the official launch of the anniversary celebrations and tag drive inside Falmouth’s water square on Wednesday.

“This ceremony is very, very important. We have the hospital here and the hospital needs to be upgraded, especially now that we are getting all these developments presently,” Barrett said.

He then added: “We are aiming at a slave museum. I understand that the Government has acquired the premises at the old Hampden Wharf and it will be a reality. We are aiming at the stadium which will accommodate like over 22,000 people, we are aiming at massive development in Harmony Cove that will encompass three hotels, guests and their workers.”

Bartley echoed his sentiments while complimenting the hospital staff on their work over the years, despite limited resources.

“I want to continue pleading to the authorities to upgrade the hospital so that it may accommodate patients recuperating from major surgeries and other individuals from other countries recuperating from various illnesses. The environment is perfectly suited for this,” he said.

Added: “I commend the administrators and the workers who have to work with the limited resources to provide quality service…”

Florence Logan, who chairs the Trelawny Health Authority, has in the interim pleaded with residents to support the tag drive.

“Unfortunately the pressures are on and money is scarce. This brings us to the very need that the hospital has. So we are launching our tag drive today because we are going to be celebrating a number of activities in February. We have to spruce up the grounds, we have to fix up the hospital and we have to make it look worthy of a valuable celebration,” she said.