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‘Paralysis by analysis’
Submitted Copy
for South Peace News
Editor’s note: Following is the entire text of a letter sent by High Prairie Mayor Rick Dumont to Minister of Infrastructure Jack Hayden and Minister of Health and Wellness Ron Liepert May 19.
Re: Delay in constructing the High Prairie Health Facility.
I am writing to express our deepest disappointment that we appear to be placed back into a ‘study and review’ stage for the High Prairie Health Facility. Gentlemen, this work was all completed several years ago, including a detailed study with the health professionals and the community as a whole. Why would the Government of Alberta request that we return to that stage again? Why is the Government of Alberta forming yet another ‘advisory committee’ to cover the same ground yet again?
Meanwhile, each year:
* the existing facility is getting older, and the functionality of the physical facility declines;
* it becomes more difficult to recruit quality professionals to work in a progressively aging facility;
* more and more local and regional residents must travel to other communities or regions for basic medical services that were once offered here;
* the need for our new health facility becomes more extreme.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the High Prairie Health Facility was not only a vibrant and busy centre, but it provided considerably a lot more services than they can now. Our population size and demographics hasn’t dramatically changed, but the need for maternity and surgical services has increased. Yet, to receive those same services, our regional population must now travel 1 1/2 to four hours to other locations because our local health facility has not kept up with the needed facility upgrades and staffing requirements.
The promised new health facility would return the provision of those needed services, locally. The residents in our region are even prepared to step up to the plate to ensure that those services are offered and supported.
The potential is too great to lose yet another construction season due to inaction. With the current rate of frustration that our regional population is voicing, lack of action in construction is being interpreted as a sign that the Government of Alberta does not care about our regional population. I strongly encourage the Government of Alberta to delay the project no longer. The residents is our region are suffering from paralysis by analysis.
Mayor Rick Dumont, Town of High Prairie.
cc: Honourable Ed Stelmach,
Premier of Alberta
Pearl Calahasen,
MLA (Lesser Slave Lake)
Chair Raymond Carifelle,
Peavine Metis Settlement
Reeve Alvin Billings, M.D. of Big Lakes
Chair Nona Elliott, High Prairie &
District Physician Retention Committee
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