An application by a Chinese national for the operation of a medical clinic on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, has received the green light from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA stated that having screened the application, it has found that the Oxford Medical Centre will have no impact on the environment.
“The EPA has determined that this project will not significantly affect the environment, and is therefore exempt from the requirement to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),” the agency said in a recent notice.
It was explained in the notice that the project is not located within an environmentally sensitive area which possesses environmental attributes that require special care or rare ecosystems or habitats with species at risk. The project will be located in a commercial shopping mall in an area already designated for commercial use.
It was further stated that the operation of the small medical facility will not impact the air or water quality in the environment or produce noise or vibrations above acceptable levels. “The project is proposed to be a small medical facility that will in no way negatively impact the surrounding environment,” the EPA said in decision to waiver the EIA requirement.
However, those persons who wish to object to the decision may lodge an appeal against the Agency’s decision within thirty days of the publication of the Notice.
Appeals against the EPA’s decision should be addressed to: The Chairman, The Environmental Assessment Board, eabguyana21@gmail.com
In a project summary accessed from the EPA’s website, Yukun Zhang Feihu is developing the Oxford Medical Centre, which will be located in the ground floor of the existing Royal Orchid Mall and Hotel located on Mandela Avenue behind the Botanical Gardens.
The facility, will occupy just over 10,000 square feet and will provide pharmaceutical, outpatient clinic, clinical laboratory, and ultrasound services, in its first phase.
In the second phase, the health care institution is aiming to offer emergency room service, dental care, endoscopy, physiotherapy, audiometry, spirometry, microbiological testing, and trace element testing. It was noted that these services are currently being implemented and should be ready by October of this year. And according to the project summary, in phases Four and Five, the facility will provide the services of a minor operating theatre, x-ray, ophthalmology, and paediatric care, by May 2024, and computerised tomography scanning (CT scan) by December 2025.
The company explained that it is their objective to become a “one-stop” venue for medical evaluation and efficient treatment at an affordable rate.
“Oxford Medical Centre is a healthcare facility which focuses on patient health and well-being, by providing services in a comfortable environment in areas of pharmaceutical, laboratory and imaging paired with qualified, knowledgeable, and competent staff, both technical and non-technical professionals,” it stated in the project document.
