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Courtney Laing uses 50th birthday to help Westmoreland Infirmary

Published:Saturday | February 11, 2023 | 1:08 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
From left: People’s National Party Councillor of the Sheffield Division and Principal of Little London High School, Garfield James, explains how the walkers bought for residents of the Savanna-la-Mar Infirmary are set up to Kenya Keddo Laing and her hus
Contributed
From left: People’s National Party Councillor of the Sheffield Division and Principal of Little London High School, Garfield James, explains how the walkers bought for residents of the Savanna-la-Mar Infirmary are set up to Kenya Keddo Laing and her husband Courtney Laing, who made the donation of a bed, wheelchairs, walkers, pampers, disability chairs, and other items to the Infirmary on Tuesday.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Westmoreland businessman Courtney Laing used his 50th birthday to raise over $1 million to purchase medical supplies for residents of the Westmoreland Infirmary in Savanna-la-Mar.

The facility, which houses 70 men and women, received an electric bed valued at $250,000, wheelchairs, several packs of pampers, commodes, shower seats, walkers, and a commitment from Laing that he will spend the rest of his life supporting the elderly.

“I am not taking on any other charity, I am not going to do children, I am not going to do back-to-school, I am going to concentrate on the elderly, and all of this is because of my late father Kissock D. Laing, the second Mayor of Sav-la-Mar in whose name the charity is named,” said the businessman who is originally from Little London in the parish.

In the past he and a friend, Michelle Patrick, have gone to the infirmary to feed up to 100 residents because, “I have always had a soft spot for the people here, so my charity will be only with the infirmary,” he told The Gleaner.

COVID-19 put a spoke in their wheels, but they have returned to familiar territory and are already committed to 2023.

Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Bertel Moore, who was among the officials on hand receiving the donation, acknowledged that this could not have come at a better time, owing to the recent completion of a new male ward, not yet opened officially, and needed supplies and furnishing.

The ward has the capacity to house 50 men.

“I am pleased, I am thankful on behalf of the residents of the Sav-la-Mar (Westmoreland) Infirmary. I know it will go a long way,” said Mayor Moore.

Excited about the prospects, Matron Nadine Collins-White, who heads the infirmary, said when the gifts came and she looked at the bed, she realised it was a very good piece of furnishing, which will serve to position the residents conducive to treatment.

“It has a remote to put them into whether in semi-folded or folded position. We appreciate that, it is a very good gift, especially for the new ward that is being opened,” she explained.

In addition, she said this would be one less bed for the municipal corporation to purchase. According to her, Laing reached out to her as far back as January 2022 and remained very consistent with the promises made.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com