Imaging Center Dedicated to Larry O’Donnell
- Thread starter JEK
- Start date
A person of great generosity, in every imaginable sense!
Cwater
Senior Insider
It makes me happily wonder why there are so many special souls that have a connection to St. Barth. There is an amazing energy that emanates from this happy place.
So true! My hope is that the amazing energy will continue, despite dramatic socio-economic & commercial/societal changes that are occurring.
In my nearly 45 years of being part of the island, I’ve only one time witnessed somewhat comparable upheaval here, which was in the mid-80s . . . and it paled by comparison to what’s happening now. In those days, “Barbarians at the Gates” threw open the island to people of significant wealth. Cell phone communication was introduced. Maya’s introduced a locally refined version of nouvelle cuisine — fresh ingredients heretofore had not been part of island cooking. Not too many years later, internet — apart from occasional dial-up connections — arrived.
Meanwhile, extraordinary wealth has grown as the island currency. There’s a bit of sadness in it for me, but I realize that I’m increasingly a “back number” in a world that deservedly grows.
The magical energy of SBH which you reference endures. It’s obscured at times, in some behavior & venues. But, it’s still my knock-out-of-the-park home.
JEK
Senior Insider
Dennis I agree with your sentiment on the old charm of the island, but even remote Congo had internet and cell service concurrent with the island. The times they were a changing all over the world!
Reminds me of a POK saying from years ago: “Why is it the last guy in the haymow always wants to pull up the ladder?”
Reminds me of a POK saying from years ago: “Why is it the last guy in the haymow always wants to pull up the ladder?”
Cwater
Senior Insider
in the yin yang of life back numbers can just as easily be forward numbers. The history that you and others have witnessed are to be cherished. Cheryl and I are newbies for having only visited since 1986. However the charm of the Island endures. Through those on this forum, and the wonderful inhabitants. No matter what changes are in store, I know once we step off the plane we are in paradise. As for the last guy…wanting to pull up the ladder is not the same as actually pulling it up. I say that this all respect. See you on the beach
elgreaux
Senior Insider
If you can afford it, you might keep loving it. Sadly us mere mortals are being priced out of living here and made to feel a little unwelcome. A few restaurants have shown open disdain for locals this year, not allowing them entry, and we know some residents who were basically told the restaurant at Guanahani was for tourists and hotel guests and made them sit inside while the outside seating was empty but reserved for hotel guests if they decided to come for lunch. The fact that this is a French island but hotels and restaurants hire non-French speaking staff and don't even bother to print French-language menus is off-putting for locals as well. Private clubs with six-figure entry fees are not for most locals either. The few remaining truly "local" places are disappearing one by one—the latest in the series is the Presqu'ile Hotel and its albeit seedy but local bar, as the island turns more and more into the Las Vegas version of itself. But even in Vegas you can leave The Strip and find lots of inexpensive places to eat. Eventually this island will be a billionaire's club with a working class to support them. Many of those workers come for just one season and leave with no reason to respect the island. There has been a spate of villa robberies lately, every day there is a report of a stolen scooter, and a man stealing cars led the gendarmes on a wild chase through Gustavia until he crashed, and just a short time after the kids' carnival parade on Friday, it could have been a worse disaster than it was. The traffic is backed up everywhere, it's hard to drive not following a truck dumping gravel or dirt on the road, so there is some serious work to be done to keep attracting billionaires, who are snapping up the last pieces of land and building massive homes that are not in keeping with the lack of water and electricity. The fantasy version of the island is great for a vacation, but living here is quite another story. A mid-career school teacher here (mid-40s) earns 2800 euros per month, and if they have not been here over 5 years have to pay French income tax. I imagine some tourists spend more than 2800 euros on restaurants for two people for a week... The island's publicity machine loves to use the word 'authentic' but that boat sailed a long time ago.... Do I still love it here? Sometimes, but it's getting harder and harder
JEK
Senior Insider
The medical imaging center baptized in memory of Lawrence O'Donnell
If the moment is solemn, it is mainly marked by a wave of emotion. Tuesday, February 22 at 11 o'clock, many relatives of late Lawrence O'Donnell are present under the medical imaging center of the Bruyn Hospital in Gustavia. All came to attend the inauguration of the plate that will give the name of the generous donor to this service of the health facility. Ray- Mond Magras is the first to speak. He was, in the company of Peter Mund, Porter Henry and others, at the origin of the creation of the Foundation for the emergency medical equipment of St. Barthélemy (FEMUR). He recounts in particular his meeting with Lawrence O'Donnell, "around 1995" when he was presented by Peter Mund. "He immediately joined the Femur," he recalls. He attended all the meetings and, a few years later, he had the idea to create a font
Suzanne O'Donnell (right center, in black), wife of regretted Lawrence O'Donnell, pose in front of the Medical Imaging Center of the Bruyn Hospital with President Bruno Magras and Femur members (Foundation for the emergency medical equipment of Saint-Barthélemy).
"His desire to enjoy the people of Saint-Barth" and allow them to "have a more efficient hospital".
The President of the Territorial Community, Bruno Magras, highlighted the "observer life of the island's life" of Larry O'Donnell, whether political and other. "With his death, we lost an excellent ambassador of Saint-Barth," regrets the President. Words that have not failed to move the family and relatives of "Larry". In the first place his wife, Suzanne O'Donnell, who took over the reins of the foundation in the United States. "Humperly, Larry would be so proud," she says. Myself, I am very recognized for the honor of it. He adored Saint-Barth, the people of the island. It's always with immense pleasure he came here and he was very happy to have made the island his second house. An island that it has yet discovered totally by chance.
In Effect, Suzanne O'Donnell tells that it is through friends who, having encountered a mechanical problem on their boat, have gone in Saint-Barth in the 80s. "They have loved so many they stayed fifteen Days, she smiles. When he returned, they told us that it was absolutely necessary that we go there. What we did a year later. And we did not wait to buy a house! »
Just as moved that his mother, Gavin, the youngest son of Lawrence O'Donnell, insists that his father worshiped Saint-Barth. "He thought continuously at how to make improvements to medical conditions," he says. Today, it is a bit like an angel that watches over this place. »
Lawrence O'Donnell died in 2020. On the island, he had also held the position of President of the Foreign Owners of St. Barth (SBIPOA).
parallel to the United States. A foundation that officially appeared on the day in 1999 under the name of Saint-Barthélemy Medical Equipment Foundation.
"Thanks to it, Larry operated on the transfer of significant donations that allowed the hospital to the X-ray machine in Saint-Barth, but also a ultrasound, a cardio.
graph, a mammall apparatus and many other modern equipment. Raymond Magras highlights the generosity of Lawrence O'Donnell,
Rosita
Senior Insider
:heart1:
