The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - Ground was officially broken for construction of a new Sunset Cultural Centre and Fish Fry at Eight Mile Rock on Friday.

Public Works Minister Neko Grant signed a $2.35 million contract with Contractor Max Quant of Noula Investment.

The project, which has been scaled back, will include construction of standard-size vendor booths, public restroom facilities and a parking lot. A 700ft seawall has been built along the bayside.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard and John Canton, director of Public Works and Transport were also present at the contract signing and groundbreaking at Jones Town.

In September 2004, Sunset Village and Fish Fry was destroyed during hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. Temporary booths were rebuilt for food vendors on the north side of the road, away from the bayside.

According to Mr Grant, plans to build a new village and fish fry were announced in July 2010 and a contract was signed for construction of a seawall with G&L construction.

On completion of a 700ft seawall along the coast, Mr Grant said the government contracted Architect Bruce LaFleur and Associates to develop the design for a Cultural Centre and permanent Fish Fry site to replace the one destroyed in 2004.

The government negotiated with Bruce LaFleur an agreed fee of 8 per cent of the construction cost of the project, which was initially estimated at $800,000.

Mr Grant said the services provided by the architectural firm, included schematic design, design development, construction document, tender and negotiations, and contract administration phase.

Quantity Surveyor Dirk Charles Consultant, a private firm, provided the preliminary budget of $2,063,630, which was initially rejected by Cabinet.

Mr Grant said the project design was revised, resulting in a maximum budget of $1 million.

In order to ensure adequate participation of local contractors, Mr Grant stated that the tender phase using a selected tender process of five packages was undertaken.

Of the 14 contractors who collected the tender document, he said only three contractors submitted bids which were opened on December 13, 2011.

Mr Grant said two contractors entered bids on package one and one contractor entered a bid on package two. No bids were received for the other three packages.

"All the tenders were rejected and instruction was given to Bruce Lafleur to tender the project as one package, with a budget of $2 million," he said.

Mr Grant said a tender exercise was undertaken based on the revised $2 million budget single package.

He noted that six local contractors collected tender documents: Noula Investment, Qualfast Construction, Fidelity Construction, Reef Construction, Frecon, and Jerome Knowles Construction.

A tender board meeting was held on February 14, 2012. Of the three contractors that submitted bids, the lowest bid was $3.344m, with a proposed six-month completion by Noula Investment.

Mr Grant explained that the scope of work was reduced and they negotiated with Noula Investment to complete the project at $2.35 million.

"We recommended the contract awarded to Noula Investment and Cabinet agreed," he said.

Mr Grant thanked the Prime Minister and the Cabinet for approving the project so that work can commence on more modern facilities for residents of West Grand Bahama.

Karen Seymour, director of tourism, spoke on behalf of the Minister of Tourism Vincent Vanderpool Wallace.

She said the new facilities would be a welcome opportunity for Grand Bahama and serve to improve visitor experience on the island.

She said air and sea arrivals are beginning to rebound on Grand Bahama.

Charles Maynard said the project is going to be a good model for similar cultural facilities throughout the country.