The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

REPAIRS at Government House now have a completion date of sometime within the first quarter of 2022, according to Public Works Minister Alfred Sears.

The work at Mount Fitzwilliam was to be completed by the end of this year, but Mr Sears said crews carrying out the work ran into challenges.

He said of ongoing projects, “I’ve also visited some of the projects underway which are important for the national institutions, the functions one is the House of Assembly.

“I went and saw the work being done down there. I spoke with Pastor Roker, and another is Government House and Mr Wilmott who is the contractor and also Mr Pickstock who is the project supervisor for the ministry.

“Basically, he showed me the challenges they have encountered which is not unusual in a historically significant place 100 or so years old. They have encountered problems with the plumbing mechanical structures, which has caused the scope of the work to be expanded.

“Mr Wilmott gave me a conditional commitment to have it done by January, I think the first quarter of next year,” he said on Wednesday.

Mr Sears said he plans to visit various Family Islands to view the progress of ongoing work.

“We have projects in Long Island, there’s a bridge. We have airports in Exuma (and) in Grand Bahama and all of these docks being repaired and built and, of course, roads. So, the whole built infrastructure on the public side we are reviewing.

“There are also some other systems developments with the InterAmerican Development Bank. The Ministry of Works is engaged in a review of the building code. So, there will be some revision of the building code and that process. That work is being done and should come to my desk early.”