BVI News

$245K contract signed to repair, upgrade old CTL building housing ESHS

Inside the makeshift building in Pasea Estate that houses ESHS students.

The Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) has signed a contract valued more than $200,000 for work to be done on the former Clarence Thomas Ltd (CTL) building in Pasea Estate which temporarily houses Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) operations.

A government media release said a total of $245,848.80 was awarded to D.E. Property Development to redevelop the building.

According to the release, the contractor will be tasked with repairs and eventual upgrades of the existing air-conditioning system, the installation of additional lights and power outlets, as well as the supply and installation of new doors, storage cabinets, and acoustic ceilings.

The developers were also contracted to repair the building’s staircase, refurbish the facility’s the teachers’ lounge and supply and install emergency lights and signage.

The work is scheduled to be completed by the start of the new school year. The RDA’s Head of Communications Coleen Penn said the high school now stands as the highest priority for the agency.

Back in April, Premier Andrew Fahie had said the senior students will remain at the CTL building on a full-time basis, while the junior students will return to the L-shaped building at the high school. This move will put an end to the shift system which came into place following the 2017 hurricanes.

To date, the RDA has signed a total of seven contracts to repair and develop structures for ESHS. The combined total value of these contracts is approximated at $4,401,906.43.

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26 Comments

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  1. Hmm says:

    How much rent is being paid for this building?? Now we are spending money to repair it… and disclaimer this has nothing to do with our students and our well being… however, what is the long term plan for this building? If we are constantly paying monthly rent, what is the landlords role in it’s upkeep?

    We cannot have landlords holding the government hostage on long term rentals in this manner, please make a proposal to purchase this building and be done with it. These lengthy rental arrangements we keep entering into, holding the government’s purse at a ransom monthly I find is ridiculous!

    How long will our senior school remain at this location? Is it beneficial to spend this amount of money to fix a building the Government is renting not to be in it for an extended period of time? When these renovations are done to make this place a school for however long, when they say they progress to the library (which was the original intent of rental) will those $200,000+ renovations need to be undone??

    We really need better accountability and planning of our resources? Do you know what this money could do in starting another building at the original school’s location?

    All I am saying is are we being financially responsible and in these rental agreements, what onus is placed on these landlords? This is ridiculous! Rental properties are to be handled by the persons you are paying RENT!!

    Like 35
    • That how it is says:

      It’s not their money so they don’t mind spending without consequence

      Like 16
      Dislike 1
    • Knowledge says:

      You sound so STUPID! Have you ever seen a landlord fit out a building for a Trust Company or Government Office? They rent the space and build it out as agreed. Besides, the building was already being rented for the Public Library so what is the big deal.

      Like 5
      Dislike 11
      • @Knowledge says:

        The article includes REPAIRS to the building. Nobody is talking about fitting out a building. If you rent an apartment, is it your responsibility to repair it? We get taken for a ride in every way in this country messon.

        Like 16
      • @ Knowledge says:

        “According to the release, the contractor will be tasked with repairs and eventual upgrades of the existing air-conditioning system, the installation of additional lights and power outlets, as well as the supply and installation of new doors, storage cabinets, and acoustic ceilings.

        The developers were also contracted to repair the building’s staircase, refurbish the facility’s the teachers’ lounge and supply and install emergency lights and signage.”

        Did you read the extent of the contract? This has nothing to do with retrofitting EXCEPT for the Teacher’s lounge and storage cabinets. if that was all we needed to fix here, you really think it would cost over $200,000??

        This building is being RENTED, which means the Landlords responsibility is to keep the building in proper condition OR forfeit that rent that is being paid, or the Gov’t seeks an alternate location. For the kind of work to be done in this country, to be paying rent and signing this contract is pure nonsense.

        • Idiots says:

          When you rent a building you are responsible for repairs that are required as a result of your occupancy. Did you guys read the lease? NO! But your mouths are the loudest looking to make confusion.

  2. ohh says:

    I see no remedial works being done on classrooms, is this now going to be another set of monies allotted?

  3. vip heckler says:

    Couldn’t that repair a building on the high school campus ???

    Like 19
  4. inquiring mind says:

    I thought this is a privately owned property. Why is the Gov investing in it?

    Do they plan to buy it?

    We need full transparency.

    Like 15
  5. Observe says:

    What the h**l going on here government trying to open the school for September and recovery spending money on CTL old school makes no sense.

    Like 11
    • @Observe says:

      Obviously, the senior students will be returning to the CTL building so they need to make it as safe and comfortable for the students as they possibly can.

  6. Anonymous says:

    This appear insane. Remedial work on building that is not yours does not seem right, especially with a wicked monhly rent fee. something seems amiss here.

  7. :) says:

    One of the biggest concerns was that RDA would be independent of government but still performing the roles of the members of the elected government. Here they are deciding to upgrade a private building for over $200,000. I know it would be hard to get the landlord to upgrade the building as it was rented “as is” and not originally intended to be used as a high school so technically we are in a take it or leave it situation. We have no other choice but to take it because there isn’t other options available right now to house the students until the High School is rebuilt. I wish we had started to rebuilding process at least 6 months after Irma so it would be near completion by now.

  8. On the battle field. says:

    The major issue right now with that building is that the open air structure leads to excessive noise as well as unnecessary disruptions caused by students just playing around throwing bottles, cans, garbage and other items across classrooms. As I said before, this is the no.1 issue with the building is the noise as well as the unnecessary disruptions that seriously impact the teaching-learning process.
    Working on the acoustics may help a little but not enough. Each classroom needs to be covered. Trying to teach 600 or more students in a setting like that with improved acoustics isnot going to make a big difference in my opinion. Maybe it would, if all we were using the building to stage performances.
    I am happy with the plans to work on AC, staircase, staff lounge etc but these are NOT our main problems.

  9. E Scott says:

    It is normal practice for organisations, companies and Gov across the world to lease a building and then fit out the building for its needs, its called tenants fixtures and fittings.

    This is more the case on BVI because there are a limit to building space and buildings on such a small island.

    Yet again uneducated people making comments that are stupid.

    Everything that is being done (as per the article) are fixtures and fittings. period. The life expectancy of the fixtures referred to in a school is sort lived so if the plan is to have the school there for say 15 years its sensible.

    a lease can be agreed with fit out but clearly the rent would be higher and normally has to be a longer term agreement that ties the Gov in and does not give them flexibility.

    There is an assumption from people the RDA is stupid and makes bed decisions. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

    When money is spent on BVI, BVI people are like chickens fighting for seed pecking each other when they can’t get their fill.

    Like 5
    Dislike 6
    • small island says:

      I love the idea of separating the high school and middle school aged students. I hope this will be a continued practice. Your analysis is needed to educate the people.

    • @E Scott says:

      All cannot and will not know every thing, especially priviledged details that you have mentioned.

      One thing most know and have access to, however, is common sense. And, not all are privildge to higher education either.

      Some and common sense say, think this: spend not, but have all that money saved and put into an official campus, as we all bear the pain, discomforts, suffering and inconveniences for a bit longer.

      This thinking and fiscal approach will be wise and most beneficial in the long run.

      So stop snubing your nose down on people and judging their intlligence while demonstrating your ugly pomposity

      Thank God you and i got the opportunity to become educated, or where would we be today? On our self imposed throne looking down on our less fortunate people and snubbing our bougger nosses at them? Those kinds of minds are antiquated and highly dispised in some quarters.

      Down with discrimination, class structual biases and pompousness.

      And lasty, respect each opinion, whether you agree with it or not. For one that is incapable of respecting dissenting views or opinions can come brutal dictators and worst.

  10. Albion says:

    Wow. So two years after Irma, we are spending a quarter of million dollars upgrading the High School’s “temporary” home. I assume that means at least one more school year is going to be spent there, and possibly two.

    In 3-4 years we cannot fix our High School. That shows *exactly* how much successive Governments value the education of the Territory’s youth.

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
    • F Scott Fitz says:

      Albi is right. The people need to establish the priorities and the people we elect need to be measured on their success in achieving our goals.

      We elected the current group based on their promises of introducing full transparency into governance. We elected the current group based on their promise to fix the schools, improve education, and fix our infrastructure. When are they going to release their plan to address our priorities?

      Did we really need to spend $1m on new cars for the group that we elected? Do we really need to spend $3m/year for a private security details to protect this group with instructions
      “to shoot to kill” if anyone bothers them?

      The people we elect should report to us.

      Like 3
      Dislike 1
  11. Parent says:

    The building is not ideal! The senior students will be returning to that location. Obviously, the government is trying to make the working and learning environment as comfortable for teachers and students as they can. I applaud their efforts.

    However, I am very interested in hearing about the timeline for getting the students back to their original campus. It is a blatant shame that the previous government seems not to have had a plan. I wonder, if our current government does. I hope that plans will be made to have the students out by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

  12. Online Now says:

    I was wondering about responsibilities this morning as I came into town. Look at Scotia Bank and Palm Grove House (to a lesser extent) both still a mess nearly 2 years after Irma. Why aren’t the building owners fixing these buildings, surely they aren’t safe for occupants and users.

    With the CTL building, surely structural work is the responsibility of the landlord.

  13. Please note says:

    Please note that the previous government signed a contract with CTL for a number of years therefore the government now have no choice but to continue to uphold the contract. Their hands are tied, therefore the senior high school may remain there for a number of years

  14. Concerned says:

    Isn’t their staff working for summer in that building? How can you have persons working on a building and have staff still coming to work in the same building. That’s a big health hazard, your exposing the staff too.

  15. None Sense says:

    If the whole school can use this building as is, I didn’t see why the seniors couldn’t use it for another year. Put the money into the high school. Get the seniors out of here and refit it for the library. Plain and simple !

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