BVI News

$3.7M to restore ESHS L-shaped building, gov’t signs four contracts

Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley (left) and Premier Andrew Fahie.

Premier Andrew Fahie has signed four contracts totalling $3.7 million for repairs to the L-shaped building at the hurricane-ravaged Elmore Stoutt High School campus in Road Town.

This was done at the opening ceremony on the grounds of the high school on Thursday, April 18.

A contract was issued for each of the four floors of the aforesaid building. The four contractors will be working simultaneously on their respective floors until the building is restored.

The first floor will be reconstructed by Quality Construction Ltd for $941, 900.19 while Metro Construction has been assigned the second floor for $916, 567.64. The third floor has been assigned to Autland Heavy Equipment Ltd used contract is valued at $1,092,472.68.

“The ground floor will be reconstructed by Construction Industrial and Equipment. This is a St Lucian company with the local partner Greg Hodge for the amount $824 459.62,” explained Director of Projects in the Ministry of Finance, Dr Drexel Glasgow.

“The construction is projected to reach substantial completion by July 31, 2019,” he added.

Tender process waived

Meanwhile, Premier Fahie said the tender process was waived for the project and funding was attained locally. He said, by taking this route as opposed to seeking funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), multiple local contractors would benefit. He further said while he appreciates the CDB, going through them would have taken several months.

“We recognized to speed up the project rather than waiting next year when everything would have been finalized, by looking at all the contractors that tendered for the job. If we can look at those that were prequalified out of the lot and give each of them a floor and there is also an air conditions section to it, then we can speed up the project but we can make sure that more mouths are fed.”

Once completed by the scheduled date, the shift system temporarily incorporated by students since the 2017 disasters will be of no more, as the junior section of the school is expected to return to the L shaped building, while the seniors will remain at the Clarence Thomas building in Pasea Estate under the normal school hours.

The air condition contract signing for the school is set for next week.

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53 Comments

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  1. Here we go... says:

    So he just hand picked three people to do the job. For a million dollars each. WOW

    Like 10
    Dislike 24
    • No says:

      No, what he did was recognise the urgency and apply common sense. Now guys please let’s monitor those budgets and make sure there are no overruns in terms of funding and time scales. Thank you.

      Like 35
      Dislike 5
    • @here we go says:

      If you read the article or even the one on ——– he picked conpanies that had already submitted proposals under the tender process that was for the CDB loan.

      Like 18
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    • Anonymous says:

      Here comes another port. I’m betting the cost overrun is $3-4 mil. The time line will be 2 years. Any takers on the bet. Nothing in the Territory can be done on the sunshine. Everything behind closed doors. Only way secret deals can be made. Also…this is a stupid idea having 4 contractors. Where does one job end and another begin. This is doomed to fail. And once again let’s keep all prying eyes away. Don’t get a bank involved. This doesn’t smell. It stinks!!!

      Like 20
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    • Anonymous says:

      One more thing. Metro Construction and Quality Construction are the same Owner. Do some research dumbasses. What a bunch of c****s. No different than the last government.

      Like 20
      Dislike 16
    • ha says:

      here we go! better than hearing the crabbes get EVERYTHING!!!! HAHAHAHAH

  2. Not handpicked. says:

    It says the contractors are prequalified and the tender process could have taken another year. What he has done is consider the best interest of the students by making sure that the normal school system can resume by September. I am fine with this.

    What I want him to do is justify that contract or 3 contracts to Skelton-cline. I want transparency on that Mr Fahie!

    Like 25
    Dislike 3
  3. $100,000k says:

    So Why Autland contract over $100,000K higher than the others???

    Like 2
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    • @$100,000k says:

      I presume that this is the case for two reasons. Reason number, The higher up you go, the more time it takes (hourly labor) to move materials to where they are needed. but reason number two, which is more important and trumps reason number one, being that the last floor, extra preparations must be made to make sure that there are no leakage of water since that last roof is exposed to the elements of weather more directly. besides, the decorative trim, or whatever you call it, around the entire top floor, in and out, must be repaired and this is not something has to be done by the contractors for the lower floors. i don’t think it’s any favoritsm towards Mr. Crabbe, but rather, the works involved on the top floor. if you want to ask question, perhaps the most correct one may be (may be): why was Mr. Crabbe selected for the top floor? that would be a fair question, and i’m sure there’s a fair answer. all the best to the contractors involved. the territory has a vested interest in the successful completion of this project within budget and time allocation.

      Like 12
    • duhhhhhhh says:

      bbecauuse its going include the roof

      Like 16
  4. ENRON says:

    Instead of bidding and local contractor pricing, why don’t the government price their materials and labour and then ask interested contractors if they will work at the price set and we do a lottery pic so the public money ain’t wasting.

    Like 6
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  5. To Here we go says:

    Get the facts from speaking nonsense.

  6. Truth says:

    Great job Premier.

    Like 13
    Dislike 4
  7. $3.7M says:

    It still sounds better than Myron’s $1M Wall but, Couldn’t that have built a whole high school or covered more buildings than just the L-Shaped building?

    Like 15
    Dislike 2
  8. Funding says:

    When you say funding was attained locally what do you mean? Was it still a loan we have to pay back? Or was the money taken from the consolidated fund? Was the money taken from social security? Can the media please find out.

    Like 12
    Dislike 4
  9. AC says:

    Do we really need air conditioning for the school. Ain’t funding tight??

    Like 6
    Dislike 17
    • Teacher says:

      Yes we do. Do you need a/c in your office?

      Like 21
      • @Teacher says:

        No you don’t need no AC. Windows would be fine. It never kills us. And then y’all going be breeding down Government neck talking about MOLD!! I personally don’t like AC but let’s face the facts…businesses that work out of offices need to keep info confidential..and hence we can’t use windows…we need to close up and therefore are forced to cool the space by AC. Look at all those schools with AC….MOLD MOLD MOLD. And possibly cancer. What happen to carrot bay primary school. They need to build these schools without AC…put in ceiling fans instead for people’s health.

        Like 4
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  10. High school high says:

    September will make 2 years since Irma. It is not realistic that 2020 should find us without a proper and fully functional high school…please cut the politics…what happen to the RDA?? Why are they really here? What happen to the plan y’all had us up in public meeting for? If we going do a junior and senior high school…how many more years this going take. A time line needs to set to getting back the high school to its permanent location. We cannot afford CTL’s $32,000 a month rent…no matter how much friend yuh might want.

    Like 10
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  11. Staff Room says:

    What about the teacher’s staff room building?? Couldn’t that have been part of this project too?

    Like 7
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    • AC says:

      Walk before you can run, let’s get the students back on campus first before we worry abouy the teachers staff room

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      Dislike 5
  12. wow says:

    quality Construction again them done murder the fire station and now the school prices are too much

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  13. Search says:

    These contracts are just to restore the building what about furnishings and staff? Where did the money come from ifnthr budget hasn’t passed yet?

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  14. Lodger says:

    This is circumventing the control of the RDA and CDB, and as such stinks. It hasnt taken this new govt to show its true colours. I am appaled.

    Like 9
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    • @Lodger says:

      Not a VIP fan but you must be out of your mind! The RDA and CDB are a complete waste of time. All this time we sitting around f*****g up the young people over $4 mil worth of works? Andrew has shown that he is a true leader by waiving all the fluff nonsense and getting on with stuff. You will soon hear the truth about the RDA and why they’re not needed here.

      Like 10
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      • hush says:

        When Mitch, Delores and Frazer were all speaking against this same RDA board, people like ayo so wanted to kill them all

        Like 9
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        • Thank you hush says:

          Same thing I said. Bunch of biting hypocrites I say. It is all good now but like you said they drag the above mentioned people in your comment thru the mud.I don’t want to hear anything this fake A** Government have to say or do. Yeah, I am going to say it, This new lying, non transparent, cronysiam Government can kick F***ing rocks for all I care. Set of evil mother F***ers.

          Like 4
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          • hiphop says:

            Since taking office Andrew sure is spending money, I guess the country isn’t as broke as he said, I thought we were waiting to find out the state of the finances first, I also know he gave the Government a raise.

  15. Lodger says:

    This is circumventing the control of the RDA and CDB, and as such stinks. It hasnt taken this new govt long to show its true colours. I am appaled.

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  16. Haha says:

    The only complaint that we should have is why did it take so long so start the construction at the High School.

    Like 17
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  17. LB says:

    This is what yall voted for? More of the same? Where are all the VIP cronies who crucified previous governments for waiving the tender process? Where are the VIP cronies who complained that NDP kept giving projects to the same people? Look here now the same contractors still getting work. Not a darned thing change. Where is Picko Moff, Cindy, Sam, Heritage and all of them talking about drain the swamp? Different day same shyt!

    Like 21
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    • To LB says:

      Please stop the hatred and talk things that make sense.
      Premier I am not a supporter of yours but daily through your leadership and caring you are winning me over.
      Great job.

      Like 13
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    • Vigilant says:

      You sound like an a** , the government trying to get the school back in order. Go sit down learn to read and comprehend.

      Like 11
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    • Hah says:

      @Lb, every government in the history of the BVI and around the world preaches about the importance of our youths and education. The high school has been out of commission since September 2017. It is mandatory and urgent that the High School be immediately repaired to end the broken shift system that has led to increased delinquency as children are terrorizing the neighboring businesses and are roaming the streets from Pasea to Road Town when not in class.

      The contractors were preapproved as this was initially supposed to be covered under the CDB loan but would take too long. We cant wait another year or months. The high school is a priority who cares about what contractors are used at this time. Under usual circumstances I would complain about “crab again” but look around over 80% of the damaged buildings in the BVI has been rebuilt or currently rebuilding while one of our most important buildings remain in ruins.

      Why continue to pay high rent for a building that cannot hold all of High school students when we have the resources and capability to do better.

      Like 7
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  18. Liars says:

    Yet they were out telling us that the country is broke. Where they getting this money from? Liars

    Like 26
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    • To Liars says:

      They said the country has a management problem not a money problem so do better research and stop behaving like the meaning of the name you post under.

      Like 6
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  19. Enough says:

    Stop the crap and lets get the school fixed for the new school year.
    That is priority. Just ensure that there is accountability so the contractors complete it on time and with little over run.

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  20. Clearly says:

    Clearly that the BVI has some bitter evil people that makes all good look bad.

  21. Finally says:

    On this one while I’m happy it is finally going to be underway, with multiple contractors there are mobilization costs that are different for each which add materially to the overall spend compared to choosing one solid contractor accountable for the entire job. I am supportive of the Premier’s leadership but I am also wary of politicians’ need to spread the ‘love’ around on a single project at the expense of the Territory’s finances. This money is not falling from trees and we’ve got into trouble with this approach before. Leadership also means deciding that you cannot please everyone and save the country at the same time. But we will watch and see.

    Like 1
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  22. Just a thought says:

    What would be the comments if the Premier and his team did not do anything about the ESHS at all. I guess it is DAM if you do and dam if you don’t.

    Like 1
    Dislike 2
  23. jimmy smith says:

    I wish the premier would stop the BS of invoking gods name in everything he does, premier you can not serve two masters, negromancy and church at the same time, also if we were using CDB monies I could see giving part of this contract to the st lucia company, but using local funds I do not see the real reason, can you imagine for one minute a bvi company going to st. lucia for a contract and they using local funds could not happen. The also need to stop lie, is one of those awarded he owes money to so he is finding a to pay them back? whether you like it or not the premier is up to his old tricks, following the projects to get his k**k b***s.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  24. Jimmy Smith says:

    What is even more scary is how the Education Minister is bep played by his boss , circumventing the process of CDB and the RDA so that he can l***d his p*****s. It is very very clear that after being in politics for well over twenty years and campaign to be premier for the last twelve Fahie is totally unprepared to lead. So he comes with unconventional style, he is making it up as he goes, he practices the dark arts and criticized very good , what is his plan we will wait for it.

    Like 4
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  25. Jimmy Smith says:

    What is even more scary is how the —– Minister is bep played by his boss , circumventing the process of CDB and the RDA so that h– can l—– h– pockets. It is very very clear that after being in politics for well over twenty years and campaign to be p—– for the last twelve Fahie is totally unprepared to lead. So he comes with unconventional style, he is making it up as he goes, he practices the —- arts and criticized very good , what is his plan we will wait for it.

  26. Civil Engineer says:

    On September 06, 2017, Hurricane Irma severely damaged the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS). Now, approximately 18 months later, the L-Shape Building is being repaired for $3.7M. The question is, is the building structurally sound and can be safely repaired without any structural work? Has the building been structurally evaluated by a registered chartered engineer or a professional engineer (PE) or structural engineer (SE) or a locally licensed civil engineer? If an engineering evaluation (structural) was not done, in the interest of public safety, it needs to be done before any repair work is performed.

    It is extremely poor engineering to rate a building, system ……etc as structurally sound just by looking; no serious engineer will do it. Which engineer will put his or her stamp on a report just based on sight? Hope none. Engineers are liable for their work and can be held liable for damages, injuries………etc.

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