Gov’t awaiting costs before tearing down ASPS — Rymer
The building that previously served as home for students of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School (ASPS) will be demolished but Works Minister Kye Rymer said more information is needed before this can be executed.
The school was shuttered abruptly at the end of the last school term after a structural analysis conducted in June found that the building was unsafe for occupancy due to issues of structural integrity. And in a statement issued in August, Education Minister Sharie de Castro said a further assessment was being done on the school building to determine whether it will be rebuilt or remodelled and promised more information following that assessment. Students of the school have since been dispersed to other schools throughout Tortola.
“I know parents are concerned and I’ve been in dialogue with the Minister for Education since it sits in my constituency, and the plan is to tear it down,” Minister Rymer said at a recent press conference.
“The engineers, they decided that it’s not safe, so we are going through the process. I think we are waiting on actually [the] Public Works [Department] right now to be able to give us a bill of quantities to see what it will cost for us to tear it down.”
In the meantime, Rymer said officials are also awaiting a revised plan on the costs for tearing down the nearby Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall, commonly referred to as the Cultural Centre, which suffered extensive damage following the 2017 hurricanes.
“That has been sitting there for quite some time. When the the bill of quantities came in [for the Cultural Centre], it was about, I think, $75,000 at that time, a few years ago,” Rymer said.
“So, we’re hoping to revise them and be able to have those structures [torn] down and the plan would be afoot to start with the rebuilding process,” he added.
Premier Wheatley previously told residents that the matter of rebuilding the school will be dealt with quickly since it was considered as a matter of priority.
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Years, decades, of no maintenance despite having someone appointed to look after government buildings…. But who cares? Better to tear down and rebuild and give our cronies contracts anyway.
More free landfill for me down the dungeon side and I’ll get paid to tear it down and move the rubble to my site ?
Is this the next place for the school near the dual carriageway? Would it be a better place for the Police HQ, Magistrates and High Court (aplty named station road!). With the special needs and primary school located in a better place?
How is that we have school buildings in other parts of the world that are there for ages and there is no need to tear them down?
Is it that the building wasn’t properly done from the outset or is it a matter of maintenance?
The name of the road comes from the Botanic Station which was in that area – the buildings by the museum are what remains