Gov’t to build another complex to accommodate workers
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has revealed that the government is looking to build another complex to accommodate government workers.
The Premier gave that indication at a recent press conference while discussing issues related to government spending.
“We should have built another complex in the past. That’s something we have to do now to cut down on all the rented spaces that we have. We have so many other things that cause our recurrent expenditure to balloon,” Premier Wheatley told reporters at a recent press conference.
The Premier’s disclosure comes in the wake of concerns raised by residents over the many rented office spaces that the various government departments have occupied since the hurricanes of 2017 caused major infrastructural damage to the Central Administration Complex, rendering it unusable.
The current government complex, since renamed in honour of former Premier, Ralph T O’Neal, has been under repairs following the storms of 2017.
Government expanding like crazy
During the press conference, Premier Wheatley acknowledged that the ‘government has expanded like crazy’, even as the territory’s recurrent expenditure continues to balloon.
The recurrent expenditure — pegged at $335.08 million for the 2023 budget — is just about $10 million more than the previous year’s budget and relates to the government’s expenses for all purposes except capital costs.
“Government has gotten bigger. We have more persons working in the civil service than any [period] before. We rent more accommodation than ever before,” the Premier said.
Dr Wheatley’s statement also comes on the heels of Deputy Governor David Archer’s denial that there are moves afoot to make cuts to what some observers have referred to as a bloated public service sector. “Right now there is absolutely no credibility to that,” Archer said on the Talking Points show recently.
Instead of cutting jobs, the Deputy Governor said the government is focused on providing new technology for public officers to work with and developing the public workers.
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Build roads. Build a hospital. Build schools.
This government has no idea what it is doing in construction management. This is the worst idea – or maybe Building a resort is a worst idea, but the government has done both!
Let private citizens Build and rent property. You are taking money away from us by doing this foolishness!
The Landlords would not like this Premier for sure. But guess what? A new complex needs to be built. This would open new spaces for new businesses to flourish (build the economy) and 2. It would drop rent prices as competition looms. (Instead of these inflated prices that they charge Government now). think about it…
then its time to lay off all the lazy unhelpful non functional waste of times and keep the happy, productive welcoming workers.
Please design and construct a building exclusive of all that wasted, unnecessary and unusable space in the current building.
Done start the nonesense, the current complex been sittin g dilapidated since 2017 and ya talkin about building a new one before u finish the old one first to put ppl back into the and start to recoup monies that have been gettin paid our for rent???? i jus dnt understand the thought process here.
So practically admitting the public sector is overstated but politics prevent any correction. That’s a huge cash drain. At least get to do their jobs with some efficiency.
Since COVID it is like they are doing us a favor by showing up work.
In this age of technology, automation and computerized systems it makes no sense for the Civil Service to have expanded like crazy. Especially not when you can’t even deliver on the basics, health care, education, highway maintenance, water and sewage. The list goes on and on and all these clowns have done for decades is spend more money and deliver less.
Let People start working from home where it can be done. Not everybody need to be micromanaged. People can produce results unsupervised. Get rid of those who don’t.
Past governments have let the Roads, Hospital, and Schools all languish. At some point they grow too decrepit to repair (not that we “repair” anything, instead we patch).
Meanwhile, the government rents property as a form of payola and largess to its supporters. The Ports Authority’s offices and DMV are examples of rent payola.
This is intrinsically corrupt and should be stopped.
Use prospect…. fix that…
simply make the existing workers more efficient and productive by providing more oversight and accountability? Several heads of department and permanent secretaries have multiple businesses and spend more time on their private interests rather than overseeing their departments and ministries. A bloated civil service simply takes up more taxpayer monies which could, instead, be going to schools, healthcare, waste management, libraries, historical preservation, and so on.
Government buildings needs to be built in West and East End.
@ Mandingo The VIP government put out the Palm Grove building to tender as a design and build contract. Tenders were received open and that was the end of that.
Here we had an opportunity for government to get a building design, built and financed outside their own money and then take ownership after an agreed period of time. Do date not a peep from anyone. And this one talking about building new complex.
All we are getting now is the same ole elect me and this will happen talk. Top to bottom, bottom to top, waste of time.
Dah must be one of the easy ways to corrupt money into personal pockets and accounts with little trans. or accountability.
What a nightmare in our political History. We want an election now.
Dude the rent on office space for the Gov’t is about $6M per year. Build a second complex for $18M and it pays for itself in 3 years. Furthermore, the price of rent in town would decrease since Gov’t will no longer be the largest tenant.
The millions spent on rent could build 2or 3 complexes so this would be a smart move for government. They will lose a few votes from the parasites that extort government with these astronomical rent prices.
Please build a home for our seniors as soon as possible. If you can’t afford to build, turn something you already have into one. This is a serious and urgent matter.
Why aren’t you and your unity government listening? Mr. Health minister, where are you on this?
We need to hear from you all on this!!!
Lay off (redundant) 1/2 of the government employees and get the number of them under control and you won’t need another building.
Taking money away from who? The greedy landlords that suck Govt dry for years? Govt has to do everything when they renting these spaces and thats a waste of money. They been needed to Build another complex to accommodate all govt ministries.
NOT ONE WORD ABOUT CLEANING UP THIS PLACE. THE BUSH AND THE POT HOLES ARE OUTRAGEOUS.
With all of these vacant office buildings? Where does all of this money come from?
FIX THE TOXIC WASTE DUMP AND INCINERATOR!
YOU ARE KILLING US!
They going stop you from passing that for sure. because then you going have to find a new way to put money in all your people pockets. i dont see that happening
Move the college to prospect reef. Sufficient space for campus housing, centrally located, with public transportation. Paraquita bay use for farming.