More than $1M cost overrun announced for construction of Iris O’Neal Medical Centre
Phase one of construction of the new Nurse Iris O’Neal Medical Centre on Virgin Gorda is costing the government more than one million dollars in overruns.
This is according to Minister of Health Carvin Malone who said this phase of the construction process is scheduled to be completed by the end of next month.
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Thursday, October 17, the minister said the total value of the contract which was awarded to James Todman Construction Ltd now stands at $7,016,228.90 with $6,649,921.49 of that sum being certified for payment.
“The increase of $1,046,541.51 from the original contract sum of $5,969,687.39 is attributable to the fact that the contractor was asked to perform a significant amount of additional works under the current phase of construction, which were considered necessary for the safe and efficient operation of the facility,” Minister Malone explained.
Phase one completion nearing
He also said the final finishing touches are being undertaken to ensure that phase one of the centre is completed by November 30.
The Minister said: “Various building services including air conditioning, plumbing and electricals have been tested and commissioned while the medical gases and fire protection systems are awaiting certification from external parties prior to being fully commissioned.
The generator and automatic transfer switch are scheduled to be transported to the site during this week with installation, testing and commissioning to be completed within three weeks,” he said.
Malone further stated that once the contractor has handed over the building, the BVI Health Service Authority will then proceed to furnish the building the necessary equipment and supplies.
“Several pieces of critical equipment and furnishings have been ordered and some have already been shipped such as chairs, couches, desks, cabinets, scales, stretchers, wheelchairs, medical lights, resuscitation equipment, and stands. An x-ray machine was shipped by the manufacturer GE on the 9th of October to be installed by GE upon arrival, and an ultrasound machine has already been received,” Malone said.
Setbacks
The new Nurse Iris O’Neal Medical Centre was declared as being substantially completed under the former NDP administration back in February 2019, days before the general election.
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Peanuts…. compared to the valuation of the structure built. Have it appraised if you don’t believe me.
Elevator?
Fire Sprinkler system?
Security alarm?
No.
What’s new ???
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! It seems as if all major government construction project(s) incur a cost overrun. It is like a standard operating procedure. Ok. The estimate for a construction project will not be exact with some projects coming in on time and under budget and some coming in over budget and outside the construction window. What is driving the cost over run?
The first order of business is to find out what is causing the cost overrun. Is the cost overrun due to a)poor planning programming and budgeting, b)poor design, c)poor estimating, d)poor project management, e)poor contract bidding……..etc? Construction project change orders typically occur due to a)project owner scope addition/ reduction, b)latent defects, c)unforeseen conditions…….etc.
Government should hold contractor(s) feet to the fire on their bids. Government is responsible for assessing a contractor(s) bid. If a contractor’s bid is way under or over a government estimate(GE), the contract should not be awarded; every project should have a GE. A low ball bid is a surety that the contractor will incur problems completing the project. Further, tax payers should pay fair and reasonable prices on construction projects. Excessive bids should be put on ice like low ball bids. Let’s stop the over pricing on tax payers funded construction projects.
the raiding and pocketing from the cookie jar will never stop. It just keeps on running over.
Put mr haycraft and his contractor in charge of the recovery funds and the BVI will look like gold.
It’s called pork barrel. When will the BVI learn that it just cannot do some things. We can’t manage construction projects, partly because live in a society free of accountability. We should hire the right people to do this while we focus on doing what we’re good at (besides cronyism, etc), whatever that is.
While waiting to lift off to the moon one astronaut said “What bothers me is that every nut and bolt in this thing was made by the lowest bidder”.
Hon. Skelton was the minister of health. We had huge overruns with Peebles hospital under him. Now here a million dollars overrun with VG hospital. Something wrong.
No worries the government will just steal more money from our paychecks. And we little sheep will stupidly comply.
More money from us to the NHI