New Marine Shore Base Building being constructed for $2.3M
The government in conjunction with the Recovery & Development Agency has broken ground for the construction of a Joint Marine Shore Base Building which will see the development of a 5,656-square-foot facility and boat storage platform in Road Reef, Tortola.
The contract for the project was awarded to James Todman Construction who presented a winning bid of $2,380,590.87.
The scope of works includes the demolition of the existing building which was damaged during the September 2017 hurricanes, the construction of a new two-story reinforced concrete structure, and auxiliary works such as a sewer treatment system, boat rack platform, and civil works.
During the contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Acting Premier Kye Rymer described the reconstruction of the facility as very important towards the overall security of the territory.
“This building operation serves to prevent illegal immigration, illegal narcotics smuggling, and illegal importation. This makes the base critical to the security of the Virgin Islands and Immigration Management while ensuring economic prosperity and national sovereignty are withheld,” Rymer said while giving remarks at the ceremony.
“The Government of the Virgin Islands places the security of the Virgin Islands, on land and within Our territorial waters as one of our top priorities. The Government of the Virgin Islands has always supported law enforcement agencies. We have always made funds available and other resources for law enforcement and we remain firmly committed to fulfilling our role in supporting law enforcement and national security,” added the acting Premier who said the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) made financial contributions towards this project.
He further said works on the project will commence on February 6 this year and should conclude in a year’s time.
The new facility will be jointly utilised by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, His Majesty Customs, and the Department of Immigration.
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Priority should have been given to the Complex. It would benefit Government to stop paying so much rent.
Too much focus on buildings and not the programmes that delivers the intended objectives.
Including the incremens owed, that the people already worked for.
Them elected officials heartless bouyy!!
Dem don’t know till come election time, but we broke and hungry and can’t get nothing done cause we don’t have the money they owe us.
When will we get our ncrements?
This is beyond bareable now.
I totally agreed with your Comment. There are more pressing projects like the Admin Complex, the dying need of a Public Library Facility, The Fisheries Facility and addressing the need to asses and refurbish or restore the old administration building and annex along with Post Office to accommodate some Government Offices instead of spending all these inflated RENT to a set of GREEDY proprietors. Building a Marine Facility is not going to benefit the entire Territory. Only the Marine Industry and few fees to Government will be beneficial. Stop with the focusing on areas that will be profitable in $ for a few and get the infrastructure into development mode. Look at the ratio of people in the Territory and the cost of living. Look at the consequences of not being able to supply households with food and living essentials if the NEED arise. The Territory is overpopulated and yet more and more are being relocated to Our Shores while those grounded to the Territory are being realistically ignored.
More important than a nice new building are police officers with a sense of integrity. I personally know or knew one marine police officer, N, who would goad me for a fight whilst taking his classes in college. He was a fool with no scruples yet he was an esteemes officer of the law. Pathetic!