The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE government signed a contract worth almost $5 million yesterday for the renovation of the Ansbacher Building.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works Phillip Davis led the contract signing at the Ministry of Works and Urban Development. Bildex Construction, a local company, was awarded the contract, valued at $4,958,453.33, along with the provisional sum of $200,000 for public utility service connections.

The contract calls for the renovation and fit out of the first, second and third floors of the Ansbacher building, which will be used by the judiciary.

According to Mr Davis, the building will house two Supreme Courts downstairs, and five courts with judges’ chambers and court staff upstairs. The building will also house all the registries, and administration and human resources staff.

He said Bildex won the job over five other companies.

“On the advice of Cabinet, a public tender exercise was undertaken for completion of the remaining works. Six contractors were invited to participate in the exercise. All six of them submitted tenders to the Ministry of Finance.

“A review of the submitted bids indicated that Bildex Construction Company submitted the most competitive bid,” Mr Davis said.

“They will renovate the first, second and third floors and execute additional external repairs to the building. It is expected that the works will be completed in 52 weeks.”

Vincent Rahming, president of Bildex Construction, said the project will allow him to employ between 90 to 110 Bahamians.

Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez said the judiciary is in dire need of space and the timely completion of this project would be greatly appreciated.

Mr Davis said the renovations are a part of an ongoing exercise that will also see the redevelopment all of the government buildings in Rawson Square.

He said after this work is done, the government hopes to begin work on the Nassau Public Library and then the Magistrate’s Courts.