By RASHAD ROLLE and NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
AGRICULTURE, Marine and Fisheries Minister V Alfred Gray yesterday spoke of his distress at the partial destruction of a Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) dormitory after a fire on Thursday.
But he said that the damage will not stop the government's efforts to reform the country's agriculture sector through BAMSI.
"I visited the site of the fire and I was quite distressed over the fact that the building, the top floor of it is totally destroyed," he said. "The first floor is partially destroyed. Some structural engineer would have to go and inspect the damage and give best the advice in terms of whether to save a portion of the building or build one anew. Whatever the decision, I can assure you the government will continue with its plans and have the dorm completed in the short term."
When asked what the immediate impact will be on operations at the institution, Mr Gray said: "It's too early to tell what impact it will have, but the building was not ready for occupancy yet so there was no immediate plan to occupy that building within days or weeks. To that extent, we believe other buildings will be used for the purposes of what is planned while we rebuild. I do not see it affecting the forward movement, certainly not in the foresesable future. Male students are presently being kept in a house and that might may mean they will have to be there for another six or eight months or more until the new building is complete and ready.”
Mr Gray declined to comment on speculation that the fire was a result of arson.
He also could not say if the complex is presently insured.
"The contractors would have had all buildings insured when the contract was granted," he said, adding: "but I can't say if that expired or not."
When contacted yesterday, Fire Chief Walter Evans said the investigation into the the fire is still "very active”.
Mr Evans had led a team from Nassau to Andros Thursday night to investigate the fire, which reportedly started sometime before 7pm on Thursday evening.
The fire was extinguished around 8.30pm with the help of officials and volunteers.
BAMSI is a major government initiative established in an effort to reduce the country's reliance on food imports.
Students began studying at the institute last year following construction delays.
This year's courses began this week, with the arrival of ten students who will study alongside 45 others from nine different islands who registered for the institute's associates degree programmes last year.
Comments
DillyTree 9 years, 10 months ago
So if the contractor was required to have insurance on the structure as per his contract, and the building was not yet completed, then how could Minister Gray state he didn't know if the insurance had expired? Isn't that the requirement of the contract?
How much will this folly cost us, the Bahamian taxpayers? Over budget, over time, and still not completed after how many millions of dollars -- which no one can agree to how many millorns? Oh, that's right, PGC has probably agreed to give the Chinese the project, along with many thousands of acres of our Bahamaland to save us from ourselves. SMT. Business as usual.
John 9 years, 10 months ago
The contractor is suppose to have insurance up until 90 days after the buildings are turned over th government (under most contracts)
TalRussell 9 years, 10 months ago
Comrades Perry and Alfred what a winning team?
SP 9 years, 10 months ago
*......... PLP and FNM can be credited with perfecting political stupidity to a fine art .........
BAMSI and Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival are the best initiatives brought by any government in four decades of self rule, simply because both expand the economic base of the country.
Had previous administrations adopted similar initiatives in renewable energy, tourism related resort destination development, entertainment, agriculture, light manufacturing etc, Bahamas would not have the high unemployment crises being presently experienced.
Like the PLP or not ..... The creation and eventual inevitable success of BAMSI and Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival cannot be taken from them.
They must be congratulated and encouraged to expand this initial economic base expansion that are the first evidence that any government understood the urgent need to diversify the local economy from being purely consumers to producers, enabling a larger share of hard currency to remain in the local economy which will spur growth and trickle through the economy.
Hold your head high Minister V. Alfred Gray.....Cut that miniature Hitler short haired caterpillar from under your nose....... And get back to work!
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago
Another great article in National Review "The cost of CORRUPTION"
While our stomachs should turn at the allegation of a traitor in our midst who corruptly benefited by helping Alstom to swing the deal, we should also be sickened for other reasons. The true cost of the $300,000 bribe is yet UNKNOWN. Nearly 12 years after he blew the whistle on this matter, Roberts told National Review, “The major thing is NOT the bribe. “The major thing is to let the public know HOW MUCH THOSE TWO GENERATORS CAUSED THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE IN PAIN AND SUFFERING when it (dealing with Alstom) could have been cut off with engine number 11, and gone to another manufacturer to limit the damage as the board had recommended.”
I wonder how much BAMSI will cost the Bahamian public, not the cost of rebuilding, but the real cost of supporting corrupt greedy government officials. Getting a new generator for BEC was a GOOD thing, but look how a good purpose was used and abused to great hurt of the Bahamian people, 12 years later we're still feeling the pain. How long will we feel the pain of BAMSI? A blind man could see that the completed work is not worth anywhere near 23 million so where did the money go and how is it that not one single cabinet minister, not one, has stood and asked the question?
Wayne Munroe is brilliant but he is so wrong on this, finding out who took these bribes (irrespective of party lines) is the most important thing we could do for our future. Even if God forbid the person is never prosecuted, just exposing their scummy backsides and revealing their true nature, utter disregard and hatred for the people of the Bahamas will be good
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago
Another thing, Dr Minnis do what you're supposed to do, they're going to rebuild this folly. Make sure they're not overcharging us on materials or manpower. Make sure we get what we pay for, not overpriced substandard crap.Inspect everything.
Emac 9 years, 9 months ago
We??????????????? You think WE the people are ever included in these decisions? Ultimately, thisisours,the opposition can only talk,talk, talk. They do not the authority to prosecute these crooks. What the next government needs to do is actually prosecute someone who is found guilty through commission of inquiry, then the people wouldn't mind the money spent on the investigation. This would then start a trend, where these dirty, food for nothing politicians would think twice before robbing their own people blind.
Nativeson 9 years, 10 months ago
I love how everyone here is an expert without any facts to back them up. The real issue is not the government it is us as a people. We love to tear everyone and everything down. However, no one wants to do the work to build things up and keep the country working. The loss of this building is a sad day for The Bahamas and the people of Andros. Let's focus on that. Let's support the rebuilding of this building to make sure the students have a safe place to stay and study. Not everything is a government conspiracy.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago
What are you talking about? Noone here mentioned any conspiracy theories on "how" the fire started. Nice straw man argument btw. The concerns are building insurance to rebuild and proper accounting for funds used to build. Look at those buildings and try to convince anyone they cost 23 million in their unfinished state. Where did the money go? You can wrap any unseemly activity behind a good purpose to make it pallitable to the people, urban renewal for example ($5000 to clear a piece of empty land, really? they must have used a pair of scissors to do that). This country is steeped in corruption, Bradley Roberts has it right, the true cost of corruption is not known, finding out where it lies and stamping it out is bigger than any task we have to do. Meanwhile Dr Minnis get your team down there to perform a complete audit.
would be interesting to see if the same contractor is hired for the rebuilding
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago
Btw just for comparison, the national stadium was completed for a reported 30 million and that is all PURE STEEL.
TalRussell 9 years, 10 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 10 months ago
Hmmm... I wonder how much the building was insured for... Insuring an asset for greater than its actual value would be insurance fraud wouldn't it?
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 9 months ago
Hence the insured values should give an indication of the true cost of the buildings. Don't know any legit insurance company or reinsurance company who would open themselves to this risk, especially after this incident
Sickened 9 years, 9 months ago
Good point! It would be great to know who the insurance company is (assuming of course there is insurance, which I highly doubt). This will probably end up being another unsolved mystery and another $25 million contract to tear down the old building and put up another. Do we even know who the contractor on the project is??
duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago
The government has $100 million to spend in Andros ............. even if it means duplicating contracts and splurging on the BAMSI pet project........... you een see nuttin yet!!! pre-election campaign spending een start yet.
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