The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A NEW dormitory and multi-purpose facility will be built at the College of the Bahamas northern campus thanks to a $3m gift from the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

The building plan calls for construction of 14 dormitories that will house 88 students, a cafeteria, offices and a health clinic on existing property at the campus in East Grand Bahama, with completion scheduled by summer 2016.

ALMACO, an international construction company, will carry out the work using “modular technology” construction. According to Vilhelm Roberts of ALMACO, the modular system – used for refurbishing cabins on cruise ships – significantly reduces construction time, with minimum impact to the environment.

Sarah St George, vice chairman of the GBPA, said the $3m pledge is a demonstration of the company’s continued commitment to education and training of young Bahamians.

She said that, under the leadership of her father, the late Edward St George, and Sir Jack Hayward, $500,000 has been allocated each year to fund scholarships for Bahamian students overseas and at COB for the past 30 years.

“Youth and education are paramount to the future of our nation, and going to college plays a pivotal role in the lives of our young people,” she said. “The GBPA donated 50 acres of land for the campus, with perhaps more to follow to this, and we added our pledge of $3m to building the college dorm and multi-purpose facility on the existing campus,” said Ms St George.

She noted that the GBPA has a history of playing its part in the education of children in Grand Bahama, building and contributing to 10 schools on the island over the past 50 years.

A few years ago, the Port Authority, which had initially pledged $3m for a new school in the Heritage Subdivision, had advanced $400,000 for the architectural drawings. But the project was cancelled after a change of government in 2007. Ms St George said that last year they agreed to put up the remaining $2.6m balance to make the full commitment.

“This is a happy illustration of the enduring partnership between government of the Bahamas and GBPA to promote education, employment and job opportunities for our talented young GB,” she said.

Ian Rolle, a COB alumnus, said the dormitories would service the college’s maritime studies, which are scheduled to come on stream soon. “It feels great to give back to an institution that has done so much for me and so many others in the Bahamas. It has been a desire of ours to facilitate the implementation of niche studies on the island of GB, where students will come from throughout the Bahamas and overseas to engage in studies on our island,” he said.

Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald thanked the Port Authority and the St George and Hayward families for their “tremendous” commitment to education over the years. “There is no way that anyone could question the PA’s commitment to education and what it represents to the people of GB,” he said.

He noted that in addition to the 50 acres donated, the government will request additional land to further develop the campus in Freeport.

COB chairman Alfred Sears said the construction of dormitory facilities will allow the northern campus to cater to students from the outlying settlements of Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Bimini and the Berry Islands and Abaco. “It’s our expectation the dorms will also serve to create active campus life for the northern campus that will fuel the expansion of the university here on this island,” he said.

COB president Dr Rodney Smith said the first college campus opened in 1986, in 2005 ground was broken in east Grand Bahama and the new college opened in 2011. “Now we are preparing for another defining phase in the campus’ evolution,” he said. “We also envision our campus becoming a centre for excellence for maritime, industrial, manufacture and entrepreneurial studies for the UOB. As we prepare for our university transition, we are also plotting a course for the eventual autonomy of the northern Bahamas campus under the UOB system. We have already initiated changes in the senior administer structure to accommodate this progression.”