The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE government has approved the use of more than $2m to rebuild the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) dormitory that was destroyed by fire in early 2015, according to Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister V Alfred Gray yesterday.

Mr Gray said this new “expanded” building is expected to be twice as large as the original facility. Construction will start “shortly”, he said. The male dormitory was seriously damaged by fire in January, 2015.

“BAMSI has about 14 to 20 buildings making up the buildings at BAMSI, a lecture theatre, administrative building, cafeteria, housing facilities for men and women, so about 14 to 20 buildings on the site,” Mr Gray said during a press conference at Ministry of Agriculture.

“One of them burnt. There was an illusion that BAMSI burnt down.

“Cabinet has just two weeks or so ago approved the reconstruction for that building to the tune of (around) $2 million.

“It’s my understanding that it has gone out to tender and the bidding process is in train and hopefully construction will start shortly.

“The question I need to answer always is: what’s happening to the other 14 buildings?”

He added: “My understanding is it’s going to be twice as big as it was, but there’s already a female dorm. It will cost in excess of $2 million.”

Last year, Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis estimated that reconstruction efforts for the damaged dorm would cost around “$5.5 million”.

However at that time, the government was considering outfitting the dorm for double occupancy rather than single.

“The increase in cost takes into consideration the cost to reconfigure the units from single to double occupancy, ordinary inflation, and VAT,” Mr Davis said last year.

“Consequently, the net cost to government will be the cost of reconstruction, less the expenditure for the structure destroyed by fire. That is to say, just under $3 million.”

Yesterday Mr Gray said while most of the building at BAMSI’s campus in North Andros are between 90 to 97 per cent complete, he was still disappointed that they did not meet the September opening deadline.

“Most of those buildings are completed. Some of them are 97 per cent completed but more of them are more than 95 per cent completed, so between 90 to 97 per cent completed,” Mr Gray said.

“Ministry of Works is responsible for buildings that go up on that site.

“My ministry is supposed to oversee what’s going on, but it’s not responsible for the buildings going up.

“I’m disappointed that the buildings were not ready for a September opening, but I have been assured that all of those buildings will be ready for the January term for the school year. Since it’s a different ministry I have to at least let you know that I am depending on the Ministry of Works to keep that work and my words don’t go flat.

“I am going to keep their feet to the fire. Although there has been some bumps in the road and some hurdles to cross, BAMSI is doing well and the only way for BAMSI is up.”

Earlier this week, Mr Gray said the institute should be finished by the end of the year, despite projections that it would be complete by the beginning of this month.

BAMSI is a major government initiative established in an effort to reduce the country’s reliance on food imports.

The school opened to students in September 2014 even though the campus was not finished.

The institute held its first graduation ceremony on July 7 with 23 students.

The fire-damaged dorm, which was constructed by contractor Audley Hanna of Paradigm Construction, sparked controversy when Mr Davis revealed that it was never insured.

Mr Davis had previously said in the House of Assembly that at the time of the fire, the contractor’s all-risk insurance policy had lapsed due to non-payment.

In July, 2015, Mr Davis said the destroyed dormitory would not be repaired until all other BAMSI buildings had been completed.