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by pltm
(PLTM) - Fourth District Representative Hon. Mark Vanterpool has urged the Hon. Andrew Fahie administration to avoid letting the new Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) project sit too long to get mould.
The former Minister for Communication and Works made the remarks during the contract signing ceremony on December 2 for demolition and debris work clearance as well as design consultancy services.
“Premier and Minister for Education I want to commend you today and encourage us to do a good job of this project and don’t let the first phase sit and catch mould, or catch any jumbie.”
He added, “Let’s get on with the project in the next phase after this because this is a nice planning stage and then the demolition but let’s get the real thing going.”
Plan Properly
He also called for proper planning of the project to incorporate current and futuristic trends.
“Sometimes I like to know when we plan it properly and we build it properly because these kinds of developments and these kinds of projects are to last sometimes 50 sometimes 75 years into the future,” Hon. Va
He added, “And, it is very important that we do it properly, we do it right that we can ensure that it can benefit the young people of the territory into the future.”
About The Project
Work on the hurricane-ravaged ESHS campus is scheduled to commence within the coming days now that two contracts have been signed for the design and demolition of the remnants of the old school.
Trojan Design & Development Limited signed the contract for design consultancy services valued at $99,480, Sand Wise Limited signed the contract for the demolition and debris works Clearance valued at $136,079.50.
During his remarks, Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie informed of the intricacies of the project.
“The approach that has been settled upon is for the construction of three, two-storey buildings at least for now on the eastern side of the ESHS campus that will be utilized in the longer term beyond the repatriation of the senior students in an acceptable classroom environment for maintenance, science and technical schools respectively.”
He pointed out that the buildings will be incorporated into the permanent master plan for ESHS campus. The project will use traditional style methods which utilize existing know-how in the Virgin Islands to the fullest extent.
Premier Fahie said the said works will be done in phases.
The first one will be from 10th December 2021 to 7th January 2022 and involves the demolition of the concrete slabs and the remnants of the old buildings and the removal of debris from the facility to an approved landfill site in an environmentally friendly manner with due safety to protect all individuals inside and outside of the site.
At the same time, the design and consultancy will be ongoing. It commenced on December 2 and is expected to be completed by January 14.
Upon completion of the design phase, he said the tendering phase will be next and “there will be no delay,” he pledged.
“We must, and I repeat we must get our students, the principal, the teachers, the support staff back home here on this ESHS campus by the start of the 2022/2023 school year. No ifs, no buts, no maybes, no excuses.”
He reminded residents that this government has already allocated just over $7 million for this initiative in the 2022 budget.
The Government is funding these two phases and the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) is overseeing the project.
