Businesses challenged to donate @ least $60K each for ESHS redevelopment
The call came during the March 31, 2022, contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony for the school campus redevelopment, where contract bids exceeded the estimates from the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) board.
According to the Premier, ‘if we push this project back anymore, who knows how much material costs will go up further to, or what else might come. And as my Government and anyone around me knows that I always say, never let the perfect become the enemy of the greater good,” he said during a speech.
Premier Fahie added that while the total value of contracts exceeds the original overall estimates by $4 million, the VI cannot afford to defer this project anymore and extend the suffering of students, teachers and other staff at the school.
Given the uncertainty over global economic prices, the Premier explained that the cost was driven by the global impacts of COVID-19 and the compounding effects of the war in Ukraine; however, he said that despite this, the school project will continue to be funded all the way to completion.
Move with a purpose project
“There are funds that we can access. There are several options open to the Government. But, tell them that the one that the Premier is choosing first – with my Government by my side and in front of me – that we should try first, is what we will call the Move with a Purpose Project,” he announced.
“Under the Move with a Purpose Project, I am issuing a challenge to all our successful businessmen and women, and all our companies in the BVI and beyond – especially in the BVI. I am challenging 70 companies, especially in the Virgin Islands, to each make a donation of no less than $60,000 towards the Elmore Stoutt High School Redevelopment Project.
The Premier reminded that ESHS, formerly called BVI High School, has benefitted all in the Virgin Islands as a premier institution where most of the persons in the VI received that education.
He said it is “where our children were educated and are being educated, and where our future generations of Virgin Islanders will be educated.”
Hon Fahie also used the opportunity to underscore that the times of worldwide turbulence, it is not about what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country.
Donate to invest in VI - Premier Fahie
“When you donate to the Move with a Purpose Project, you are investing in the development of Virgin Islanders to become lawyers, doctors, nurses, accountants, mechanics, entrepreneurs, innovators, public officers, managers, sales executives, engineers, CEOs, administrators, hoteliers, investment fund managers, tour operators, and the list goes on. You are developing the talent pool for your own business and for the Virgin Islands,” he said.
He further appealed to successful companies and business people, “now is the time to show that you truly care about this country, and about our children and our future generations.”
Meanwhile, more than $11M in contracts were awarded to four firms to take on various aspects of the redevelopment works.
Quality Construction Limited will construct the Technical Block to the tune of $4,336,427.12; Metro Construction Limited was awarded $2,496,690.84 for the construction of the Classroom Block North; Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited will construct the Classroom Block South at a cost of $3,721,766.59; and finally, Sunleaf Construction and Northam Construction will receive a sum of $888,104.66 to jointly construct the Administration Block.
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23 Responses to “Businesses challenged to donate @ least $60K each for ESHS redevelopment”
Can the premier find any other ways to say we are not short of money?
You know what is $60,000????
All that garbage truck contract money could be used towards the high school. Instead of giving million dollar contracts to garbage truckers, let Solid Waste Dept have garbage trucks and give staff that duty.
ESHS, sitting on prime real estate in the middle Road Town, the capital city, the business and financial centre, commercial and entertainment centre, etc of the territory, is the largest high school in the BVI and the sole public high school on Tortola(in my view, there should also be junior high schools at the eastern and western areas). The original design of ESHS was not a master piece; it was not modern nor did it maximize the space. Monster category 5 Hurricane Irma in September 2017 severely damaged the campus. And in a weird and twisted way, the storm provided the opportunity to redesign and reconstruct the campus to modernize, effectively utilized, and maximized the space. In my view, the whole campus should have been razed and a redesigned, and replaced with a modern, state-of-the-art campus, including gymnasium, cafeteria, learning resource center (library could have been a joint ESHS-Public library), sports field, etc. This may indeed be the case for I have not seen the renderings, designs, etc. It is a valid question to ask how the project will have been paid for. Well, the VI has a relatively low debt to GDP ratio, so a long-term loan could have been procured. A sunset tax could have been assess on buildings, land, etc (anticipate a roasting for this idea). Educating VI children is a great investment with a high return on investment.
Moreover, Hon Premier Andrew A. Fahie said that the perfect should not be the enemy of good. Agree. But, as a former contracting officer (a long time ago-Navy), I’m curious about the funding. The article was not very clear if the total funding was available and certified before contract(s) award. In my experience, funding had to be identified, available, and certified before award. But contracting in the VI may be different. Nonetheless, hopefully, the project will be completed on time, on/under budget, few modifications for latent and unforeseen conditions, etc. Most importantly, students/trainees will have a safe, functional, etc campus for learning.
Despite the attitude of some fellow Virgin Islanders, the BVI is not a wealthy locals; it is a resource-poor locale with its revenue coming services, primarily tourism and financial services. The BVI is living or wants to live a wealthy, first world lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with that desire. Nevertheless, it costs and the BVI does not have cash reserve to fund all its lofty needs; it has to borrow to meet its need. However, it must take sensible, smart and prudent risks in borrowing. Borrowing for educating is a good investment. Ed Leonard’s suggestion of razing the old campus and maximizing the space, rebuilding a modern facility may seem radical but was a viable option. Leonard also suggest procuring a long-term loan (he call it a sunset loan) to fund the project and repay the loan with increased taxes on property and land. By the way, I had to enquire about a sunset loan; in essence, when the loan is paid off the tax increase goes away. Let me leave you with this. If you think education is dear, try un/under-education or ignorance. Others have called for a national development plan and I’m joining in that chorus. Let’s avoid the tag of never seeming to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.