Nearly a year after the male dormitory at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) was severely damaged by fire, the government has yet to identify a contractor to rebuild the dorm, Ministry of Works Permanent Secretary Arnold Forbes admitted.
"BAMSI is moving, not as fast as we would like, but BAMSI is moving," Forbes told The Nassau Guardian in a recent interview.
"I still believe that BAMSI will be one of the most pivotal projects that this government completes. And I do believe that it will be completed and opened in short order."
The dorm was reportedly 80 percent complete when it was set on fire on January 18.
When asked whether a new contractor has been identified to rebuild the dorm, Forbes said, "No. We have not done that. We are in the process of looking at that now. I am sure by early next year we will make some kind of movement as far as that dorm is concerned and [a] contractor to rebuild it."
Pressed for a timeline for the work, Forbes said the existing structure will be demolished within five to six weeks. He was unable to provide other specifics. Forbes said there are "growing pains" involved in the process of food self-sustainability.
In September, Agriculture Minister Alfred Gray said the dorm will be demolished that month and the rebuilding will likely begin by October. Almost two months later, that has not happened. Gray also could not say who the new contractor would be. Minister of Works Philip Brave Davis said in June the original contractor, Audley Hanna, president of Paradigm Construction, would not be contracted to rebuild the dorm.
Officials are still not sure how much it will cost to rebuild the dorm. However, Davis previously estimated that reconstruction would cost around $5.5 million. Hanna did not have all-risk insurance, even though that was one of the requirements to get the government contract.
The government has yet to reveal who issued the contract without ensuring that Hanna had insurance. In the House of Assembly on March 11, Davis said Hanna is fully liable for the construction outlay, which totaled $2,550,864.15. It is unclear whether the government has made any arrangements to collect payment from him as yet. Hanna previously said he did not have the money to rebuild the dorm but was willing to work off his debt.
During the wrap-up of the mid-year budget debate in February, Prime Minister Perry Christie called the BAMSI insurance matter a "teachable experience". Since taking office, the government has touted BAMSI as one of its most important initiatives.
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