FREEPORT ? Less than two hours after signing a contract for the construction of a Ferry Terminal at the McLean?s Town Dock in East Grand Bahama, Public Works and Transport Minister the Hon. Neko Grant signed four additional contracts for works throughout the rest of the island Thursday.

The four contracts total over $673,000 for work on the air-conditioning system at the Freeport Post Office, repairs to the Holmes Rock Cemetery, roadwork at the entrance to the Eight Mile Rock settlement and roadwork on the highway between the settlements Sea Grape and West End.

Regarding the Post Office, Minister Grant explained that the facility has been plagued by a malfunctioning air condition system for several years.

?This has created significant inconvenience to the public as well as to the postal workers who had to perform their duties sometimes under rather adverse working conditions. In this regard, a contract has been awarded to Carters Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration in the amount of $256,809.81,? he said.

Confirming that work is already underway on the project, Mr. Grant said, ?we in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport apologize to the public for any lapses in services delivery that they may have experienced as a result of conditions at the Freeport Post Office.?

Continuing, he said another area of ?grave concern? for residents of Grand Bahama has been the appearance of the Holmes Rock Cemetery left in disarray several years ago due to Hurricane Wilma.

?Many of the tombs were compromised by the resulting wave action. A contract for repairs to the damaged graves in this cemetery has been awarded to Andrew Rolle of Triple AAA Construction Company in the amount of $25,000.00,? he said.

Mr. Rolle, a native of Holmes Rock, assured Mr. Grant that the cemetery will once again become a place of beauty and that he will go beyond the call of duty to ensure this, as he calls Holmes Rock his home.

Mr. Grant said, ?we recognize that action to recover from the effect of hurricanes and other disasters plays a pivotal role in returning the community to a normal state and reducing the level of anxiety and depression among residents. It is with this in mind that we look forward to the completion of these repairs,? he stated.

Continuing, The Minister announced the awarding of a contract to Waugh Construction Company in the amount of $136,950 for the repaving of road heading into Eight Mile Rock.

He informed that Member of Parliament for Eight Mile Rock Verna Grant had been requesting the paving of about a mile of roadway for sometime, and that the Government is pleased to deliver this to the people of West Grand Bahama.

Mr. Grant also signed a contract on behalf of the Government with Frank Miller and Sons for the installation of line marking and reflectors along the highway between Sea Grape and West End. The contract is valued at $42,500.00.

While in Grand Bahama Mr. Grant, accompanied by Permanent Secretary Colin Higgs, Postmaster General Godfrey Clarke and Assistant Postmaster General Debbie Pennerman visited all the Post Offices on Grand Bahama, and got a first hand view of repairs being carried out at the Post Office in West End and Freeport.

Photo: Minister of Public Works and Transport the Hon. Neko Grant signed public works contracts totaling over $673,000 for Grand Bahama Thursday. Pictured from left are Frank Miller, Miller and Sons; Dion Munroe, Ministry of Public Works; Frank Miller Jr.; Colin Higgs, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Works; Norman Tynes, MOPW; Verna Grant, M.P. Eight Mile Rock; Andrew Rolle, Tripple AAA Construction; Hon. Neko Grant; Gordon Major, Acting Director, MOPW; Godfrey Waugh, Waugh Construction; Roland Bevan, MOPW; Ron Carter, Carter's Air-Conditioning; Debbie Pennerman, Assistant Postmater General and Godfrey Clarke, Postmaster General. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)