McAlpine gets school contract

(CNS): The contract to develop the third government high school has gone to McAlpine and is worth a little less than $48 million. Part of the plan to overhaul the country’s education system, the Beulah Smith High School campus in West Bay is one of three educational facilities, along with the Clifton Hunter campus in Frank Sound and the re-development of the John Gray High School in George Town, that the government has commissioned.

Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts announced today, 18 September, that a notice to proceed had been issued to McAlpine. “Our commitment to delivering equity in terms of secondary education facilities across the districts of Grand Cayman is firmly on track for thestart of the 2010 academic year,” said the LoGB at the weekly Cabinet press briefing.

Work on the other campuses, whose contracts were awarded to Tom Jones International at $58.9 million and $56.7 million, is now well underway.

“If you have had the opportunity to pass by the Clifton Hunter campus in Frank Sound recently, you could not have failed to notice the great progress that is being made there and that one of the buildings, the Global Learning Centre, has now risen to two stories,” he added.

He also gave details on the new George Town Primary School project, saying that planning permission has been obtained and the tender for the site works had been advertised. “The construction contract will be tendered in October as well, with actual construction slated for the start of next year,” Tibbetts said.