Government’s new home stays on track

| 02/02/2010

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman local news, new Cayman Islands government buildings(CNS): While the government school development projects have been plagued by controversial disputes that have caused their delay, the construction of the government’s own new ‘home’ has stayed out of the media spotlight and remained largely on track. And although the general contractor on the government’s new administration building, MacAlpine, has also had to suffer the consequences of government’s financial difficulties this summer, the  project was never derailed and is set to finish on time and on budget. The $80 million building is expected to save government over $10 million per year in rent and millions in running costs as a result of the eco-friendly design of the office building.

According to reports on News 27, on Monday evening Premier McKeeva Bush confirmed that the project, which commenced under the previous administration by the former leader of government business Kurt Tibbetts, was on target and would be finished, as expected, by January of next year. Bush said his government was doing everything to make sure the project goes ahead.  

The building will replace the current public sector office accommodation, the Glass House, which was due to be condemned and turned into green space, but it was recently given a stay of execution by the current government, which said it would look into refurbishing the old government building.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The design may be "eco-friendly", however the finishes are luxurious.  How many government offices have you been in that have extremely high end finishes?  Most have vinyl flooring and formica countertops…  I for one am extremely disappointed in the lack of restraint shown by both the PPM and UDP in spending the people’s money.  This is not a place that should be lavish in its fit-out…

    • Anonymous says:

       I’ve driven by the building and it doesn’t seem to be at a stage where the "finishes" would even be in place.  What have you seen?

      • Anonymous says:

        I’ve seen the specification packet, and it the client (the government) chose very high end finishes…

  2. Anonymous says:

    With the new Office Building, we will also have an energy saver, less asbestos, hurricane shelter, a centralized Government, lessrent payout, less money to CUC, less logistics. So then, why is it MacKeeva wants to sell it?  The Glass House is a Health hazard to all. The new Building is less of a health risk for people and safer overall. Sell the old furniture off from the Glass house, perhaps the Glass and lets finish this new building and get government organized Mac. Make CIG smaller and yes that may be letting go a few of those high end personnel, that are duplicating work and not achieving anything.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Lets hope Mac provides us with better customer service in his new building once its completed. Has anyone been to his Ministry’s offices over at Cricket Square lately? The security is tighter than the prison’s! But here’s the joke, before being let in you have to answer 100 questions over an intercom and once you’re inside there’s no receptionst to greet or tell you where to go; you have to actually find your way somehow because all your’re faced with is a bunch of locked doors. Terrible! I’m quite sure there’s more than one delivery person out there who has also experienced the lousy service at these offices.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Too bad that one can actually count the number of ‘Caymanian’s’ working down there…

  5. Anonymous says:

    the old building needs to come down, why on earth would Mac want to keep the building and refurbish?

    Thanks PPM great building!

     

    has UDP accomplished anything like this?

    • Anonymous says:

      just another way of putting off a decision… how many issues are they ‘looking into’ right now???

  6. Anonymous says:

    Of course the new Govt. building is much more important than schools for our children, some of whom are currently facing severe overcrowding in the current inadequate facilities.  We would expect no less from this Govt.  Even if they can’t find money to finish all of the schools, they should sit down and figure out which one is the most important – in my view – the high school and get it finished.  I saw at least 7 senior posts for Immigration Officers advertised last week and what about the three senior civil servants who are curently unemployed on full pay.    They are all experienced highly qualified civil servants, could they not take up some of the more senior Govt. positions being advertised and thereby stop the disgraceful waste of our money.  What a waste of their skills and experience.  It seems there is plenty of money to expand our ever expanding civil service.  While our children fall further and further behind as far as education facilties and standards are concerned. 

    • Anonymous says:

      As long as Mac has a Beautiful new office, to show off in, to go along with his being chauffeur-driven, a cook/housekeeper and all his other UNNESSCESSARY perks of being Premier during our time of recession, he will have no interest if we have the right schooling for our children. Therefore his priority is IMAGE, so finish the New Government Building!

      • Anonymous says:

        Could not have said it better myself.

        Mac and Rolley have put egos ahead of education.

  7. Anonymous says:

    So it’s on track huh.  No surprises there – the main contractor and subs are tried and true professionals with no history of … let’s say "problems". 

  8. Anonymous says:

    More evidence of the wonderful things PPM was doing for Cayman.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Good example of why we should "keep it local".

    • Anonymous says:

      Since when is McAlpine a local company?  Who are the shareholders and where do the profits end up?

      • Anonymous says:

        To the best of my knowlege McAlpine has been doing business in Cayman for about forty years.  How many years does it take for goodness sake for one to be considered "local".