$¼ million for Little Cayman command centre
(CNS): The deputy premier’s ministry is building a $250,000 command centre on Little Cayman to use in the event of a hurricane or other disaster. The 1,254 square-foot addition to a government building on Spot Bay Road, which is used to house public works staff and doubles as an emergency shelter, “will provide officials with adequate privacy and ample storage for shelter supplies, an office for the command leaders, and a central command room for interactive decision making,” a release from the ministry said. The windows, doors, walls and roof of the new facility will be hurricane safety-rated and the building floor will be constructed 22 feet above sea level, one of the highest points on the western side of the island.
A back-up generator will provide electrical supply if there is a power outage, according to the Ministry of District Administration, Works, Lands and Agriculture (DAWL&A). Work is expected to start in June and will take around four months to complete, the ministry said following the groundbreaking for the extension on Wednesday, 29 May.
The expansion project contract was awarded to James Thomas of Maximum Construction and Repair Company, which submitted the winning bid of $250,550. The original estimate for the project by the ministry was below $250,000 – the threshold for tenders to go through the Central Tenders Committee – and the tendering was done through the ministry. However, when it appeared the bids were all above this figure, the CTC then stepped in to oversee the tendering process, the CTC said.
“The Cayman Islands Governments takes hurricane preparedness and the protection of its citizens and residents very serious,” said Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who is the minister responsible for District Administration. “Little Cayman residents called for the expansion because the current facility is not big enough to accommodate a proper command centre in the event of a national emergency. I am sure that having a purpose-built command room will be a huge resource in the event of a natural disaster."
The current Little Cayman Command Centre is a multi-purpose building that was initially set up to house Public Works workers that come over to the island to work on various projects for short periods of time. There does not appear to be any additional function intended for the command centre now under construction.
Chief Officer Alan Jones said, “It is essential that we have proper facilities to cope during a national crisis. We are always striving to improve performance, safety and access to the latest technology, while reducing costs.”
Category: Local News
250k for 1200sq ft !? i thought this command center was in little cayman not seven mile beach
That's a big command centre. The command centre in the Brac is smaller. Of course, Hurricane Hilton not finished yet. I hear it's at a stand still. Apparently, no one told Ju Ju there aren't many voters in Little Cayman. There can't be more than 10 Caymanians there.
Where is the other MLA for the Sister Islands? I thought there were two. It looks like they only need one representative.
Quietly working behind the scenes. Mr. Moses isn't a show off, he's very down to earth. A businessman with a sucessfull business and someone who should be in charge of money instead of JuJu who just likes to waste money.
Yes let's build a vote getting building of no use. Better a submarine base or perhaps a 2012 movie master survival ships base .
Really get a clue !
Why not get CHEC to build us a bridge from LC to CB?
How about building an Ark?
Dig Ju Ju, dig,
you will soon find it
the mythology of hurricane shelters continues…..
Why the green bows?
At least no one can accuse Juliana of being work shy – my goodness, first she's pictured driving a massive (private) drive-laying contraption, and now we witness her putting her shoulder behind a shovel. That's exoneration in my book, whatever your thoughts on the issue.
Does she have a licence to drive heavy equipment? Doubt it.
Dunno, but she looks very comfortable up there!
Why was the building constructed from CMU instead of ICF to keep cooling demand and costs to a minimum especially following a hurricane. The mind boggles…
How many people reside in this Island? How come all the other districts have to make do with totally inadequate shelters?
The churches are supposed to be the shelters, remember… 4million given to churches, even those preachers who were vocal against the govt quickly SHUT UP once they got ourmoney
Where is all the money coming from? I dare ask, I thought we were broke, and what about the Hilton on the Bluff, is that completed yet? Another hotel to stand unfinished and incomplete, trust me this government will not have the money to finish all that they want and who ever gets in next year will not have any to finish them off either. Oh unless Ms. Julie getting some of the Nation building fund or perhaps Dart giving her some money to make sure she is not replaced in the Brac by Moses. God help us, we need you more than ever before.
Works out to be about $200/ sq foot. Is that high for Little Cayman?
Its the cost of building over there. A CMU block is twice the price of Grand Cayman.
So how much would it be per Little Cayman person?
22 feet is pretty high for LC yes, anything else?
Actually for a hurricane resitant building on Little Cayman with back-up generator its a darn good price.
WOW – TWENTY TWO FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL !!! Most of the waves that hit the South coast of Grand Cayman in “IVAN” were at least thirty feet high. I don’t care what footings or foundations will anchor the building, a cubic yard of seawater weighs a TON. If the ” COMMAND CENTRE ” has walls about 34/35 feet long by about 10 high making it a square, stronger, structure, any of the three exposed side walls could be subject to something in the region of 30 + tons of simple pressure every time a big wave arrived, AND IT’S GOING TO HAVE WINDOWS. This does not take into account the forward motion of the waves and the resultant material increase in the amount of energy released, nor the issue of any undermining of the foundations. Presumably the structure has a poured concrete roof over steel shuttering ??. If the building DID survive structurally, albeit possibly relocated to another part of Little Cayman, I fear that the poor bastards inside would be gibbering idiots after spending several hours in a concrete submarine which, if hermetically sealed, would be running a little low on Oxygen.
A little OTT – yes maybe some of this commentary does only seem applicable to the good old ” worst case scenario “, but that is exactly the one which an ” IVAN ” can produce when it jumps up and bites your arse, just when you aren’t looking.
WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY – YOU CAN NEVER BUDGET FOR WHAT MOTHER NATURE IS LIKELY
TO THROW AT YOU – WHY NOT EVACUATE THOSE PREPARED TO LEAVE, 24HRS BEFORE A STORM IS DUE TO STRIKE, AND PUT THEM IN THE CAYMAN BRAC MEGA SHELTER.
As for providing ” a central command room for interactive decision making ” – the most likely interactive decision they would make in a “really big one” would be to agree that, on the count of three, they kiss their asses ” Goodbye “.
Command centres in GCM are around 10ft AMSL, what's the point
Well whoopdee doo !!
They should collect funds for the unauthorized parking lot paving in the Brac to cover payment for this facility. I am not saying it is not needed but where is the money coming from to build it ?
When will the paving begin?
I thought we had no money, it must be an election year.
Wow, truly amazing…another day in fantasy land.
Why not put it in the 8 mill shelter being built?
Prob coz it is for Little Cayman residents to secure themselves during a major storm – DUH!!!
Assuming that like most people you have a tongue, and two cheeks, clearly you have never put the former into one of the latter.
No its not. Read the article. Its a command centre not a shelter.
Thats not bad – 1254 sq ft for$250,000 or $200 per sq ft. Considering that the average cost per sq ft for a concrete building is $60 – $75. It therefore is only costing us about 300% more than normal…
i agree with your sentiment but average constructions cost are not $60-75 per sq foot…… more like $120-150
Depends on your labour. Is it like civil service labour or expat labour? That would make the diferance.
I built my house for $130 per square foot. $60 – $75 per sq foot must just be the shell with nothing in it
Really?
Because I just built a house too which is elevated 3 1/2 ft off the ground, constructed of 8 inch concrete blocks, with two pieces of steel in every block and poured solid, and roof of 2×8 rafters and 40 year shingles. Double insulated windows and doors are installed and major plumbing and electrical fixtures as well. Interior walls, doors and ceilings are installed as is about 50% of the porcelain flooring. Total cost including labour and materials – CI$39.75 per sq ft.
I therefore stand by my estimate of $60 – $75 per sq ft, not only because of this but because of the similar cost of almost a dozen other houses that I have built in the past.
a. I don't believe your price for a second given the price of labour and materials here
b. your house is not hurricane rated–the shingles will be blow away with your rafters long before 40 years!
c. you are the type of person that we have to build proper shelters for because you choose to build "blow away homes".
To anon 06/08/2012 – 18:52. and poster at Sat, 06/09/2012 – 07:46. Please post your name and number here and I will be happy to show you the property and expenditures.
And no, I did not do the labour myself and average salaries were $15 per hour plus pension and health insurance for carpenters and masons and $10 for labourers plus the above.
Not one of the buildings that I built lost even a window or sheet of plywood or rafter, during hurricane Ivan.
And to your point C. – I did provide safe shelter for several people during hurricane Ivan structures that I built.
Must have built that yourself!
$180 windows
$35 p/bundle shingles
I see your point, however, over or in this case underestimating, does not make it any more realistic or believable. But yes $200p/sqft is a bit on the high end.
Could I get the name of your tiler as I need someone to lay 1400sqft for me.
Yep – Election soon come.
Now I do not have any problems with Ms. Julie doing her best for the people of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, but a month or two ago I heard that an area of the Bodden Town district was flooded so bad and people lost their furnmiture and such.
Does the fixing of this problem come under Ms. Julie Ministry? If it does, I am concerned as to why dont the government address this poblem before the Hurricane season begins. I heard one of the residents spoke on national television and commented that this problem has been going on for some seven years. Well if it was not fixed by the previous government, why dont this government do something about it. I do not live in the area, but I live in the District, that is my concern.
I cant believe I am agreeing with the cross dresser…
The government repeatedly assure the residents on Cumber that this issue will be addressed, and yet they perpetually do nothing at all to address the situation. Is there any wonder the residents on Cumber are disappointed and constantly speaking up about the situation. They did not move to an area prone to flooding, government decisions on development without sufficient drainage solutions caused the flooding that Cumber now suffers everytime we have wet weather.
So yes, for once, I am agreeing with CrossDresser!
So long they don't give the money to the churches!
On the surface (saying that because I dont know more than what the story says), this seems like a good idea.
And why won't the building on the Brac's Bluff suffice?
because it's a different Island… derr!
that being said, it's still too expensive.