Usually, everywhere, the private sector leads the economy but even now in Anguilla, when it still continues to be considerably active in terms of construction work, the public sector appears to have caught up with it.
Right now, there are several public sector projects
in progress absorbing a considerable percentage of the workforce in the construction industry. The bulk of the projects are being funded under the UK-funded Anguilla Programme.
The projects are being financed from the 60 million pounds provided in the humanitarian grant from the UK Government, through the Governor’s Office, following extensive damage to various Government buildings by Hurricane Irma in September 2017.
Work has already been completed at the Ministry of Home Affairs where there is a new office building; the Ministry of Infrastructure where a new storage building has been constructed, but where further work is to be carried out; the roof of The Valley Police Headquarters has been replaced; extensive repair and upgrading work has been carried out at the Princess Alexandra Hospital where some additional work is still in progress; the roof of the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium at Campus B; extension work at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School; improvements to the Blowing Point Port and the Fire Hall and Control Tower at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport.
Currently, the Anguilla Programme is funding construction work and expansion at the Orealia Kelly Primary School where an eight-classroom building is in progress; an extension at the General Post Office to handle the increasing flow of imports ordered by members of the public; and repairs to the roof of the Atlin Noraldo Parliamentary Building.
Another project under construction, but funded by a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank, on behalf of the Government of Anguilla, is the first phase of the Anguilla Community College.
Meanwhile, a number of other public sector projects, funded under the Anguilla Programme, are expected to commence in the near future and design plans and tendering are already in hand. These are: The Valley and the Adrian T. Hazell Primary Schools where a number of insecure and old buildings have been demolished in preparation for the new structures; the Morris Vanterpool Primary School which had to be completely demolished (it is relocated in rented premises and is to be rebuilt at the original site) and the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School where some eight classroom buildings were demolished, occasioning a shift system for students and teachers. A new multi-purpose school building is to be constructed in The Quarter area.
Still another project to be constructed, as part of the Anguilla Programme, is the new Passenger Ferry Terminal and associated facilities at Blowing Point.
Aside from that, is the new Road Bay project for which a contract was signed last week between the Government of Anguilla, DLN Consultants and Edgehill Associates (Caribbean) Kelectric JV Limited. This project is not funded under the Anguilla Programme but separately by the UK Conflict Stability and Security Fund.
It is expected that the above projects under construction, and those to follow, will keep the building work in the public sector very busy for a considerably long period, having caught up with the private sector.
