On Friday August 12, Government Officials, along with personnel from the Anguilla Fire & Rescue Services and the Air & Sea Port Authority, assembled at the Executive Council Chambers for the signing of the building contract between the Government of Anguilla and ORB & Associates, who won the bid.
Director of Housing Construction, Mr. Rawle Hazell, provided a brief overview of the project. He said it was initially conceived in late 2011 and placed on tender in 2012. The project comprises a two-storey building designed to address the needs of the Anguilla Fire & Rescue Services, while incorporating a new Air Traffic Control Tower.
Highlighting a good example of collaboration between the UK and Anguilla, Governor Christina Scott said that $5 million for the project funding is coming from the UK Government. “It underlines the UK’s commitment towards infrastructure development in Anguilla and the importance to this particular project,” she stated. “It has been very good to see consecutive governments pushing this project forward, and recognizing the importance of having a high quality air traffic control capability, but also doing some hard work to alleviate the pretty awful conditions under which the Anguilla Fire & Rescue Services had to endure its operations.”
Governor Scott thanked the Anguilla Fire & Rescue Services for its forbearance over the years as this project was being developed, and looks forward to the project going well, up until completion.
She commended those who were involved in getting the project this far, and also those who have a lot of work ahead of them to get it right and within budget.
Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks, expressed thanks to the British Government for their support and all the other players involved in making the project possible. “We have to find a way to deliver projects in a more timely manner, in a small economy with dire and urgent needs, especially in critical areas such as Fire & Rescue Services, Airport Expansion and the delivery services for the proper management of the port facilities,” he continued.
He congratulated the winning contractor, ORB & Associates, who has been working in Anguilla for many years both in the private and public sectors. The contractor replied that he was very happy to be employing 50 Anguillians to work on the project.
Following the signing of the contract by the PS at MICUH, Mr. Larry Franklin, and the contractor – Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Curtis Richardson, thanked the Procurement Board and all those involved in the project.
He expressed his desire, in his current term of office, to see the expansion of the airport. “Anguilla needs it in the worst of way,” he said. “They [the government] have a serious responsibility to demonstrate with this project that we can handle and manage the small things, and would give persons the confidence in them to go on to bigger things,” he added.
The contractor is scheduled to take possession of the site on August 15 and 29, to commence work. The project is expected to be completed by 2nd March 2018.
