Never before in recent times, like now, has Anguilla been so busy building and rebuilding a number of various public sector projects – all at the same time. It is a case, as stated by The Anguillian recently, where the public sector has outdone the private sector in the construction industry.
It is all related to the destruction caused by Hurricane Irma in September 2017, leaving many Government buildings including health facilities and schools, in particular, in a state of chaos. Many of the severely damaged, or otherwise compromised classroom buildings, have had to be demolished to give way to new structures. The passenger ferry terminal at the Blowing Point was among other buildings that had to be torn down.
At the request of the Government of Anguilla, and as well as on its own volition, the UK Government undertook to provide the island with a sixty million pounds grant to restore the public sector buildings – and with the possibility of additional funds as required. Notwithstanding the availability of the funds, work did not begin on the projects until late in the second half of 2019. The procurement and tendering processes, evaluation of sites, and the selection of contractors, were offered as reasons for the delay. As a result, almost all of the projects eventually started in quick succession.
Among the projects which were tackled and completed earlier, were repairs to the roof of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the improvement of wards and provision of equipment – a work still in progress; the replacement of the roof of the Police Headquarters and internal work on the air-conditioning system; repairs to a portion of the roofs on the Department of Lands and Surveys; repairs to the roof of the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium and the Alwyn Allison Primary School; extension work at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School; the practical rebuilding of the Secretariat Building where the Ministry of Home Affairs and Education is located; the building of a large storeroom at the Department of Infrastructure where some additional construction work for offices is in course of preparation; the provision of a temporary Air Traffic Control Tower; the completion of the New Fire Hall with offices, sleeping quarters, state-of-the-art fire trucks and a modern Control Tower; the acquisition of the Big Jim Building to serve as a temporary passenger ferry terminal at Blowing Point, along with a temporary extension; and the moving of the Morris Vanterpool Primary School to rented apartment buildings pending its reconstruction.
Projects, on which construction work recently commenced, include the new Morris Vanterpool Primary School; classroom buildings at the Adrian T. Hazell, Valley and Orealia Kelly Primary Schools; the western Polyclinic at South Hill; the Anguilla House of Assembly (or the Atlin Harrigan Parliamentary Building) where the roof has been completed but where internal work is in progress.
Construction work is yet to begin on the new Campus A of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School in The Quarter area. The campus, in The Valley area, was severely damaged by Irma leading to the demolishing of some eight classroom buildings and resulting in a shift system for students and teachers. This is one of the largest projects to be rebuilt. Other large projects are the Morris Vanterpool School at the original location; the new Blowing Point ferry terminal – about which little is being heard these days; and The Valley Polyclinic which is actively been talked about.
The above projects are all being carried out by Anguillian contractors. In some cases, one contractor has responsibility for the building and delivery of more than one project. This is believed to be due to the strict procurement and tendering processes and the best submitted bids and prices.
So far, as stated above, the public sector has outdone the private sector in the construction industry and with workers employed in that field. Further, instead of the private sector, the public sector is currently driving the economy in that regard.
Meanwhile, it is fair to mention in this review article that, prior to this heightened period of construction work, the private sector had been extremely busy with the renovation of a number of hotels, occasioned by the disaster caused by Hurricane Irma. Those hotels are now fully opened and flourishing.
As a consequence of its recovery efforts, thrust into the tourism marketplace and the quality of its hospitality services, Anguilla, for the third consecutive year, was adjudged “Best Island in the Caribbean (The Bahamas and Bermuda)” by the readers of the internationally-acclaimed Travel & Leisure magazine.
