Renovation of Bequia Community High further delayed to October

The completion of the renovation of the Bequia Community High School, which was initially estimated to take one year, has been further delayed until October, even after a five-month extension.  

And, Minister of Education Curtis King told Parliament that students are unlikely to move back into their renovated campus until January 2025.

On Thursday, Leader of the Opposition Godwin Friday, who is MP for the Northern Grenadines, where the school is located, pointed out to Parliament that the renovation of has taken much longer than originally projected.

Friday said the work is still far from complete, resulting in great inconvenience for students and teachers. 

He asked King to provide an update on the status of the project and to say when it would be completed.

King acknowledged that the initial contract period was 12 months and was extended to “to a four to five months, and we’re still not there”.

He, however, said that the school is “not far from completion.

“And secondly, the conclusion that students and teachers are experiencing great inconvenience. Of course, if you don’t have your home campus and you’re in temporary accommodation, there will be some inconvenience that you would experience, but to say, great inconvenience that might be taking it too far.”

King told Parliament that Hurricane Beryl did not directly impact the construction of the school.

“However, a significant portion of the workforce could not return to work for approximately two weeks. And I should add also that there was a period of one week when there was no electricity at the site.”

The education minister told Parliament that the project was into its “final phase, with the main building expected to be completed by the end of September and exterior work slated for completion by mid-October.

“And as persons can see, as passing and looking at the building, we can identify that it is in the final phase, given the work that is being done now,” King said.

He said he wanted to assure Parliament and the public “that when this is delivered sometime in mid-October, that it will represent a wonderful, a magnificent and a great upgrade on what existed before.

“And, like Bequia Anglican Primary School, will become shining pride for the people of Bequia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines on a whole.”

In a supplementary question, Friday asked whether the mid-October completion date means that students would move into the school in the January term.

King said: “… as indicated, the building will be delivered, facilities are will be delivered in October, and the intention is to move into the new building, that is to say the students and teachers by January.

“Of course, there are some who have the view that we can move in, after the independence. That is to say, all in November, but we have not yet decided. I would say, most likely, it seems January of 2025.”