The company behind the controversial contract to build the Bamia Primary School said on Wednesday that the project is now 95% complete.
A number of extensions were granted to the company, St8tment Investment Inc – comprised of entertainers and sportsmen – to complete the project. The construction project was originally given a 20-month lifespan in November of 2021 and was expected to be completed in July of 2023. It means it is more than 15 months behind schedule.
St8tment Inc which has not spoken often on the project said in a statement on Wednesday “Despite political mischief and various challenges during construction—such as material shortages, rising costs, and labor shortages—the Bamia School in Linden, Region 10, is now 95% complete”.
It said that given the challenges encountered, the company was granted an extension to complete the school by late 2024, and it remained on track to meet this revised deadline, with minimum work to be completed in the areas of electrical works and plumbing.
Akannie Blair, the Project’s Chief Foreman, stated, “This will be one of the region’s most modern and advanced schools and is set to be a great environment for learning.”
The release said that the school is designed with state-of-the-art facilities, including a gymnasium, a main building housing 44 spacious classrooms, an auditorium with a performance stage, a sick bay equipped with showers, two smart classrooms, modern restroom facilities, a library, music room, science lab, staff room, and more.
The contract was awarded under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
St8ment Investment Inc was awarded the $346 million contract despite never having constructed a school before. The company, whose principals are Rawle Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment along with Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament, was formed just a few months before bidding for the project and had no proven construction background.
Last Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo raised eyebrows when he said that the school had been completed. Photographs taken after his announcement showed that the school had clearly not been finished.
