Government’s ageing complement of buildings are to be reviewed over the year ahead — and some may even be demolished, according to Public Works Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin.

With the exception of the new Dame Lois Browne Evans Building, the stock of Government buildings are “dated”, the Minister told MPs, with several standing vacant and in disrepair, including Teucer House, the old Hamilton Police Station and the Bishop Spencer School.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin said the Department of Public Lands and Buildings had been charged with creating an Estate Management Plan that examine current usage of Government’s land and buildings — and deliver a “road map” to getting more out of them. This will include properties rented from the private sector.

“The importance of properly planned maintenance has been highlighted by ongoing discoveries of mould,” she said. “Most major Government buildings were constructed at least 30 years ago. Over the past 20 to 30 years, many of our facilities have received only basic reactive maintenance and no planned or programmed maintenance.

“This practice has resulted in a portfolio of buildings that are currently facing major refurbishment needs, with their physical plant and major systems having reached the end of their life cycle.

“The evaluation as to whether such buildings should be refurbished or even demolished will be assessed through the Estates Management Plan.”

The plan will be used to bring “properties that are needed back into use”, the Minister said — and to “dispose of those properties that do not meet our current or future needs”.

After persistent staff shortages, Bermudian Sudell Joseph has been promoted to the post of senior estates surveyor, with another local to be appointed “within the next month”.

Government is also recruiting two surveyors, she told the House of Assembly, with a long standing shortage of chartered surveyors hampering performance.