Renovations have been completed at the St. George's Police Station which will be handed over to the Service today.

Minister of Works and Engineering, Derrick Burgess made the announcement in the House of Assembly on Friday to the delight of Opposition Leader and St. George's MP Kim Swan and Deputy Mayor of St. George's Kenny Bascome.

Mr. Burgess told the House the renovations to the building cost approximately $650,000 about $350,000 less than originally expected. The upgrades include new floors and wall tiling, rewiring, a new generator, new air-conditioning, exterior masonry repair and painting, roofing repair and paint, millwork, new windows, acoustical ceilings, dry walling and provision of interview rooms.

The work, done by Bermuda Drywall & Ceilings Ltd., began in the beginning of September and took 12 to 13 weeks to complete.

Mr Burgess said: "The St. George's Police Station has served the East End community well for generations and I am certain that East Enders specifically and the community generally will look with pride upon the exceedingly attractive, completely refreshed building."

He added Minister of Public Safety, David Burch would be releasing information shortly on the specifics of the station.

Mr. Bascome said: "As a citizen of St. George's I'm very pleased.

Secondly as one of the persons who have been elected to administrate the affairs of the town, we are very pleased. "And for the community as a whole I believe it's a positive and step in the right direction. With the negative behaviour in the community since the Police station has been moved, hopefully with the Police presence, the activities will cease."

Mr. Bascome continued: "I believe we should have a Police presence 24/7. It brings a certain comfort to the community knowing the police station will be open."

Mr. Swan added: "It has been some five years or more since the promise was made it would be renovated. It became an election issue a year ago.

"I must give some credit to the current minister Mr. Burgess. I've seen him weekly, a number of times each week making sure that the project was going forth in the last month or so.

So I'm very grateful this Minister has made sure and seen the project through."He added: "We can now go into 2009 with hope that we'll get a greater community Policing initiative in the town and surrounding areas of St. George's.

"We have to look forward on a positive because crime is a problem. This can only help us.

I think it's a good Christmas present for us in St. George's to have some positive news like that," he said.Mr. Burgess and the Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing Senator David Burch will conduct an official Ministry to Ministry handover of the Police Station today.