Progress on the Police/Court building is increasing pace said Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess yesterday.

The $78 million project has been dogged with controversy after earlier delays but Mr. Burgess said the site is being worked seven days a week with around 70 tradespersons on site most days.

He told the House yesterday: "There has been pleasing progress at the site during the past two months, with no deviations from the construction or schedule.

"The weather has remained most favourable from a construction perspective, with little rain or wind to impact lifting operations and the contractor, LLC Bermuda Ltd., is meeting its 30-day look ahead schedule for concrete pours and steel erection."

Mr. Burgess said the erection of concrete walls and shafts, structural steel erection and masonry cladding remain priorities at the site.

He added: "There are now three complete floors above the ground floor structural slab in the northern portion of the structure and it is expected that the fifth floor will be poured by June 10."

Recent milestones include completion of the structural steel and concrete topped steel decking on the entire fourth floor and enclosing the south roof, said Mr. Burgess.

He said the south tower exterior masonry, lintels and spandrels has been completed and these trades are now on the north side.

"The pace of the masonry has picked up considerably over the past several weeks," added Mr. Burgess.