March 2001

* Five bidders were pre-qualified for the project, BCM McAlpine, BermudaTech, Somers, Tristar and Pro-Active.

Mid-March 2001

* Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) chief Derrick Burgess urged Government only to consider those companies that were unionised. Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said each bid must be treated equally, saying "we would find ourselves in trouble if we excluded any bid because of something like that."

* Announcement on successful contractor expected.

March 2001

*Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott announced an incentive scheme, paying employers on the project $10 a week for every Bermudian they hired. The scheme was slammed by some contractors, the Opposition and president of the BIU Derrick Burgess, who is also a Government backbencher.

March/April 2001

* Mr. Burgess did a U-turn and said he was in favour of the incentive scheme, saying the bonus money would be spent on extra training for Bermudians.

May 2001

* The decision on who had won the contract was delayed by some weeks. Criticism followed after Pro-Active was awarded the project, despite having little experience and putting in a bid $5 million above the now defunct BermudaTech. Government said it wanted the contract to go to the most Bermudianised company that would employ the most Bermudians.

* Government said a new insurance company had been formed to provide the performance bond (insurance) for Pro-Active, but refused to name names.

* The Construction Association and Chamber of Commerce construction division asked Government to clarify its position on its tendering process.

July 2001.

* The BIU was claimed to be the organisation that had provided the bond, despite Mr. Burgess refusing to comment on it.

August 2001.

* Sub-contractors claimed they were being refused work at the site unless they joined the BIU first, as the site had unofficially become a "union-site". The Bermuda Employers' Council claimed it was illegal, and the Government denied the claim.

* Regular claims are made the project is way behind schedule, with both Pro-Active and Government denying them. They regular claim the school will be open by September 2003.

April /May 2002.

* A Police investigation is launched after Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott alleges that UBP-approved candidate Roger Russell had tried to coerce documents on the project out of a civil servant by telling him that a raid was going to be held on Ministry offices and the worker was going to be the fall guy. Mr. Russell denied the allegations and made a series of his own, which were denied by Mr. Scott.

* Mr. Scott says 95 percent of staff on site are Bermudian.

September 2002.

* The Police investigation seems to come to an end, without charges.

* Mr. Scott admits the project is two months behind schedule, but claims the time can be made up and the school will be open on time.