The new Berkeley Institute was certified safe after an inspection on Tuesday by Planning and the Fire Service, Works and Engineering and Housing Minister Sen. David Burch said yesterday.

Sen. Burch said in a release that the entire Senior School now has Occupancy Permits ? apart from the gymnasium.

Concerns for the safety of hundreds of guests at the starting day of a three-day Multi-Addiction Conference were raised on Tuesday because the school had not yet received the safety all-clear.

Former site superintendent Gabriel Martel initially raised safety concerns about electricals, fire-proofing and the structural integrity of the unfinished school weeks ago.

The Minister revealed yesterday that the Department of Planning?s Building Control requested Works and Engineering make sure the school was built to spec, as a result of Mr. Martel?s revelations.

?Last week Building Control requested that the Ministry acquire re-confirmation from the electrical, mechanical and structural inspecting engineers attesting to the fact that the structure had been built in accordance with the drawings and any applicable codes,? Sen. Burch said. ?These were provided on March 3.?

On Tuesday, representatives of Building Control, the Bermuda Fire Service, Somers Construction Ltd. and the Ministry inspected the school, he said.

?That inspection covered all aspects of the school including interior and exterior works, guard-rails, fencing, et cetera, that were found to be satisfactory to Building Control,? Sen. Burch said.

Only two items remain to be completed before students take the new Berkeley over in September, he said, installation of some permanently-lit emergency lights and of fire detectors.

?At the conclusion of the inspection ? a Certificate of Use and Occupancy Permit was issued for all zones in the main buildings ? or in other words the entire school excluding the gymnasium,? he said.

?It is, therefore, safe to say that the New Senior Secondary School has passed all the hurdles required to obtain a Certificate of Use and Occupancy Permit ? I trust that this puts to rest those concerns expressed regarding the safety of the school.?

An open house will be organised shortly at the school, he said, should any other members of the public remain concerned.

There have been numerous searches done by the public at the Department of Planning about the new school, but Sen. Burch said he considered this normal process.

Building Control issued a Certificate of Substantial Completion for all main school buildings, apart from the cafeteria and gym, on December 29, 2005.

However, Building Control agreed with Works and Engineering that a final walk through was necessary before students arrived and the final site inspection took place, he said.

Sen. Burch said he would never compromise anyone?s safety for political gain.