A report into the progress and handling of the controversial new $70 million secondary school is to be presented to Parliament within the next month.

Auditor General Larry Dennis said the special audit of the project was now complete and ready for presentation to the House of Assembly.

"It's going to come before the House soon," said Mr. Dennis. "It will probably be within the next month.

"Because this is such a big project, and it has received so much attention, I believe the legislature should be handed the report sooner, rather than later.

"The further reports on other projects would normally come out in my annual report in April. That is all I have to say."

The Royal Gazette reported last month how construction experts and workers on the site had claimed the massive project was up to a year behind schedule.

It is supposed to be ready and open to students by the start of September next year, however, sources close to the project said, unofficially, everyone was working towards an Easter, 2004 deadline.

But even then, they said, the deadline may not be met, and September 2004 may be closer to reality.

However, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott, who is responsible for the site, has repeatedly claimed that the project is only about two months behind schedule, and has promised that it is on budget.

He aims to have the school open to students by September next year, although he said building work may have to continue for some months after.

Last Thursday, he said he believed the auditor's report on the project would vindicate both general contractor Pro-Active Managements Systems Ltd, and his Ministry.

He said: "The auditor, I think, will report that basically much of the allegations and inuendo which appeared in your newspaper, and which the Opposition has been reporting, is just unfounded."

And asked if he thought it would prove his claims over the progress of the site, he responded: "Yes, it probably will.

"Although I have some reservations about how the auditor reports. I think he editorialises sometimes.

"I think the report will detail how we have met all of the protocols required. It (the project) has been run very tightly and very effectively from the tendering process, putting the bond in place, and the costs have been correct."

However, Mr. Scott said the project was "not on schedule, as we would have liked."

He said estimating just how far behind the project was was difficult because it depended on which yard stick you used, and whose.

He added: "We still are shooting to have students, if at all possible, on to the site on deadline, but that does not mean that the project will be finished.

"The yard stick being used re: completion of the contract is all things finished. All things finished, it may be six months or more (after September, 2003) before the final paint brush stroke is made and the final brick is laid.

"But, to have the students in, we don't need all the details completed. We are aiming for an occupancy certificate... and when is the earliest time we can obtain an occupancy certificate for the students to be moved into the building.

"We are trying to see if we can still realise the students going in there on time, or shortly thereafter the September deadline.

"When you have sources saying that the building won't be completed three, four, six months after, they may be quite right."

Mr. Scott said even if completion of the work was six months or more delayed, it would not put the project over budget.

He added: "We will still come under."

Normally, audit reports on this type of project would usually be expected to cover finances, budgets, money spent so far, and time frames and deadlines.

If the project is significantly behind, an audit report such as this would be expected to say so.

Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Erwin Adderley has said that he believed Mr. Scott was setting the Minister of Environment Dennis Lister up to be the fall guy on the alleged delay.

He said by stating the school would be open, provided a partial occupancy certificate was granted by planners, was placing the responsibility on the Planning Department, and therefore Mr. Lister.

But he said the United Bermuda Party still wished to know what the contingency plan was for students next year, should all of them be unable to attend the new Berkeley site.