The new Berkeley school is 70 percent complete, Government claimed yesterday, but the Opposition again voiced frustration over delays and spiralling costs.

A Government statement said more than two thirds of the senior school has been handed over to the Education and Development Ministry for outfitting prior to opening in January.

That Ministry recently took control of the Design and Technology classrooms and teachers? work areas.

Last month the administration area, library, staff rooms and classrooms for science, textiles, food and nutrition, business and media studies were passed on for furnishing.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering expects to hand over other areas such as the atrium and entrance lobby within the next two weeks.

The 850-student school will feature specialised computer graphics and design and technology labs.

Opposition Education spokesman Neville Darrell welcomed news the building was nearly complete but fears the final cost will be twice the original estimate.

?We have no firm numbers,? he said. ?We hear people speaking casually about costs of $148 million. I think it?s irresponsible to put those numbers out.

?But we do know it?s profoundly over budget and we suspect the final costs could have built two facilities of the same scope that we are now paying to fund one school.

?It is hard to have overwhelming excitement and support over this project which is clearly many years behind schedule.?

Mr. Darrell, a former Berkeley-ite, recalled the school motto was to ?Keep the end in view? but he said the Government?s handling had done the opposite with the costs and delivery date far exceeding what was promised.

He said the building was a metaphor for the PLP?s entire performance in Government with high hopes giving way to low delivery and prohibitive costs.

The original completion date for the new school was September 2003 but was twice pushed back by a year and then extended to January, 2006.

The project was started in 2002 at an estimated cost of $88 million. In June this year it was estimated it would cost $121 million upon completion ? $33 million more than the original estimate. By Press time last night, Government had failed to respond to a question on the current cost total.

Original contractors ProActive were sacked from the site last summer and are now claiming multimillion dollar damages.

Company spokesman Julian Hall said ProActive is busy providing Government with details of the claim ahead of a preliminary arbitration hearing at the end of the month.