Government has made plans to bring in an ?independent assessment team? to inspect the new senior Secondary School construction project, according to a statement from the Department of Communication and Information.

?The Government thanked the Opposition for their concern, saying that for once, both Government and the Opposition are in agreement.?

The statement came on the heels of, and in response to, a statement by Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons calling for such an assessment.

It contained no details besides saying that plans to bring in the team had already been made.

ProActive Management Systems? immediate response was that they had not been consulted on any decision to bring in an independent team.

?Independent of what?? asked a company spokesman.

Dr. Gibbons said the independent assessment team would report on the financial status and current state of construction of the new senior secondary school project.

He said that it was obvious that an ?independent, objective? assessment was needed.

?This assessment would allow all of the excuses and political rhetoric to be swept aside and enable the public to obtain a true picture of where the project stands, how much longer it will take to be completed and what the final estimated cost to the taxpayer will be,? he said.

?All parties to the current debacle, including the PLP government, ProActive Management and Union Asset Holdings, have a vested interest in protecting their reputations and their money,? continued Dr. Gibbons. ?At this point, no one has any credibility. Even a potential successor to ProActive will be self-interested. But someone needs to be looking out for the interests of the workers, the parents and students, and of course the taxpayers, all of whom have been abused in this tragedy.?

Besides quantity surveyors, the team would include representatives of the Auditor General, ?to ensure complete objectivity in both the analysis and the final report and to enable the Auditor General to begin a complete financial audit of the project,? the statement continues.

?This independent assessment would provide the basis for estimating costs as well as a new timetable for any new contract manager that Government, or the bondholder, Union Asset Holdings, hires to complete the project. Done properly, the assessment should take several weeks, enabling construction to restart quickly. Such an assessment could also form the basis for the arbitration required to settle existing claims between Government and ProActive Management.?

Dr. Gibbons is also suggesting that the Finance Ministry appoint an independent accounting firm to probe ProActive Management System?s financial records.

?They would investigate the company?s allegations about insufficient financial support from the Works and Engineering Ministry and the disposition of funds to subcontractors, payroll and materials. This report should be shared with the Auditor General and included in his overall assessment of the financial status of the Berkeley project.?

Last week Government terminated ProActive?s contract to build the new school and said that Somers Construction, one of the original competitors for the contract, will be conducting an assessment on the project.

ProActive is planning to ask an arbitrator to award damages for wrongful termination and has claimed that civil servants sabotaged the project.

Dr. Gibbons said that since the termination the public had been treated to ?claims and counterclaims? by parties with a vested interest and doubtful credibility, and only an independent assessment could establish the truth. ?The Premier?s priorities should be clear: Tell the truth or let someone else do it, get the workers back to work and get the students into their new school.?

When contacted a ProActive spokesperson said that the company had no further comment but a Press conference would be held today.