Promises to replace the Hamilton Police Station once labelled by health inspectors as the worst in the western hemisphere date back 25 years.

A new building was first promised by the United Bermuda Party Government and their failure to get the job done was identified by the Progressive Labour Party when it replaced the UBP in 1998.

In his first Budget in February, 1999, new PLP Finance Minister Eugene Cox resolved that Government would set aside $2 million for the new facility which was expected to cost around $25 million.

In Mr. Cox's second Budget announcement in February 2000 he fleshed out the initial plan, which would cost $20 million. Mr. Cox said that $3 million was to be spent in 2000/01, with a completion date set for 2003/04.

The new station and Magistrates' Court would occupy a six-floor complex occupying 17,000-square-feet.

It would be purpose-built with additional security to cater to the needs of the judicial system and would enable people and prisoners to pass between the two departments without having to go outside.

It would include four criminal courts and one family court, 16 police cells, a purpose-built identification parade room, two video interview rooms and prisoner circulation areas. Shower facilities, holding cells, elevators and proper waiting areas were all part of the plan.

Budget statements and Throne Speeches shows that, year in year out, Finance and Public Safety Ministers have repeated the same pledge that work will begin within months. Another $6.3 million was assigned to the project in Mr. Cox's 2001 Budget and further cash followed in the 2002 Budget statement which anticipated the project would go to tender in the first quarter of the 2002/03 fiscal year.

A few months later, then-Works and Engineering Minister David Burch said he hoped construction work would begin by the summer of 2003. But in 2004, Government said it did not want to overheat the construction industry, hence the delay in going out to tender.

Nevertheless, further pledges were made in the 2004 Budget, when new Finance Minister Paula Cox said that "Government regards public safety as a key policy priority".

In March 2005, then-Public Safety Minister Randy Horton assured the public that work would begin that year, with $39.5 million in funding set aside for construction.

And in her Budget statement of 2006, Ms. Cox once again said that work would begin imminently, adding that ground was expected to be broken in May.

However, in May of that year, Sen. Burch, who had been switched from Works and Engineering to Public Safety, announced that the building plans needed to be studied again so that additional court rooms could be incorporated into the design.

It is not known who Government consulted to have the plans re-drafted, but it appears the original architects were not involved. In December 2006, Geoff Brown of Toronto-based Carruthers, Shaw and Partners, told the Mid-Ocean News: "Nothing has taken place on this for two years we've just been sitting on it waiting for the go-ahead.

"We were last aiming at December 2004 and were then told that things would be going ahead in January 2005. That's when I started doing my final checks on the drawings but I stopped after a while because there was no action on the project."

In February 2007, Ms Cox once again predicted that work would begin in June. Shortly afterwards health inspectors discovered the existing station was riddled with mould.

That report followed criticisms last year from an HM Inspectorate of Constabulary team which claimed that the building contained so many hazards that officers were at risk of serious injury.

The Bermuda Police Association said the current station was meant to be a temporary location back in 1978 and BPA head Det. Con. Carl Neblett said inspectors had branded it the worst Police station in the western hemisphere.

Planning permission for the new court and Police complex had been originally approved in principle in February 2001 but construction finally began in December 2007 just days before the election.

Local firm Landmark Construction, set up in 2001, won the contract for the multi-million-dollar project after teaming up with Canadian company Lisgar.

Ten firms had expressed an interest in bidding for the project and five were shortlisted and invited to submit bids, with Landmark beating one rival. Works and Engineering technical officers had recommended Apex, not Landmark/Lisgar but were overruled just as they had been on the notorious Berkeley project which came in three years late and more than $55 million over budget.

Landmark/Lisgar were made responsible for the construction work and management of the construction schedule, the sub-contractors, the construction site and the final construction product.

Government hoped contractors left out of previous Government contracts would get a piece of the action under this arrangement.

Landmark/Lisgar agreed to finish the job for a guaranteed maximum price, with a bonus if they brought in the job for less.