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BDA critical of police/court building delay

The new combined police and court building has been dogged by controversy

Construction work is still ongoing at the police/court building five days after Government had said it would be completed.The site at the junction of Church, Court and Victoria Street remained a hive of activity yesterday, with elements including the tile work apparently still needing to be finished.Bermuda Democratic Alliance Works spokesman Dueane Dill said: “Even to my admittedly untrained eye, the building does not look complete.“I accept the fact that deadlines can be missed but the issue here is we have had a promise by the Minister of a completion and his agreement that he would keep the public informed. December 31 is December 31.“From my best business practice, if I make a promise to a client to produce a product on a certain date, if I know I'm not going to make it I let them know.”On December 3, Works Minister Derrick Burgess announced all construction aspects of the controversial project would be finished, with part of the building furnished, by December 31.Since then, the Ministry has not responded to requests for an update on the building, named after former Progressive Labour Party leader Dame Lois Browne-Evans.Government has faced frequent criticism for taking too long to erect the building; its initial opening deadline was August 2010.Mr Dill added: “We have missed another deadline and also had no update as to when the expected completed date will be now, or any explanation as to why we had yet another delay.”The estimated total cost of $91.8 million is $13.8 million more than the original total allowed funding of $78 million.Mr Burgess has criticised the media for saying the project went over budget, but Mr Dill said yesterday: “If you keep increasing the budget, you can always say you are within the budget.“You also have to question whether this delay will incur the project any more costs.”

Bermuda Democratic Alliance Public Works spokesman Dueane Dill is critical of the delay in building the new police and court building