Premier says $380,000 budgeted to replace roof and windows at Government House
Government House must be fixed properly or it could collapse around the Governor, the leader of the One Bermuda Alliance told MPs.
Cole Simons was speaking after David Burt announced that $380,000 has been budgeted this year to replace the roof and windows at the Governor’s residence.
The Premier also told MPs that more than $1 million has been set aside for renovations to Sessions House, which houses a Supreme Court and the House of Assembly, and a court consolidation project.
Speaking on this year’s budget for the office of the Governor on Monday, the Premier said: “It should be noted that Government House was initially constructed in [the 19th century] and has deteriorating infrastructure, which requires substantial capital investment to provide a safe working environment for staff and a safe residence for Her Excellency.”
A capital expenditure of $380,000 has been allocated this year for the renovations, an increase from last year’s $300,000.
Mr Burt added: “The Ministry of Public Works continues to work with Government House and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, also housed at the building, on the best way forward with this sizeable capital expenditure.”
Calling the residence “an asset to our country”, Mr Simons suggested that more money should be given for work on the building.
He said: “Annual payments for these repairs are like Band-Aids and we are positioning ourselves to have a larger bill going forward.
“At the end of the day, if we do not get this property fixed properly, it would collapse around the Governor.”
The Premier also said that renovations will continue at Sessions House with the Supreme Court room relocating to the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building on Court Street. Owing to a case backlog and Covid-19, the court has so far been unable to relocate.
It was announced in 2019 that Supreme Court cases would no longer be heard at Sessions House once the renovations at the building were completed.
A capital expenditure of $550,000 has been allocated this year for repairs to Sessions House and $570,000 has been set aside for the court consolidation project.
The yearly rental fee for Veritas Place, where the House of Assembly sits at present, is $184,000.
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