A contract to begin reconstructing the Flax Administration Building on Virgin Gorda was signed on May 1.
The $1.2 million dollar contract will be implemented by the Deputy Governor’s Office with support from the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and is funded by the Government of the Virgin Islands through the Caribbean Development Bank’s Recovery and Rehabilitation Loan.
The project will include the rebuilding of the two-storey facility, including the rebuilding of the roof, building, internal refurbishment and its re-fitting.
Once the Flax Building is completed, the facility will be able to provide healthy, safe and productive facilities for several Public Officers to provide public services, including but not limited to: BVI Post, Social Security, Inland Revenue, Labour, Immigration, Water and Sewage, Environmental Health, Magistracy, Department of Motor Vehicles, Civil Registry and Passport Office and the District Office.
His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Augustus J.U. Japsert, in offering remarks said, “This project is important for capacity building to support our local industry.” This, Governor Jaspert said, is “important to getting the core infrastructure in Virgin Gorda back to being better than it was before.”
Deputy Governor, Mr. David D. Archer, Jr. said, “This project is a commitment to all Public Officers, to look after their wellbeing, their health and safety regardless of where they might live.”
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the RDA, Mr. Anthony McMaster said the RDA is expected to inject some $40 million dollars into the economy through projects over the next 18 to 24 months. He continued, “We understand the impacts to the local economy and we are rising to the challenge to ensure that this money is injected into the Territory.”
The new facility will be modernised to incorporate the provision of efficient and effective public services, including e-governance in accordance with the Government’s vision for a transformed public services.