FEWER than 24 hours after she was sworn in as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand on Sunday visited the incomplete Bamia Primary School in Region 10, where she engaged the contractors responsible for executing the project.

The minister who had just completed a successful five-year stint at the helm of the education ministry, pledged that this project will be completed and promised that children will enjoy the benefits intended by the PPP/C government.

In a video posted on her Facebook page, Minister Manickchand said: “No ifs and buts. It WILL finish. The contractors have been made aware that they either finish the project in accordance with our newly set timelines or someone else will.”

She said the school is being built by the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry; however, it has been taking a while.

“This is a school that’s going to take out its entire catchment. Right now, what’s happening is the children are on shift or sitting three and four on a bench …We can’t continue that,” she said while standing at the site.

The Bamia Primary School contract was awarded to St8ment Investment Inc in 2021 and was valued at $364 million. The contract-signing was facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

For some time, the project has been facing several challenges which include material shortages, rising costs, and labour shortages. The construction company was granted an extension to complete the school by late 2024. Subsequent reports in the media indicate that the project would have been completed in time for the September 8 start of the 2025 school year.

The facility is expected to accommodate some 800 pupils and is expected to be Region 10’s most modern school.

Additionally, the school is being designed to include state-of-the-art facilities such as a gymnasium; a main building with 44 spacious classrooms; an auditorium with a performance stage; a sick bay equipped with showers; two smart classrooms; modern restroom facilities; a library; a music room; science lab and staff room.

Minister Manickchand in her post noted that during the meeting with the contractor and sub-contractors, a list of things that still needs to be done was discussed. She noted that the ministry will be assigning someone to the project to ensure that the works are finished in keeping with the agreed timeline.

She said: “These children have to come into this school and we’re looking at a date in October to begin this; so we’re going to make sure we put a project manager on the premises and run down the things that have to [be] finished, and the contractors have been told that it’s either they finish this or come off the project; so we’re very clear about what we want for the children who are going to attend here. That’s serious business for us.”