Garcia: 27 schools on priority list for completion

EDUCATION Minister Anthony Garcia said there are 27 schools on a ministry priority list for completion.

He was responding to a question in House on Friday from Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim who asked about the $800 million allocated to complete schools in 2015, a list of schools to be completed and expected commencement and completion dates.

Garcia said in September 2015 upon assuming office, "We encountered a disorganised school construction programme with 116 school construction projects in various stages of completion and billions of dollars owed to contractors."

He reported following closer examination the ministry found that contracts for 46 of those projects were awarded during a six-month period between March 2015 and September 2015 in an election year. The financial commitment for these 46 projects amounted to approximately $894 million which was in addition to $2.1 billion in commitments to incomplete projects initiated earlier than 2015.

"All told, at September 2015 the total commitment of the Ministry of Education for complete and ongoing school construction projects was in excess of $3 billion."

He said, in addition to $1 billion in funds provided under the Infrastructure Development Fund, over the last four years the ministry raised $400 million directly to settle arrears of payments owed to contractors using MTS as a paying agent.

"In view of the massive debt burden and economic challenges we faced, one of the practical approaches taken was to develop a priority listing of schools for completion."

He said the list largely comprised incomplete Early Childhood Care and Education Centres, primary school and secondary school projects but also a few completely new projects. The list initially numbered 22 projects but was expanded to 27. To complete the 27 projects the Finance Ministry has been authorised to raise $800 million in loan financing, $400 million of which has already been raised, with MTS selected as the implementing agency for the projects.

Of the 27 schools work has been completed on Belmont Boys RC Primary, with outstanding payment to the consultant pending, and has commenced on nine others:

• Siparia/Union Presbyterian Primary – scheduled completion August

• Chatham Government Primary – scheduled completion July

• Marabella Anglican Primary – scheduled completion October

• Malabar Government Primary – scheduled completion October

• San Juan Boys and Girls Government Primary – scheduled completion June

• Santa Flora Government Primary – scheduled completion July

• Wallerfield ECCE – scheduled completion March

• St Augustine Girls High School – scheduled completion October

• Holy Cross College – scheduled completion October

The other schools on the list are: Ramai Trace SDMS Primary, Lower Morvant Government Primary, Fanny Village Government Primary, Belle Vue ECCE, Piccadilly Government Primary, Moruga AC Primary, St Phillips Government Primary, La Horquetta ECCE, Egypt Oasis ECCE, Arima Central Secondary, Mt Hope Secondary, St Joseph Secondary, Barataria North Secondary, Toco Secondary, Bishop Anstey High, Hillview College, and Holy Name Convent Port of Spain.

He said that given the drastic decline in revenues from petroleum, which began in 2014 and accelerated in 2015, "burdening the State with additional commitments in the latter half of 2015 to the tune of $894 million can only be considered as irresponsible and unsustainable."

He added in September 2015 when the current administration assumed office and when oil and gas prices were plummeting the ministry found that several contractors were already owed substantial sums which negatively affected their ability to maintain construction site activity.

"Faced with this challenge, the Ministry of Education has been using the resources available to it to settle the amounts owed."

Garcia reported over the past four years hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to pay overdue accounts from previous years and associated claims and High Court judgments awarded to contractors.

"The sheer weight of the remaining indebtedness is still daunting."