The Minister of Finance, Camilo Gonsalves, has announced that students enrolled at Thomas Secondary School will not be resuming classes at their original location until January 2027.
Gonsalves stated that the start of construction for the Thomas Saunders Secondary School was originally planned for late 2023. Nevertheless, a preliminary structural assessment indicated that the current edifice designated for rehabilitation lacked structural integrity.
The minister stated that, following the engineer’s evaluation, a determination was reached to entirely dismantle the antiquated portion of the school and erect a newly conceived edifice.
“This triggered a comprehensive consultant selection process to develop a safer and more functional design for the school rather than simply building back what was there before. It incorporates enhanced and expanded facilities to better meet the needs of a modern student population. In 2025, demolition of the original building is scheduled to commence, followed by construction of the redesigned facility.”
Gonsalves said the selected design consultant consulting firm has experienced some internal challenges which he would not want to detail; however, the final tender package is expected to be received from that entity by the end of the first week of May.
“Upon receipt of the final tender package, tender documents will be reviewed and approved by the relevant stakeholders. The procurement procedure for the contractor selection will then proceed, with contract construction expected to begin by September of 2025. The construction phase is projected to span 12 to 15 months, with an anticipated completion date of November of 2026″.
