Phase Three of Commercial Court Project Underway
 |
| An architect’s rendering of the Commercial Court building. The project is slated for completion in May 2009 |
Roadtown, Tortola - The third phase of a project to construct a state-of-the-art commercial court in the Territory is underway.
Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office Ms. Julia Christopher said the contractor, D & B Trucking, is demolishing several interior walls and dismantling parts of the existing structure, including the old bank vault and several exterior balconies.
The demolition phase is expected to be completed by November 15, Ms. Christopher said.
She further stated that as a result of the ongoing works, the Ministry of Communications and Works has closed Customs Road to vehicular traffic. “This is to protect the public during this phase of works,” she said, adding that the department apologizes for any inconvenience caused during the road closure.
The Commercial Court project involves the renovation and expansion of the old Banco Popular de Puerto Rico building in lower
Road Town. “When the building is finished, there will be no sign that it was converted,” Ms. Christopher said. “Rather, it will look like a new building, one which conveys an image on par with the Territory’s reputation as a leader in worldwide financial services.”
Hurd Rolland, a UK firm which specializes in court projects, drew the designs in partnership with BVI architects Roger Downing and Partners. Ms. Christopher said the building has been designed specifically for court use, which means that the floor plan promotes the efficient functioning of the court.
Provisions will be also be made for specialised information technology equipment and software for record storage, retrieval and searching. This includes video links for international witnesses who cannot be here in the Virgin Islands, the Permanent Secretary said.
The objective of the commercial court project is to create a world class court of which the BVI can be proud and which will attract new, high-end, commercial business to the Territory. ~~Adz:Left~~
The overall project cost is estimated at $3.76 million and the projected completion date is May 2009.
British Virgin Islands News