Premier on ESHS contingency funding: ‘I don’t think about that’
Premier Andrew Fahie demonstrated an example of his deep-seated faith recently when asked about contingency plans for funding the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) redevelopment project.
The territory’s leader at the time said he was willing to take funding from the territory’s reserves or even stop other ongoing projects to divert those funds to execute the ESHS project.
But when asked what projects might likely be interrupted, the Premier was keen to emphasise that he has not focused his attention on which contingency options he was actually ready to use.
“I don’t think about that,” Premier Fahie responded. “When I got married I didn’t think that I would be going towards a divorce. I put my all into making the marriage work and that’s what I do with anything I do with government as the Premier. I put my all into it.”
He added: “I don’t look at the negative. If it comes, you deal with it, but that’s not something I’m going to prepare for because you have the contingency, but that’s not something I’m going to prepare to use.”
“Let’s just focus on getting it done, let’s focus on raising the money,” Premier Fahie stated.
Premier Fahie previously called for 70 businesses to donate $60,000 each to the ESHS project, noting that the project had encountered a budget shortfall since its initial tender process several years ago.
It was also disclosed that a single donor had given $4 million towards the project that had an estimated $11 million budget.
Following a recent signing ceremony, contractors commenced working both night and day to ensure that the project meets its deadline of September 2022.
But when asked what projects might likely be interrupted, the Premier was keen to emphasise that he has not focused his attention on which contingency options he was actually ready to use.
“I don’t think about that,” Premier Fahie responded. “When I got married I didn’t think that I would be going towards a divorce. I put my all into making the marriage work and that’s what I do with anything I do with government as the Premier. I put my all into it.”
He added: “I don’t look at the negative. If it comes, you deal with it, but that’s not something I’m going to prepare for because you have the contingency, but that’s not something I’m going to prepare to use.”
“Let’s just focus on getting it done, let’s focus on raising the money,” Premier Fahie stated.
Premier Fahie previously called for 70 businesses to donate $60,000 each to the ESHS project, noting that the project had encountered a budget shortfall since its initial tender process several years ago.
It was also disclosed that a single donor had given $4 million towards the project that had an estimated $11 million budget.
Following a recent signing ceremony, contractors commenced working both night and day to ensure that the project meets its deadline of September 2022.
