Update on storm damage repairs, 16th October 2019
Report from Administrator Sean Burns
Communications
Since the last update, a Vodafone / Foreign and Commonwealth Office engineer has visited to check, repair and update the satellite communications equipment. The phones continue to work well and all government departments now have an internet connection. We are rolling out the internet to the community this week via a new wifi system. Our small amount of bandwidth is challenging but we hope that people will be able to get some connectivity. The TV and radio are now working fine.
Police Station repairs in progress with Inspector Conrad Glass looking on
Police Station
A team of pensioners (Joseph, Roger, Jack and Dougie) have already replaced the ceiling and the office partitions. Connie has taken the opportunity to make some alterations. Robin and the electrical team have almost completed the electrical work. A visiting team from South Africa will re-roof the building and Inspector Conrad Glass and Sharon Glass hope to be back in sometime in November.
Two views above and below of the Post Office and Tourism Centre as repairs continue
Post Office and Tourism Centre
The contractors have split their time between working in the centre and re-roofing depending on the weather and are moving fast on this project. Iris, Dawn and the team have also taken the opportunity to redesign the layout to better suit their needs. This building will also need a new roof. The team hope to be back in by December.
Two views, above and below of work progressing in the Council Chamber,
part of the Administration Building.
Administration Building
The PWD team has been working with another group of pensioners (Eric, Ches, Herbert, Stanley, Terence, Brian and Alan). All the ceilings have been repaired and redecorated. Masonite has been replaced and they are now retiling. Electrical work will soon be finished and the new roof will go on this week. We hope to be back in the office in the next two weeks. Once we are out of the residency where the temporary office is, work can then start there. This should not take long so Marina and I hope we can move back home by early November.
St Mary's School
The teams will then combine and focus on the school, which we hope will be ready for the January start. That work will need completing before mid-December. The school are in the process of compiling a list of materials and equipment they lost in the storm that money raised by the Tristan da Cunha Association and fundraisers on St Helena and have very kindly helped with. This is much appreciated.
The PWD Mechanical Store starting to be repaired.
Mechanical Sheds
The contractors have this week completed the recladding and reroofing of the mechanical workshop. Contractors have also completed the frame for the mechanical store, ready for all the materials arriving in November for harbour repairs (which are not July storm related)
Boat Sheds
We will then move on to fixing up the boat sheds and some of the outbuildings that suffered damage.
Summary
So work is continuing and we are making good progress. Everyone is working hard in between all their other work responsibilities plus fishing, planting and everything else islanders have to do. We are very grateful to the pensioners coming back to work. They are going a great job and seem to be enjoying themselves in the process!