Two government agencies will occupy the controversial Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) building.
This was revealed by Prime Minister Gaston Browne earlier this week while he was speaking in Parliament.
“The ADOMS building has been completed. In fact, the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) will be taking up occupancy in that building within a matter of weeks. They are now purchasing the furnishings and I believe the Tourism Authority as well will be occupying the building,” Browne said.
“We want to make sure we get, let’s say agencies in the government that have revenue bases or sources of revenue to pay the rent to take the strain off of central government.”
Construction on the ADOMS building commenced in 2013 with an estimated cost of $17 million, and was projected to be completed by May 2015.
In 2014 the building was reportedly under budget and ahead of schedule.
However, work on the building was not completed by the proposed 2015 end date, and was halted in August 2018, reportedly costing the government over $30 million.
The project manager Wendell Marshall came under fire from the Cabinet with Prime Minister Browne demanding that the ADOMS board should fire him or resign; but the board refused to sack Marshall.
His contract ended on July 31 of that year and was not renewed. Subsequently, the five-member ADOMS board was dissolved.
The burden of assessing the facility and finishing the job was placed on the Ministry of Public Works and, in January of this year, the Factory Road building was completed.
Since completion, government has indicated interest in sourcing occupants who will provide rental income to meet the cost of repaying loans and overruns.