Government staff are due to move into the new police/court building this weekend, Public Works Minister Derrick Burgess said this morning.Mr Burgess held a press conference where he said the building was due to be finished in August last year, but said the delay was due to factors out of Government control.“Of course, we are now some six months beyond that date, but you will hear later in my statement that the extension in time resulted from essential design changes and other factors beyond the control of Government or the contractors.“Allow me to comment further on the allocated funding for the project. When the base building contract was signed three years ago, the TAF [Total Allowed Funding] for the project was $78 million. Then on May 14 last year, I informed the House of Assembly and the people of Bermuda that as construction progressed, the contractor received approval to make changes in a number of areas where the drawings for the new building were found to be incomplete or deficient or where changes were required as a result of the PACE legislation and recent amendments to the Fire Code, for example. These changes were unanticipated and led to a House of Assembly approved increase in the TAF from $78 million to $91.8 million.”The Minister cited three examples:* By way of example, the mechanical space had to be completely re-designed to suit the needs of the mechanical equipment that was specified; Stair No. 5 had no head room clearance and the roof in this area had to be re-designed and the structural steel changed; Stair No.1 was not coordinated with the space in which it was intended to fit, with the result that re-design was required; Stair No. 3 was designed to be less than minimum code width; and critically important operational security at both principal entrances to the building had been completely overlooked.* The basis of design of the new building, from a Building Code perspective, was not current at the time of construction. The largest single line item here is the smoke evacuation system which was not part of the original design and became required due to the added floor. The electrical load from the smoke evacuation system also added to generator re-sizing.Only yesterday, the Chief Fire Officer reminded us that buildings of five storeys or more are now designated in the NFTA code as ‘high rise', a designation that was not in place at the time that the building was designed. Consequently, pressurization of a further two stairwells in the north building was required.* During the construction phase, each tenant has been consulted and the internal fit out of their space designed to meet specific operational needs. Consequently, during the course of the project, its scope expanded in a number of areas, including all Bermuda Police Service and Magistrates' Court user changes such as compliance with provisions of the PACE legislation, and in part including the addition of ten holding cells, added security for both custodial and Bermuda Police Service personnel and other PACE related changes. PACE compliance had a significant impact upon both time and cost.“The Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building remains a beehive of activity. Vendors are currently delivering and installing office furniture, equipment and appliances and personnel from Government's Information Technology Office are currently completing installation of network and telecommunications equipment whilst the building systems including fire alarm, security and court recording have been commissioned and tested in preparation for phased occupation of the building,” added the Minister.“The Ministry of Youth, Family, Sports and Community Development Headquarters is expected to move into the fourth floor of the south building this weekend, with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, to be located on the same floor, to follow shortly thereafter.“The Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Services is expected to begin moving onto the fifth floor of the north building next week, to be followed shortly thereafter by the Department of Planning which will be on the same floor. Over the next month, we shall see this magnificent building reaching 100 percent occupancy, with major public announcements to be made regarding the move of the Magistrates' Courts, the Department of Court Services and the Hamilton Police Station in particular.“The former Auditor General said that for projects of this size it is an international norm to experience a ten percent to 15 percent cost overrun on a major project like the Dame Lois Browne Evans Building. I anticipate that this project will experienced a maximum three percent cost overrun.”