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Basseterre, St. Kitts — April 22, 2025
In what is being hailed as both a long-overdue revival and a glaring exposé of government dysfunction, the St. Christopher National Trust has officially announced the long-stalled restoration of the historic Old Treasury Building, home of the National Museum.

In a recent social media post, the Trust triumphantly declared:

“We’re thrilled to share that restoration work on the iconic Old Treasury Building is officially underway! This treasured landmark, rich with history and cultural significance, is getting the care it deserves to preserve its beauty for generations to come.”

But behind the scenes, the project’s delay tells a darker story — one involving years of silence, unanswered questions, and the mysterious disappearance of EC$1.8 million that was earmarked in the 2022 national budget specifically for the museum’s renovation.

Two Years of Delay, Carnival Disruptions & Contractor Exodus

According to the official press release issued on April 4, 2025, the contract was awarded in July 2023 to Parvenir Restoration Trinidad, a respected firm known for its work on Brimstone Hill. But after a ceremonial start in September 2023, including hoarding installation around the building, work ground to a halt in December 2023 for the national Carnival — and never resumed.

Why? Because, as revealed in a shocking moment during the Trust’s press conference, the funds somehow vanished. The contractor, citing non-payment by the State for work already completed, returned to Trinidad in early 2024.

Payments Delayed, Confidence Shattered

Only in July 2024, over a year after the contract signing, were the “outstanding monies” partially paid. Additional costs — racked up due to client delay — were not settled until February 2025, painting a damning picture of bureaucratic mismanagement.

While the government has since made a last-ditch commitment to fund the remainder of the project, the damage has already been done — both to public trust and to the building’s crumbling structure.

Final Push to Save a Crumbling Legacy

An adjusted schedule has now been submitted. Parvenir is expected to resume work this April, and the project is finally projected to be completed by year-end 2025, pending a full structural reassessment.

But for many, the celebration is bittersweet. What should have been a proud, seamless restoration of one of the Federation’s most treasured landmarks became yet another case study in delays, distractions, and disappearing dollars.

The question still lingers:
Where did the EC$1.8 million really go? And who will be held accountable for the two-year delay in preserving our national heritage?

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