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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — In a stunning revelation that’s rocking the heritage and government circles, President of the St. Christopher National Trust, Mr. Kevin Taylor, has gone public with damning details about the long-stalled $1.8 million museum restoration project—pointing fingers at state funding delays, contract amendments, and a timeline gone horribly off track.

Addressing the press with what some have called a “calm but cutting” tone, Taylor laid bare the shocking timeline of what was supposed to be a nine-month restoration project—and instead has become a nearly two-year-old embarrassment.

“Monies were allotted in the national budget passed in December 2022… a contract valued at $1.8 million was signed in July 2023…” Taylor began, painting the picture of a project that should have been long completed.

But what followed left the room gasping.

The Trinidadian restoration firm Parbonnier, praised as an “industrial leader,” began work in September 2023—only to walk off the site in early 2024. The reason? The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis failed to pay them.

“They returned to St. Kitts in January 2024, but left soon after due to the lack of funding by the state… the outstanding monies were eventually paid in July 2024… additional costs were not paid until February 2025,” Taylor admitted.

The months-long silence and delayed payments have fueled suspicions of mismanagement—or worse—misappropriation of funds. Many are now asking: How could $1.8 million disappear into thin air without a finished product to show?

Taylor attempted to quell panic with reassurances that Parbonnier is “preparing to return,” and that work is scheduled to resume in April 2025, with completion expected by year-end. But the damage may already be done.

“Due to the amount of time that has passed, there will need to be a reassessment of the structure…” he noted—raising fresh fears of increased costs, compromised work, or even irreversible damage to the heritage building.

What was meant to be a symbol of national pride and historical preservation has now become a flashpoint of controversy, financial mismanagement, and public distrust.

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Citizens are demanding answers. Where is the transparency? Who is accountable for the delays? And will this historic building ever see its former glory—or is it doomed to be a monument of broken promises and vanished millions?