GRANVILLE, St James — Opposition spokesperson on national security Senator Peter Bunting has blasted the Ministry of National Security for not utilising more than half the funds earmarked for repairs to police stations last year.

He cited Granville Police Station in St James, which was destroyed by fire a little over two years ago and is yet to be repaired, as an example.

Senator Bunting said it is scandalous to know that of the $532 million received for the repair of police stations, just over $200 million had been spent. He said approximately $300 million of unspent funds was returned to the consolidated fund.

“Not a nail has been mobilised to repair [it]. [This is] scandalous. The people of West Central deserve better than that,” argued Senator Bunting.

The senator was addressing a PNP West Central constituency conference on Saturday at Granville Primary School.

Statistician and lecturer at The University of the West Indies Dr Andre Haughton is the party’s standard-bearer for the constituency.

Last year the Ministry of National Security received a capital budget of $4 billion, which was a downward revision from the original $6 billion.

In May 2021 a fire believed to have been caused by an electrical fault gutted the station’s building which serves more than 7,000 residents in Granville and surrounding communities.

Following the fire, which resulted in an estimated loss of $20 million, services offered at the station were relocated approximately five miles away at the police post in the Meadows of Irwin community.

Since then there have been several calls for the station to be rebuilt.

Councillor for the Granville Division, Michael Troupe has been a frequent advocate as he pointed to the fear residents have of hardened criminals.

However, in April of this year the officer in charge of operations in St James, Superintendent Eron Samuels told the monthly general meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation that plans are in place for the rebuilding of the station.

“I know that there is a process that has been started so we are just awaiting the procurement and all those other finer details for it to be rebuilt,” explained Samuels at that time.