BSP: K260m in new buildings

Story and picture by MALUM NALU
BANK South Pacific will spend K260 million on new buildings in Port Moresby and Lae over the next two years, group chief executive officer Ian Clyne said.
Apart from this, the bank will spend K25 million over the next five years to upgrade five of its branches.
Clyne told The National yesterday these new buildings included the  Pacific Operational Centre at Waigani (opposite Holiday Inn), a state-of-the-art cash centre at Gordon, a data centre at Gordon, BSP Haus at Harbour City and a new branch in Lae, which he says will be the “most-sophisticated building ever built in Lae”.
“BSP is investing a lot of money into new infrastructure,” Clyne said.
“Next to Holiday Inn, at our Waigani branch, we’re building the 7,800sqm Pacific operational centre.
“This will be a state-of-the-art centre costing in excess of K100 million.
“At Gordon, we’re building a state-of-the-art cash centre, behind which we’re building a K15 million data centre, which will be the most sophisticated data centre ever built in PNG.
“We’re also building a new two-storey security building.
“Closer to town, at Harbour City, we’re building BSP Haus, which is just next to the ANZ.
“BSP owns one-third of the building (at a cost of K30 million with the rest held by Nasfund and Curtain Brothers).
“Behind it, there’s a seven-storey car park being built.
“BSP understands the need to provide parking to our customers, so BSP actually owns one-third of the car park as well.
“In Lae, we’re building a K50 million building at Lae’s commercial centre, which will be the most-sophisticated building ever built in Lae.
“It will rise on the nightclub site, next to the old Lae city airport, between the two Top Town roads.
“That’s going to be a three-storey (structure).”
Clyne expected the BSP Harbour City to be completed in June and the rest to follow until the end of next year.
her major projects will be from mid-2014 to the end of the year, so by the end of next year, all these major projects should have been completed.”