The Cook Islands’ first and newly installed $600,000 passenger lift has already broken down, just over a month after opening. Al Williams reports.

Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) confirmed the elevator at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) building in Avarua stopped functioning just before Christmas.

The passenger lift was officially opened in November after an earlier completion date was projected for August, 2023.

The construction of the country’s first passenger elevator took nine months, following two years of planning.

A spokesperson said CIIC contacted the contractor about the fault and it was agreed to wait until the new year to resolve the issue. 

Cook Islands News asked what had happened, when, how, what was being done to sort the issue, and for any related costs.  

The spokesperson said CIIC with Ministry of Justice staff are working with the contractor and the supplier to remedy the issue, by “systematically working through thorough diagnostic assessments”.

“We are hopeful that in the next few days, the issue will be diagnosed and the issue remedied.”

The contractor is Phoenix Elevators Limited, and the lift has an 18-month defect liability period, requiring the contractor to remedy any manufacture and installation issues.

In November 2021, early consultations concluded that an enclosed passenger lift be constructed, together with appropriate fit-for-purpose toilet facilities.

In February 2022, the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the lift was held.

The lift and all the upgrades cost approximately $600,000. Phoenix Elevators was awarded stages one and two contracts to design and install the lift.

AJ Plumbing & Electricals Ltd was sub-contracted to install the associated electrical installations. Landholdings Ltd was engaged to work alongside Phoenix Elevators to construct the lift shaft structure.

Local companies Taio Builders built the new veranda, and Rarotonga Plumbing was contracted for the upgrade of the new toilet facility.

At the elevator’s official opening, CIIC Minister Albert Nicholas said the Ministry of Justice building in Rarotonga had finally addressed major accessibility issues to public services and to the justice system, and accessibility of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, particularly the infirm, elderly, and disabled.

The problem had existed since the building was completed in 2004 and since then the Government and the wider community, including the Cook Islands National Disability Council, had voiced their concerns about the lack of easy and safe access to the building by its members, Nicholas said at the time.

The Ministry of Justice building has been plagued with problems over the years. In October 2023, Cook Islands News observed a significant area of the public foyer closed, with multiple buckets spread across the floor.

Late last year, roof waterproofing works, an entrance roof extension and new toilets were completed. The scope of works included cleaning all external windows, doors and skylight sealants and applying new, as well as replacing 3000 rusted screws that contributed to the leaks throughout the building.