Airport award drama heats up! Premier to sign Chinese deal this month!
Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) is expected to sign an ‘intent to proceed’ with CCCC which his Administration described as the preferred bidder for the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, Beef Island for the runway extension.
The final cost of the project is unknown; however, according to the same sources Government is to reportedly seek a $150M USD loan from a Chinese bank to fund the project.
Premier Smith is to carry out the Cabinet decision of December 21, 2016 which he chaired when his Administration awarded the airport extension project to China Communications Construction Company Ltd, which is owned by the People's Republic of China, snubbing a local company ADC that had partnered with the IDC group and Sir Robert McAlpine Holdings.
Rebellion against the project
The move by Premier Smith to go ahead to sign the ‘intent’ deal with CCCC is seen by many insiders to tie the hands of those who are opposing the deal, particularly close NDP supporters, two rebel Ministers and three backbenchers.
It is our newsroom’s understanding that in a heated meeting over the weekend and late last week by members of the caucus, three backbenchers (whose names we will withhold) expressed their displeasure with the Cabinet granting the contract to CCCC when there was a local company in the mix.
One female elected NDP member expressed the view that the NDP “does not respect or believe in our people…that is not right.”
It is our understanding that at the Cabinet meeting of December 21, 2016 where the decision was made to award the airport runaway extension contract to CCCC, there were two Ministers- Hons Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), the Minister for Health and Social Development and Myron V. Walwyn (AL), the Minister for Education and Culture- who did not support the decision.
Recently, some backbenchers have been expressing concern, including one Junior Minister. However, they are all expected to be in lockstep when the loan request goes to the House of Assembly for approval, according to one local political consultant.
Another Biwater?
Many of the NDP supporters have been opposed to the awarding of the contract to CCCC and many have equate it to when the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) had given a water purchase agreement contract to British company, Biwater.
Chairman of the BVI Health Services Authority, Bishop John I Cline has also been an outspoken critic of the deal and blasted the government for giving the contract to the Chinese, saying it is “no different from Biwater deal a few years ago.”
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51 Responses to “Airport award drama heats up! Premier to sign Chinese deal this month!”
You are sick and you deserve every bit of disrespect these people continue to heap upon you.
Do not forget that blacks also sold blacks during slavery.
If he wanted to stand up for us he would have stopped it in cabinet and give the
Governor a directive to take it off the minutes or not to support it.
We the people have to stand for ourselves the Governor is not the one who told us to vote them in. You all pressuring him to do commission of inquiry two months after election.
Read what the Chinese did in the Bahamas with the development of the 2,500 hundred room resort in Baha Mar islands. The Chinese cannot be trusted. If Dr. Smith go ahead with this deal we will all suffer.
Where will the labour housing go? the extended healthcare for its workers? added school space for their families? added vehicles on the road? classes for cultural understanding or we will run into race wars?
noise studies for aircraft descending over residents for landing? they are VERY loud and frequent already. From West End, over RT, to circling East End.
FOCUS on flights first for volume to see if it is practical. In between flights the airport is empty.
But this will also mean another hotel, shopping centre, more development on Beef Island. This is Pandora's Box headed by a (nice) dreamer who isn't qualified to make these decisions.
The expansion comes at a bad time.local contractors can't get paid now come think of when they sign this deal. Dr. Smith calling for resignstion from Bishop Cline. The fact remains the timing is not right.
Look at it. Oh God My Heart is broken Please Help us to be a better people and to seek your face more. Speak to us give us listning ears that we may hear from you father. Help us to shun the wrong and do the right. Help us to walk the walk and talk the talk. Oh God hear our cry from this end of the earth and encline thine ears unto us your people. Stamp out corruption, fear, fighting, warring and all things that is not of you and in the name of Jesus bring change for the betterment of your people and this territory. Have mercy on this land in the name of Jesus and father i rest my case. AMEN