Airport Project 10 times worse than Biwater- Radio show host
The show was in high gear last night January 11, 2017 on CBN Channel 51 with several residents managing to stick in their opinion regarding the NDP Government’s management of the territory’s finances. Most of the blows were directed to Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL) as the Head of the country’s management team and who is accused of “not wearing the pants.”
Chinese coming for life!
The caller posited, “Let me think what might happen, the Chinese are going to come in, they going to get their money, and when they find out we own CDB (Caribbean Development Bank) they going ask us how much we owe, we going pay the bill and right there the Chinese going be in our country for life.”
Agreeing with the caller, Mr Henry looked at the matter from another angle, noting that the Chinese are in other Caribbean countries. “Their project right now in Bahamas is in some bankruptcy dispute.”
The caller asked if they are not also in problems with the World Bank and Mr Henry responded, “The World Bank or somebody put them on the blacklist, the same company what is coming to do business here, but it don’t matter because China financing themselves.
It was at that juncture that the caller said, “All I have to say [is] this is another Biwater.”
Mr Henry said Biwater was a disaster but CCCC’s proposal is worse.
Henry made it clear that he is not against the airport project but is against where the government, especially Premier Smith, is trying to take it. He alluded to the fact that preferred bidder China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) is proposing to set up their own asphalt plants, quarry for stones, build their own housing camp for workers, be exempted from paying Social Security, National Health Insurance, employee’s tax and tax breaks on items they would need to import.
Biwater a good or bad project?
The Biwater facility, located at Paraquita Bay, was commissioned in November 2014 after it was reported by Biwater of how the Government was allegedly frustrating their efforts to kick start the flow of water some three years after the original deadline to supply water. This sentiment was also echoed by now Leader of the Opposition Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3), one of the architects of the Biwater project.
Part of the agreement negotiated by Hon Fraser was for Biwater to provide a sewage treatment plant to rid the capital city Road Town, on the main island of Tortola, and adjacent areas of sewage running in the streets. Biwater built the sewerage treatment plant at Paraquita Bay on Tortola at no cost to Government.
If Biwater was allowed to become fully functional, all of Tortola with connection to the government water network was expected to have a 24-hour supply of potable water.
However, the NDP Government has refused to make way for this by not only frustrating the project but not putting in the infrastructure after four years to facilitate the project. In addition, people on Tortola like the Sister Islands suffer severe daily water shortages to their homes, a basic necessity for development.
Protests against Biwater
With the signing of the water purchase agreement with Biwater in 2010, it was immediately met with hostility from the then opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) who labeled it as an albatross around the neck of the territory and generations to come.
The NDP also used its opposition to Biwater as a major campaign tool to spread fear in the minds of the electorate. NDP mouthpieces Bishop John I. Cline and Cromwell Smith, a strong supporter of BVI Investment Club and Ocean Conversion, even led public protests against the Biwater agreement.
It turned out to be an effective campaign tool as the NDP swept to power in November 2011.
.png)
.png)
.png)
Follow Us On
20 Responses to “Airport Project 10 times worse than Biwater- Radio show host”
Look how all these islands flourishing, while we here spiraling downwards and into the dark abyss.
NDP just got to go!
My real concern and maybe what Julio should focus on is whether or not we are in a proper financial position to take on the loan for this project at the moment. Until the government produces the outstanding financial audits we may never know but just look at the untimely payments to vendors, late payments to some civil servants, delayed increments, some businesses refusing to take Government Purchase orders, the lack of funding for statutory bodies etc. you know that we are in some serious problems. This loan will take us to the cap of our borrowing limits so that means that we cannot undertake any other capital projects anytime soon. It is a major impediment. We are talking about 153 million, possibly 200 million because I am sure that the Chinese underbid and based on our history on Capital projects it is reasonable to assume that they will be gigantic overruns. This is serious stuff that would saddle generations with uncomfortable debt. Where are the cost/benefit studies to show that this Airport can pay for itself?
The BVI Government should delay this project and focus on their investment in BVI Airways and use that as a case study for a couple of years. They need to work on subsidizing the ferry services so to allow for more frequent services to St. Thomas for passengers to make connections. Consider concessions for Airlines to improve the servicing of the hubs: San Juan, Antigua, St. Maarten. Work on upgrading our crippling and inadequate infrastructure: Water, Electricity, roads, health, education so to be able to accommodate a possible expansion down the road.
Why the rush? Fools rush in where wise men fear to trod.
I am thinking about opening a supper market - I am selling Chinese food only!!
It could be several islands or lots of government land. Look what happened in the Bahamas. The original local developer has been tossed out of the development (Losing 813M Dollars) and the Chinese have taken over and own the hotel at a big discount.