ASSI still in the VI taking millions from our treasury 12 years later!
Over the 12 years in question, it has cost taxpayers millions of dollars that could have been used to train locals to run the regulatory side of the government department and improve the safety concerns that led to the takeover in the first place.
Background
It was in 2004 during the first term of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration [2003-2007], some 12 years ago, that the Virgin Islands lost its Civil Aviation Department and some say went backwards to the colonial days.
The same year, 2004, the then Civil Aviation Department had been approved by Government in the then Legislative Council to be turned into a Statutory Body, making the organisation into a limited liability called the BVI Airports Authority. The objective of the new Authority is to own and operate all airports within the Virgin Islands, the Taddy Bay Airport on Virgin Gorda, the Terrance B. Lettsome International on Beef Island and the Auguste George Airport on Anegada.
The following year, 2005, the Airport Act came into full effect, along with its regulations, having been passed late 2004 and giving way to the separation of the BVI Airports Authority Limited, which was incorporated on August 15, 2005 and a Department of Civil Aviation with regulatory duties.
Today, there is only a BVI Airports Authority functioning, owning the three airports as planned, however, the Civil Aviation Department role did not happen.
The Civil Aviation Department was to continue to regulate the airports in the Virgin Islands, and the aviation sector in general, focusing on safety and proper and updated legislation for the territory in keeping with international standards.
What went wrong? ASSI took over! Millions & Millions in cost
It was in 2004 that the then National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration was to set up a Civil Aviation Department with its new role, but suddenly it was said that there was no qualified Virgin Islander to fill the new post of Director of Civil Aviation under the new portfolio, notwithstanding the many qualified Virgin Islanders such as Denniston S. Fraser MBA, LLB, Andrew L. St. Hilaire BS, Coy Levons, MSA, CPL and Clive Smith MSA, CFI, CFII, CPL among many others, not to mention the many local pilots that could have been seconded to help set up the new Civil Aviation Department with its new regulatory functions.
Mr Fraser, a trained attorney and pilot, heads the BVI Airports Authority as its Managing Director.
The same year, 2004, quite interestingly an audit was done by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority that claimed there were deficiencies with the Virgin Islands airports, including reported safety issues. The same things were also said about many other Overseas Territories airports by the UK report.
The UK then came up with a plan to take over many of the Overseas Territories’ Civil Aviation Departments, including the Virgin Islands’ (VI) and closed many of their Civil Aviation Departments, claiming that they wanted to help and provide a more cohesive system of civil aviation safety regulations.
With the support of many of the Overseas Territories’ governors, including at the time VI UK appointed Governor Tom T. Macan, the British set up a wholly-owned subsidiary company called Air Safety Support International (ASSI), a subsidiary company of the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.
ASSI is here to stay!
This company was to take over the role of Civil Aviation Departments and, according to the UK, at some point ASSI would gradually hand over the functions back to the VI, along with the other Overseas Territories affected, once they were deemed “ready to take over.”
However, 12 years later and after two different Administrations, the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Virgin Islands Party (VIP), ASSI is still firmly in control of the functions of the VI Civil Aviation Department duties, with no sign of giving up control and taking millions in taxpayers money to do what can be done by locals.
Update
Earlier this year the topic came up again when the Ministry of Communications and Works (MC&W) was testifying on the 2016 Budget before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee (SFC).
The Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) inquired about payment of staff for this defunct civil aviation department. The Permanent Secretary in the MC&W, Anthony S. McMaster, told the Committee that the civil aviation staff are still on the payroll as they have been redeployed to various Ministries and Departments. This mean our treasury is now paying double- both to staff for a department that does not exist and millions to ASSI.
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) told the SFC “that money used to pay ASSI can be better utilised and coordinated efforts are necessary to move forward.”
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17 Responses to “ASSI still in the VI taking millions from our treasury 12 years later!”
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NDP: NO DARM PRIORITY (ndp)
So the victimization and marginalization of our own people continues with this group huh? Keep it up, be careful the people change their minds.
how about the willfull neglect of not mobilizing the Green Houses after all these years Not using them is also wasting money and pulling down the treasury. think of the produce which farmers could be making and thereby deriving income.