Calling it a 'rabbit hole' of mismanagement, deception and possible misappropriation of the public purse, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) today revealed that the BVI Airports Authority, the Territory's premier transportation network, is in critical need of intervention. Photo: GIS

The Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island is one of three airports managed by the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA). Photo: VINO/File

Premier Andrew A. Fahie says, even with the current issues, the new board has set the tone for a healthy conversation in the future under the leadership of Acting Director of Operations, Coy W. Levons who will now lead reform in areas such as the Beef Island runway expansion and other key projects left stagnant by the former NDP Government. Photo: VINO/File

The Premier was at the time speaking at today's July 16, 2019, Fifth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) when he sought to update the House on the condition of the BVIAA. 

Rabbit Hole 

“The situation at the BVI Airports Authority, Mr Speaker, is beyond catastrophic and it will require critically urgent intervention to prevent the collapse of our country's key economic drivers," Hon Fahie told those gathered at the HoA in Road Town, Tortola. 

“In the one month that the new board of the BVI Airports Authority has been in place, they have uncovered a rabbit hole of mismanagement, deception…  and quite possibly, misappropriation of millions of dollars of tax payer’s money,” the leader of Government Business further revealed.

Hon Fahie said that with the use of the term 'rabbit hole,' the authority's plight is one that keeps getting "deeper and deeper, twisting and turning in unexpected ways," the Premier highlighted as startling.

“Even more concerning is the fact that there have not been any audited financial statements from 2014 to present, even though it is required that financials be submitted to the Central Government, six months after the end of the previous financial year,” he said.

Financial Crisis 

Premier Fahie in his presentation to the HoA also noted that the financial standing of the BVIAA is not the best and questioned how it could have deteriorated so much under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government and with other stakeholders overseeing the agency.

“The Authority’s Financial Condition is in shambles, there’s a serious cash-flow problem and close to One (1) million dollars is owing in outstanding bills," Hon Fahie noted.

The Leader of Government Business further lashed out, “How a board, management, and a government could have allowed these things to happen with such a critical piece of a transportation network is beyond understanding," he said in disbelief. 

The Premier said, even with the current issues, the new board has set the tone for a healthy conversation in the future under the leadership of Acting Director of Operations, Coy W. Levons, who will now lead reform in areas such as the Beef Island runway expansion and other key projects left stagnant by the former NDP Government.

Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) will follow up this article with financial information and other details on the highlighted mismanagement at the BVIAA as revealed by the Premier.