'Everyone has to vacate the Admin Complex'- Premier Fahie
The Premier's revelations came following a post Cabinet meeting statement on the Cabinet Meeting held on October 2, 2019, that left some sections of the Virgin Islands' media speculating as to why the Premier was moving his office to Cutlass Tower owned by Lake Development Co. Ltd.
Cabinet Statements
According to the Cabinet statements released Friday, November 1, 2019, it was decided, "that the Government of the Virgin Islands enter into a lease agreement with Lake Development Co. Ltd. for two floors for a period of three (3) years for office space measuring three thousand and sixty-seven (3,067) square feet and for five (5) years for office space measuring nine hundred and thirty-two (932) square feet in the Cutlass Tower to accommodate the Office of the Premier."
The Cutlass tower also houses BVI Finance and is a mixed-use retail and office building located on Waterfront Drive in Road Town, Tortola.
Further, the information noted that the new office space would come at the rate of, "thirty-eight dollars ($38) per square foot, plus a monthly service fee of four dollars and twenty-five cents ($4.25) per square foot, per floor."
Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) reached out to Premier Fahie for an explanation as to why his office was relocating to Cutlass Tower from the Admin Complex and when the move will take effect.
According to the Premier, "The Complex must be repaired now and everyone has to vacate in order for the work to be done. So it is nothing unique to the Premier's Office only," hence the decision for the move.
"As a result all offices that are in the building must temporarily relocate. Relocation is necessary because as we progress with the repairs, the facility will not be conducive to the safety of persons or to concentration on work," Hon Fahie said in an additional statement.
Committee Established
He said the Deputy Governor’s Office, through its Housing Accommodation Committee, has been working on securing appropriate accommodation for the Public Officers and staff who have been based at the building since the hurricanes.
"The temporary accommodations was approved by this established committee that is independent of political interference. The public will find out shortly where the other Government offices that are now in the building will be temporarily housed."
Further, the Premier noted that Government is cognisant that public officers need a conducive environment and the tools to do their jobs, and that they deserve nothing less.
"Public officers must know that their safety and reasonable comfort are of importance to us," he further reiterated.
Yellow Journalism?
Following the release of the post-cabinet statements, one sensational local media house, BVI Platinum, had reported that the Premier's relocation of his office was as a result of 'seeking comfort,' while others still served from less than ideal conditions in the damaged Admin Complex building which suffered an onslaught in the hurricanes of 2017.
In the speculated report, BVI Platinum used phrases like 'there is the belief' and "however, it appears,"; terms that reflected the author's own uncertainty about their news reporting.
Just a few weeks ago, Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5) said works on the Hon Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex, formerly Central Administration Complex, will commence soon.
"Members of the public must know that their Government believes that they deserve quality infrastructure, comfortable environment to conduct business and quality service, and the current administration is fully committed to delivering this," the Premier said.
Further, Premier Fahie noted that fixing the building once and for all is significant since no repairs were attempted after damages received in 2017 as a result of Hurricane Irma.
This was even after the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) Government had collected $11.4M in insurance monies for repairs to the facility.
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22 Responses to “'Everyone has to vacate the Admin Complex'- Premier Fahie”
The Blue site poorly written and bias story makes it seems like the premier office moving for no reason. Discuss the price, if it at fair market value, but stop tryna paint everything with the corruption brush, when the facts shows there is one corrupt party in town and it's the NDP and we voted them out so live with it!!!!
And they putting Tourist board staff back in the mold infested Akara building?
I think the VIP supporters missing the point there are 2 separate leases (3) and (5) years respectively, why should it take that long to repair the admin complex?