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Hon Vanterpool to speak on Ports Project ‘soon’

- expected to address allegations of Hugh E. Darley
Following the volley of revelations by former project coordinator Hugh E. Darley of I D E A Inc., it is expected that Minister Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) may have a lot to say with regards to what the American businessman disclosed. Photo: VINO/File/Provided
Darley also lambasted the Government for the present state of the project and said that there was no way the opening, postponed from December 2015 to February 2016, was going to make the new date. He made allegations of overspending of up to $10 million on the project and that the project cost was ballooning over and above what had been originally estimated. He said that the project, first estimated to cost about $45 million but noted that it was going to cost over $70 million. Photo: BVIPA
Darley also lambasted the Government for the present state of the project and said that there was no way the opening, postponed from December 2015 to February 2016, was going to make the new date. He made allegations of overspending of up to $10 million on the project and that the project cost was ballooning over and above what had been originally estimated. He said that the project, first estimated to cost about $45 million but noted that it was going to cost over $70 million. Photo: BVIPA
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Hit with a barrage of stunning disclosures implicating a number of officials of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) Government in what is turning out to be the mother of all scandals in the Virgin Islands, Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) said he will be speaking on the cruise pier development project soon.

It was at a contract signing for rehabilitation works to retaining walls and roads in Nottingham Estate on Thursday January 7, 2016 at the Central Administration Complex that the Minister made the statement.

When asked about whether a lease agreement had been signed with Margaritaville restaurants to occupy a spot in the mostly vacant Tortola Pier Park, he said, “I will be speaking on that project in the next two weeks or so, but just to say that the Ports Authority and Tortola Pier Park Group are contracted to a company called Sage Investment and not Margaritaville directly.”

He said he is not sure whether those parties have as yet signed an agreement but he confirmed that Sage Investment, also referred to as the BVI Investment Club, is the party contracted to the Tortola Pier Park Group.

Margaritaville Caribbean, which is jointly owned by Quantum Investments Holdings Ltd and Mville Investments Ltd, has restaurants across the Caribbean and there have been reports that Margaritaville Caribbbean has been seeking to have a restaurant at Tortola Pier Park.

Revelations of Hugh E. Darley

Following the volley of revelations by former project coordinator Hugh E. Darley of I D E A Inc., it is expected that the Minister may have a lot to say with regards to what the American businessman disclosed.

Darley, the President of I D E A Inc., had released bombshells regarding the project, saying that the people did not get value for money and that he was short-changed for his drawings used for the project. He said he is considering legal action to recoup monies owed to him for the use of his drawings for which he was paid four payments of $25,000 each after which Government ceased communication with his company.

Darley alleged too that Minister Vanterpool was instrumental in steering him away from certain persons and directing him who to speak to and do business with. “The Minister (Hon Vanterpool) pulled all the strings and told us who to talk to, who to meet with. I was forbidden to speak with anyone in the Opposition. It was always done in private,” Darley said, adding that over the two years he lived on Tortola he has purchased “many meals for many people,” during those meetings.

He also lambasted the Government for the present state of the project and said that there was no way the opening, postponed from December 2015 to February 2016, was going to make the new date.

Darley made allegations of overspending of up to $10 million on the project and that the project cost was ballooning over and above what had been originally estimated. He said the project was first estimated to cost about $45 million but noted that it was going to cost over $70 million.

19 Responses to “Hon Vanterpool to speak on Ports Project ‘soon’”

  • wize up (11/01/2016, 08:28) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Ok
  • bunch of LIES (11/01/2016, 09:21) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    cant wait to hear Mark
  • BuzzBvi (11/01/2016, 09:47) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    How did Sage Investments get a big chunk of this pie?
    How are all these franchises suddenly allowed here?
    Wait till they start sharing out the money they save by the new NHI tax!!
    Sage International Airport is coming.
  • ring side seat (11/01/2016, 10:00) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wonder if he will mention how all the concessions on the cruise pier were given to the friends of the NDP?
    • @ring side seat (11/01/2016, 19:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      So you gave him a listing of NDP friends You should also have given him a list of family members. Are you neither?
      Are you friend nor family? You are neither? Well, too bad. You must learn how to choose friends end by labelling it Certainly you took advantage of the investment opportunity offered to all! What? Its a Ponzi scheme? Oh my! I think you are well on the path to a soso existence sitting on the sidelines in your ring side seat
  • Boo (11/01/2016, 10:04) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lets get the story straight.....Soon...lol!
  • pat (11/01/2016, 10:06) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply

    so there WAS conflict of interest with the Investment Club? Dig deeper and probably the same people are involved and will get the profit.

  • Observer (11/01/2016, 10:16) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sage Invesrment? Sounds familiar. Isn't that the Hon. Minister's group of Companies?
  • i wanna know (11/01/2016, 10:18) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who bought that top of the line AUDI suv?
  • Psychologist (11/01/2016, 10:42) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Ministers for Works, Labour, Health, and the one that has the Finance Hat and the Premier Hat all need to surrender their seats.
  • wow (11/01/2016, 11:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    pay the guy
  • Crapo (11/01/2016, 12:09) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who is the benificial owner/s of Sage Investments? Hmmm
  • farmer brown (11/01/2016, 12:38) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    This will be a 48 hour chatter and they it will be corruption business as usual the governor is a sleeper
  • voter (11/01/2016, 14:54) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    No one will publicly state who is the original crown lease holder of the land on which the project is built.
  • Bernie Sanders (11/01/2016, 16:45) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply

    We will have a Political Revolution in the BVI..Who is Sage? IS this a Elite group of the NDP that is part of the Investment Club..Have to be because the last time i saw this name was seeing them signing a contract to manage the water plant at Baughers Bay..This is a set up may boy,i see why C**** fighting for his job because he s*t up his friends and he got what the Duck got..Feel THE BURN,more to come people ..Are daily news story...

    • @Bernie Sanders (12/01/2016, 09:37) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Its one thing to say the investment club but if not them then who, an outsider company. That cruise pier project was marketed to BVIslanders and those who decided to gamble invested. If the NDP supporters own the cruise pier its because they risked their money to do it. If there is one person who feel they were slighted by the landside assignments then they should speak up because as far as I am aware there are still spaces available in that "mostly vacant" cruise pier as VINO calls it.
  • shabazz (11/01/2016, 17:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lord the governor fast ah a sleep under the bo hog mango tree and it even ain't mango season for a mango to drop and hit him in his head to wake him up.Will we have four years of this? The investment club will own the whole treasury.Lord bring in the FCO..By the the way you all see the Port bag man lately...
  • W*F (12/01/2016, 14:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What are you going to tell the people? If you are going to tell the truth, we are willing to listen. No Games.


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