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Hugh E. Darley ready to file lawsuit against VI Gov’t

- gets new attorney after having trouble retaining legal counsel in the VI
Former Project Coordinator of the Cruise Pier Development Project, Hugh E. Darley has confirmed he is ready to file his lawsuit against the National Democratic Party (NDP) government. Photo: VINO/File
A view of the Cruise Pier Development Project from the Horse Path area. Photo: VINO/File
A view of the Cruise Pier Development Project from the Horse Path area. Photo: VINO/File
Former project coordinator of the cruise pier development project, President of I D E A Inc., Hugh E. Darley on January 22, 2016 had said Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith was 'misinformed' for stating that all of what Government owed him had been paid in full. Photo: VINO/File
Former project coordinator of the cruise pier development project, President of I D E A Inc., Hugh E. Darley on January 22, 2016 had said Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith was 'misinformed' for stating that all of what Government owed him had been paid in full. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – After stating that his promised lawsuit against the Virgin Islands’ Government for monies allegedly owed to him for work done on the Cruise Pier Development Project was delayed due to having difficulties getting legal representation in the territory, Former Project Coordinator of the Cruise Pier Development Project, Hugh E. Darley has confirmed that he is ready to file his lawsuit.

Mr Darley said his company IDEA Inc. is seeking to recoup monies allegedly owed for designs and drawings used in the construction of the pier project.

“[We] will pursue full $2 million dollar value of our work,” Mr Darley told Virgin Islands News Online on February 12, 2017. 

In February 2016, Mr Darley stated that he had retained legal counsel in the Virgin Islands, but also that the law firm which his company IDEA Inc. had previously retained backed out of the arrangement citing the fear that it could lose future Government work.

“We had to change firms because one firm felt like the matter was too toxic and they did not want to have a conflict in the future as they had business with the Government,” Mr Darley told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview on February 3, 2016.

However, Mr Darley had said he would be revealing the name of the firm when it is safe to do so. On February 12, 2017 Mr Darley still did not disclose the name of his attorney.

“Our attorney has asked not to be named,” Mr Darley stated, although one local news site has stated that Queen's Counsel, John Carrington, QC is Mr Darley’s attorney.

The lawsuit is expected to be filed in two to three months.

Darley had sought amicable resolution

Darley had previously said he never intended to have a battle with the Government of the Virgin Islands in the media and had hoped the matter was resolved amicably. “We would like to reach a resolution that is good for both parties and we will try to meet with the Premier and see if we would resolve this amicably between the two parties.”

There has since been no resolve to the matter. “[We] will pursue [lawsuit] as BVIPA would not honour their arbitration clause in their contract,” Mr Darley stated.

Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) as well as Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith had denied that the former Project Coordinator of the Cruise Pier Development Project, Mr Darley, was owed any monies; however, Mr Darley said in February last year that he had documentation to counterbalance that.

“I do have a lot more documentation. I have probably about 2,000 pages regarding estimates and costs. I don’t want to go that far and go through all of that but we have estimates down to every square foot. Someone unfortunately is just giving the Minister some bad information, speaking about cost per square foot and us building some buildings on the sand. Well that was never the case,” he had said.

The $83M Cruise Pier Development Project had also received criticism from Mr Darley, who said the people of the Virgin Islands were not given value for money. He had said his company would have delivered the project for $40-50M.

According to Darley, if the BVI Ports Authority had built tens of millions of projects in the past then maybe they would have had the expertise needed to build the cruise pier development project. “They didn’t [have that expertise] and the contractors are like sharks as they can smell blood in the water,” he had stated in February 2016.

Premier Smith had also ordered an audit into the Cruise Pier Development Project to put to rest many of what he called rumours; however, the results are yet to be disclosed. Apart from that, Premier Smith was criticised for his move to have the Government "investigate itself."

27 Responses to “Hugh E. Darley ready to file lawsuit against VI Gov’t”

  • ann (13/02/2017, 08:36) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    Is this white coller?
  • tretretrete (13/02/2017, 08:39) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    First Delta now this. The NDP surely know how to bankrupt this country through their corruption & dictatorship behavior.
  • Spectator (13/02/2017, 08:49) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    I'm with H.D. on this one, get what is owed to you and leave them to the dogs.
  • wow (13/02/2017, 09:10) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    The truth about the pier park project needs to come to light, hopefully this lawsuit will do that
    • right (13/02/2017, 09:46) Like (7) Dislike (30) Reply
      The truth is the BVI needed the Pier Park and it will transform the Cruise and Tourism Industry in the Territory!
  • lmao (13/02/2017, 09:24) Like (8) Dislike (16) Reply
    The only thing Darley will be filing are his finger nails. The man is grasping at straws here and based on his own comments, it seems his major issue is that he was not praised and hailed as a Prince for the pier project. Seems this case is more about his ego and own warped imagination than real monies owed.
    • pat (13/02/2017, 10:19) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
      It's called intellectual property. the government has been casual before and it is a regular occurrence that it takes what it wants and calls it its own.
      • @ pat (13/02/2017, 11:13) Like (8) Dislike (9) Reply
        What Government built is not what Darley had put forward. He was paid for what he did and is only upset because he was sent packing and didn't get the windfall of cash he had planned to off that project. Because it's a white man accusing our government everyone will be quick to believe his bs.
        • pat (14/02/2017, 23:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          and this issue is based on race because..? The government has been lax before even ignoring its own laws.
          there is an assumption here that is not helpful.
        • Black White (15/02/2017, 00:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Nothing to do with black and white. This is about right and wrong. I'm sure Mr. Daly knows if it was about black and white he won't stand a chance.
  • Kermit (13/02/2017, 09:45) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    Gov. officials that abuse their position of power is of no surprise to me.. In fact, it's what i expect of such people.. What surprises me is that i live in a country full of people that would much rather sit idle and allow this corruption to persist beyond repair.. If we had this same shut up and take it mentally on the plantation we'd all be picking cotton to this day.. Honestly we should all be very ashamed of ourselves.
  • Wendy (13/02/2017, 10:00) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    How many times is he going to " be ready...?..Geez!
  • So (13/02/2017, 11:04) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    Why does he have to go to the media each and every time he is getting ready or will be or is going to not do what he cannot sensibly do? Apparently the BVI Gov is not his real problem as it is evident that the man has a problem but then,I am no mental health physician.
    • Hugh Darley (15/02/2017, 10:19) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      The media call me in every case. They wonder why the audit is not complete and disclosed and why I have not pursued legal action. Legal action in the Caribbean in a long process; one we have been pursuing for almost two years. It is also a costly pursuit and i am sure the government hopes i will not place good money after bad. I wanted to also see the result of the audit in which I participated in interviews and submitted documents back in 2016. Corruption will be evident if a proper audit is done.
  • Guest (13/02/2017, 11:54) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yawn.......Wake me when he actually does file or do something rather than TALK about what he gonna or wants to do....SMDH....RMR..
  • ccc (13/02/2017, 12:44) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Clude suing now he get out the popcorn
  • street reporter. (13/02/2017, 13:01) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    The system is completely corruptt and unjust including lawyers. A lawyer is a blind profession. So sad to hear this man says no one wanted to represent him.. He is going to win his case.
  • Kingfish (13/02/2017, 13:44) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    not a man will go to jail over this project
  • m n m c n g d n d (13/02/2017, 16:31) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    All who got kick back from this project hands up
  • question (13/02/2017, 16:40) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    is the $2 million coming out of our representatives pockets or our taxes?
  • John Bowen (13/02/2017, 19:33) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Seems our elected officials don't like being held to account.
  • more $$$$$$ (16/02/2017, 23:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We have never experienced that with an VIP government. It is disturbing beyond words.




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