More $$ needed? Ports project delayed again!
“I am sure there will be some financial aspects [that will] be affected but it’s not going to be significant from our point of view,” stated Hon Vanterpool.
So far the Government of the Virgin Islands has chalked up in excess of $50m in loan for the project and with the further delay one questions whether there would be the need to seek more money to realise the new targeted completion date.
Hon Vanterpool was at the time fielding questions from members of the media following the signing of a renewal contract with Aqua Design (BVI) Ltd for water production on the sister island of Virgin Gorda. This took place yesterday October 8, 2015 in the office of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith.
Honourable Vanterpool comfortably said that work on the landside development of the Cruise Pier Project is progressing nicely; suffice to say that the project has been hit with yet another snag in its time-line for completion.
It was previously made public that at the end of October 2015 the cruise pier and land side development project would have been complete and ready for a grand opening which would have featured the arrival of at least two large cruise ships. However, while not giving any reasons for the shift in the opening date to December 22, 2015 Hon Vanterpool stated, “On that day we’ll have the first arrival of the new (Disney Dream) with four thousand passengers approximately and on that day also on the other side of the dock we’ll be having a new ship coming, MSC company, this is also a four thousand passenger ship.”
'Nice Christmas gift'
The Works Minister said his government is looking forward to the opening as a ‘nice Christmas gift’.
This project has been one that has been hit with widespread challenges, including financing, frequent delays to some contractors not laying off and not paying workers in a timely manner.
As of recent, the management of the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA), under which the project falls, has also been a subject of discussion as to its modus-operandi. During this period, the BVIPA lost a long serving board chairman in the person of Mr J. Edward deCastro.
Commenting on the departure of the Chairman of the Board of the BVI Ports Authority, Hon Vanterpool said Mr deCastro’s contract came to an end in September 2015 and he opted not to renew it.
“We have the Deputy acting at the moment and Cabinet in the not so distant future would be appointing a new Chairman to the board,” said Hon Vanterpool.
The Deputy Chairman of the BVIPA is Deputy Managing Director of Corporate Services at the Financial Services Commission, Jennifer Potter-Questelles.
28 Responses to “More $$ needed? Ports project delayed again!”
Fasten your seat belts people!
@ I from here: are you tell the people of this territory to get ready for Detroit part 2(Virgin Islands style) staring C>>>>> as himself.... in Detroit part 1 that Mayor still doing jail time( watch the story on American Greed)
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