No partnership with VI Gov't; VI Airlink petition a delay tactic- BVI Airways
BVI Airways, Inc has filed for an exemption to the US Department of Transportation for permission to conduct scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between the prescribed UK Caribbean gateway points via intermediate points, to points in the United States and beyond.
The two carriers are petitioning the application with claims that they were not provided with a copy of the BVI Airways application although the proposed service would affect their operations. They also cited the local Govenment's plug of $7M into BVI Airway is likely a conflict of interest.
Who are the players in BVI Airways?
It is in this petition that answers what many persons residing in the Virgin Islands (UK) have been seeking for some time now - Who are the players in BVI Airways?
According to VI Airlink's petition, a document in our newsroom's possession, BVI Airways did not comply with the requirements of the rules. They alleged that when indicating the ownership and management of the applicant they established that their (BVI Airways) owners were Pauline E. Jones with 31.0% ownerships, Bradley David Goggin with 20.0% ownership both being UK/BVI Residents while US citizen Colchester Aviation, LLC had the remaining 49.0% ownership.
What's wrong with the ownership picture in the eyes of VI Airlink? "An applicant for permanent residence must reside in the Virgin Islands consecutively for a period of 20 years before application can be considered. An applicant can only be absent from the territory for 90 days in any calender year except when persuing further education or as a result of illness. Applicant must state in his/her application intentions for residing permanently in the territory and dependants who are endorsed on their parents' certificate should apply for their own certificates six months before their eighteenth birthday, if they wish to continue residing, permanently."
VI Airline also sought to prove that the owners of BVI Airways that account for 49% shares is also a US citizen as cited in the State Department of the State of Florida and their key executives are executive officers and Directors Mr Jerry D. Willoughby and Mr Scott A. Weisman and General Counsel Mr Micheal Long.
However, in reply to the objection made by VI Airlink, a document also in our newsroom's possession, BVI Airways expressed that VI Airlink was not prejudiced in anyway by not being served a copy of the BVI Airways' application. "However, the very regulation cited by the objector indicates that (potentially) competiting foreign air carriers are in fact not required to be served. Regardless, the objectors appear to have been made aware of the BVI Airways application, which is in a public docket and they do not appear to have been prejudiced in any way," cited BVI Airways through its legal authority.
No Partnership/ VI Airlink gets Gov't Subsidy
As it relates to the claim of governments financial injection to BVI Airways the company defended by stating, "Objector's (VI Airlink) only other argument appears to be an inference that BVI Airlines somehow has misrepresented it's relationship with its homeland government, providing links to a number of press articles going back to 2014. However, nothing in those press articles is inconsistent with the BVI Airways' representations. Which objectors quote, regarding any relationshio with the government of this tiny isolated caribbean Island."
The BVI Airways contended that there is no partnership in any legal sense with the government of the VI. "It is incredible that VI Airlink, like applicant herein a carrier of the BVI, which itself is subsidised by the government of the BVI as part of the government's efforts to develop aviation services to this isolated small island, should choose to raise this argument before the US Department of Transportation. A foreign air carrier proceeding is hardly the place to resolve the "...big conflict of interest between the other local carriers in the BVI (ie: BVI Carrier) and the (ir) government."
BVI Airways also mentioned that VI Airlink has been licensed for many years for US charters and most recently scheduled service with small aircraft but thus far never operated any services to the US mainlands.
The company is appealing to the US Department of Transportation to reject VI Airlink's objection labeling it as a delay tactic.
Political gains/VI Airlink claims baseless
In an open letter to the people of the Virgin Islands (UK), Chief Executive Officer of BVI Airways Jerry D. Willoughby said they are highly disappointed that the collective investments of time and capital to make non-stop service to Miami, Florida a reality has been recklessly placed at risk for political gains and greed.
BVI Airways labelled VI Airlink’s petition as baseless, anti-competitive and fraudulent and will delay their launch and increase the pre-operating financial losses significantly.
"The false claims made on the floor of the House of Assembly accusing BVI Airways of unpaid obligations, insider trading and unscrupulous business practices are patently false, lack any legal basis, and are an affront to our hard-working employees and the many Virgin Islanders in both the public and private sectors who have toiled long and hard to bring this venture to reality. Moreover, VI Airlink’s baseless, anti-competitive and fraudulent objections to our service to Miami will delay the launch and increase the pre-operating financial losses significantly," Mr Willoughby stated in a press release recently.
BVI Airways also claimed that as it stands now, their legal teams locally and the United States are reviewing the viability of claims to obtain recompense from the offending parties.
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29 Responses to “No partnership with VI Gov't; VI Airlink petition a delay tactic- BVI Airways”
DAT MAKE SENSE ?
Come on mr Premier. PLEASE give us some TRUTH we dont want transparency
Your transparency is so CLEAR we can not see what you are seeing
All the money gone in the airy bank and nothing in return. Now them using an irrelevant excuse saying that the alleged claim by our true local ailine VI Airlink is to cause a delay.
Well if I was in the US FAA Board to make a decision the evidence will be crystal clear.
The new airline had a few projected launch dates and NON came to fruition. VI Airlink was not even in the picture then. Now blame the delay on them thinking that the people of the VI will forget.
Adfitionally where ayo get the money from?????? We tax dollars so if Dr. Zzzzzzzz can't give a clear explanation to us on our 7 million and the role we are playing that means we the people will be flying for free on 7 million dollars worth of tickets
White collar crime at it's best.
1. BVI Airways felt they could side step the other local service providers (VI Airlink) because they have our Government on their side and don't need to answer to anyone. They didn't follow procedure to serve their competitors knowing they should as an experienced service provider.
- the us department of transportation agrees with VI Airlink.
2. BVI Airways try to pull a fast one on the US regulators to get they application approve knowing well the shareholders are all foreigners.
- the us department of transportation agrees with vi Airlink.
3. VI Airlinks feel it's own local government is pushing their business down by injecting money in a 100% foreign owned company - the $7 million of tax payers money.
- the us department of transportation is concerned and looking into this. Their policies are fair and balance.
4. VI Airlinks which is 100% locally owned is concerned they wonder since when foreign companies get such boost and them privileges when local businesses have to deal with their own expenses.
- vi Airlinks like all BVIslanders wondering if it's foreign companies or local companies first.
5. VI Airlinks is wondering whatever happened to a TENDERING process.
6. VI Airlinks is concerned and wonder how BVI Airways getting all the perks: free local office, free staff and concierge, priority landing space, tax free, NHI, custom duty free on everything.
7. VI Airlink is wondering about this 10% shareholding in the agreement between BVI Airways and the Government. (Nobody knows who going to get a little benefit -MAJOR CONCERN- the local people will not have any say in this or will know when it happens).
8. BVI Airways is indemnified in the agreement with the Govt from every thing you could think of.
9. BVI Airways have nothing to loose. The Govt is unlikely to fulfill some of there absurd requests in the agreement with the Government. The BVI people have already lost $7 mil with no sight of getting it back anytime soon. BVI Airways can and will sue this Government any day.
10. BVI Airways have no respect for house of assembly members. The Government bears full responsibility for the actions of BVI Airways.
And them even aint got NO SHAME
White collar crime, cronyism, preferential treatment, victimization, hypocrisy, corruption, disrespect, greed, abuse of power are all the order of the day. If you are benefiting then for Christ sake please consider the entire population who are and will be affected by the government's malpractice.