Ports Authority project: 'What corruption!' – Edmund G. Maduro
“We are getting to a serious point now and it deals with change in scope of the development,” said Maduro on his EGM Radio Show aired last evening July 3, 2014 on ZROD 103.7 FM.
He said that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examined the events leading up to the change in the scope and cost of the project and found that the process was one where the statutory rights of the Authority and the Government regulations for project management and procurement were at best overlooked and at worst completely disregarded.
“Do you understand that? Where the Board was not really recognized or the Government authority respected?” he asked.
He went on to read from the PAC final report on the project that after November 2011 the project was transferred from the Premier’s Office to the Ministry of Communications and Works.
“Between the period November 2011 and January 2012 the scope of the Cruise Ship Port Development project changed from one that would extend the pier, add a welcome centre and encourage broad scale local involvement in the development of the uplands to one which included the full development of the uplands and allow for leasing of this valuable central property, 4.1 acres of undeveloped areas adjacent to the cruise ship pier to foreign companies for up to 49 years, in spite of Edmund Gregory Maduro continuing to ask for the rights of the people of the British Virgin Islands to be respected,” he said.
Maduro is concerned that with the upland development and the leasing arrangement the local vendors will be left out.
He went on to say, as he read from the report, that the former acting Permanent Secretary Arlene Smith-Thompson advised the Committee on January 29, 2014 that if there was a conscious decision to change the scope of the project it was a verbal one by the Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool. “This is something coming directly from the Public Accounts Committee,” he said.
“She also further stated that the Minister would remind her that when he made a decision he was not speaking alone. It would have been a collective decision taken by his colleagues, that is in fact the Government. The former acting Permanent Secretary confirmed that she had not seen any Cabinet paper or Cabinet decision representing a collective decision of that body to change the scope of the project,” he said.
“Ladies and gentlemen you see what corruption is going on here?” he asked. The Ports Authority is supposed to be responsible for doing all of this but you see one person stepping in and is in fact turning everything around,” he said. “What corruption! Ladies and gentlemen what corruption!” he said.
With regards to the change in the scope of the project and the increase in project cost, Maduro asked, “Where did the authority come from? Who made the decision? Where is the evidence in Government’s performance to support this?”
Maduro urged members of the public to get a copy of the report so that they could understand “what is going on in this little country of ours.” He said that in his upcoming radio shows he will go through the entire report to help people to understand what it contains. “It is something that will help us to decide how we shall vote in the next general elections,” he said.
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38 Responses to “Ports Authority project: 'What corruption!' – Edmund G. Maduro”
And still no one in j.il
White Collar th..fing
I got a big laugh my belly almost bust when I listened to the news this morning on zbvi and heard m..k trying to change the subject with biwater…boss that dog would not hunt, we want to know about the ports project NOW…NDP must go
But before we can get into any commission if inquiry into biwater we will like to first have an inquiry into global water(something that a lot of people turning a blind eye to or seems to conveniently forget) and we will also like to know which minister have an outstanding phone bill of over twenty thousand dollars and why is it a hush hush issue.
My dear hearts and gentle people, the Chief Auditor has to be disappointed to say the least, having been humiliated by POW, but what about those of us who look to him to meet out justice. It would be a travesty if he leaves this mess for his successor to clean up.
Don't be surprise they may get ar...sted yet by the incoming Governor he may leave instructions or he too might be apart of the co....tion!” only God knows
Take party affiliation out of it. You still have corrupt officials doing what they want. You seem to be the ignorant one who probably has an open hand yourself. Shame!
"She also further stated that the Minister would remind her that when he made a decision he was not speaking alone. It would have been a collective decision taken by his colleagues, that is in fact the Government."
Well who are these colleagues, Cabinet? No paper. Investment Club?
This project was never approved by the majority of the Government, the people of the British Virgin Islands. I suggest they get a reality check on who is Government and who is not quick.