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Prospect Reef abandoned, a symbol of NDP failure

-3 years after agreement signed for re-development, still no action
Prospect Reef abandoned, a symbol of NDP failure. Photo: VINO
It is this news centre's understanding that the development—after almost three years—is awaiting a lease from Government that is caught up in bureaucratic back and forth and is now preventing the investors from completing their financing. Photo: VINO
It is this news centre's understanding that the development—after almost three years—is awaiting a lease from Government that is caught up in bureaucratic back and forth and is now preventing the investors from completing their financing. Photo: VINO
The development—after almost three years—is awaiting a lease from Government that is caught up in bureaucratic back and forth and is now preventing the Investors from completing their financing. Photo: VINO
The development—after almost three years—is awaiting a lease from Government that is caught up in bureaucratic back and forth and is now preventing the Investors from completing their financing. Photo: VINO
One of the more popular signage at Prospect Reef on display amidst the destruction. Photo: VINO
One of the more popular signage at Prospect Reef on display amidst the destruction. Photo: VINO
The facility suffered extensive damage during the 2017 Hurricanes that devastated the Territory. Photo: VINO
The facility suffered extensive damage during the 2017 Hurricanes that devastated the Territory. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - It was in July 2017, that former Premier, Dr D. Orlando Smith, at a press conference, announced an agreement to re-developed Prospect Reef Resort.

Government had purchased the facility in the first National Democratic Party (NDP) administration between 2003 and 2007.

Dr Smith told the public in March 2016—when the ICA arrangement was mentioned—that ICA (BVI) Group Corp, was awarded the opportunity to complete the development of Prospect Reef Hotel.

In December 2016, Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with that group.

Where is ICA?

This MOU, Dr Smith said, sets the framework for progressing with the re-development of Prospect Reef Resort, and to also operate the Hotel.

The ICA group had some local investors, with the Group’s Managing Director, Ali Nawaz Shaikh, of the Middle East. 

A few months after the agreement there was money put aside to pay the redundant workers at Prospect Reef and a Management committee was set up to ensure the payments were made.

There was money paid to the former employees in 2017, however, after the September 2017 Hurricanes, former workers are still owed monies.

It is this news centre's understanding that the development—after almost three years—is awaiting a lease from Government that is caught up in bureaucratic back and forth and is now preventing the investors from completing their financing.

Left abandon

The property suffered severe damages after the 2017 Hurricanes however, like many other public buildings, the former Smith Administration left them the same way they were after the Hurricanes.

Many critics of the former government have said publicly, the way the NDP did nothing to restore public buildings or even clean some of them up is another symbol of the NDP failure and dysfunction while in office.

The people of the Virgin Islands voted overwhelmingly to rid the Territory of the NDP, at the February 25, 2019 polls.

18 Responses to “Prospect Reef abandoned, a symbol of NDP failure ”

  • 123 (11/03/2019, 11:50) Like (23) Dislike (8) Reply
    shameful that all I can say
  • This (11/03/2019, 11:55) Like (54) Dislike (5) Reply
    Is straight up irresponsible. Orlando Smith your legacy is cemented as the lamest Leader the BVI has ever had. Such a sad story of same.
  • Yup (11/03/2019, 12:03) Like (33) Dislike (2) Reply
    If VIP does the same then we will also vote them out!
  • wize up (11/03/2019, 12:23) Like (23) Dislike (1) Reply
    fix it for the benefit of the territory; so our sons, daughters, grandsons & granddaughters who have an interest in the hospitality industry can have hands on experience: for heaven sake do not pass such prime real estate off to the highest bidder: please remember your forefathers held on and was able to leave an inheritance(mr political affiliate kindly remember the next generation) stop handing out to the heights bidder just to balance the treasury books while our people live in exile in their own country(jah guide)


  • It’s VIP issue now (11/03/2019, 12:48) Like (19) Dislike (45) Reply
    Ok let’s see how long the VIP will take to fix it and the schools and the ports of entries especially. I’ll wait.
    • wize up (11/03/2019, 16:30) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
      @ its vip issue now: when will U rise up and over-stand the issues of our territory are not political: the lack of school facilities is a social issue not a political issue: what we can agree on(very poor political leadership have place our territory in a very bad financial crisis) It takes money to fix or correct infrastructural damages(have nothing to do with political affiliations)...u fully well know, the past 8 years saw almost one-hundred-million-dollars unaccounted for(prove me wrong(the missing 7.2 million could assist to fix prospect reef)..the missing 8 million from the sewage project could have gone towards the school(my point is; the money missing and we still have the same sewage problem however where is that 8 million(just saying)...pier Park over well 20 million missing and the dam project not finish (joke business)....not even you will submit full payment to anyone until your project is complete(keep the faith)....politics is a very good thing however it’s the people within these political parties that makes the muck!!!!
  • Politico Nuevo (11/03/2019, 13:12) Like (18) Dislike (2) Reply
    Unadulterated gross neglect. The abandonment of Propect Reef is probably emblematic of the NDP tenure the last 4 years. NDP was plagued by poor financial stewardship, poor infrastructure management, infrastructure deterioration, internal infighting, poor service delivery, facility neglect, questionable disaster preparedness and readiness........etc. The news flash on facilities is that if you own you got to protect it and maintain. Poor facility maintenance shorten the facility, impact service delivery, impact operations, increase operational cost, accelerate deterioration......etc. This is a prime piece of real estate that should stay in local hands for the benefit of locals. Not averse to outsourcing the facility but is averse to privatizing the property.
  • Stitchie (11/03/2019, 13:21) Like (36) Dislike (0) Reply
    we don't need to hear about anymore of ndp failures the campaign trail is over we got the country(vip)let's fix it. and yrs this is the real stitchie
  • well sa (11/03/2019, 16:40) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
    So Irma had nothing to do with the state of Prospect?
  • A.A. (11/03/2019, 19:11) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    While you are at it, please do not forget a Public Library for Road Town. It is long overdue.
  • Lb (11/03/2019, 22:02) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Seriously with this pettiness still? Get a life. The BVI is moving forward and you all still talking about NDP? Stupes! Just despicable. People like you are holding our country back!
    • wize up (12/03/2019, 07:27) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
      @ LB: the people of this territory saw it fit to place the NDP in electoral office for 8 years: we now have questionable accountability and the people must simply laugh off these matters: the facts of the matter where is the money; millions and millions gone and nothing for the people to see(you have the issue to be a joke) maybe you have some of the people tax money....talk that
  • pat (12/03/2019, 05:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Problems addressed ndp is gone
  • asking for a friend (12/03/2019, 06:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where are the investors are they fronting?
  • Medical campus (12/03/2019, 08:30) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Get our .medical school going.and use prospect as the living campus ...rent Involve in the package ...
  • vi (12/03/2019, 22:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i don't believe the VIP can make much of any change until a proper audit is really done and i hope with transparency we will know where we really are as a county. like i think we forget as a country how much loans we have on the books hospital tpp
  • Corruption (13/03/2019, 22:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Bad enough when governments think they should run businesses but worse if they use public money to bail the business out to pay off a local money launderer and politician. Then they name a prize property after him (one that’s riddled with suspicion about abuse of public monies, fittingly)


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