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Small contractors being forced to close- Hon Julian Fraser RA

- said damages to economy due to abandonment of petty contract & purchase order systems immeasurable
Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA (right) said Government has abandoned the petty contract and purchase order systems by government and has prevented small contractors from benefiting from projects such as bush cutting and ghut cleaning. Photo: VINO/File
Some of the persons in attendance at the Public Meeting called by Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA on October 20, 2016. Photo; VINO
Some of the persons in attendance at the Public Meeting called by Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA on October 20, 2016. Photo; VINO
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI- “You don't have to drive very far from your home to realise that bush and weed are taking over and unless and until government does something meaningful about it the dangers to motorists will result in accidents and roads will become impassable.”

This was the view of Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA, while addressing the abandonment of the petty contract and purchase order systems by government and which has prevented small contractors from benefiting from projects such as bush cutting and ghut cleaning.

“I am aware that Government has tried to address the issue of bush cutting in the district but just like how they have bastardized the petty contract system…the PO system was no different. I'm not sure what the point is. They say it is more cost-effective. I beg to differ,” Hon Fraser said during the Public Meeting held with Third District constituents at Valerie O. Thomas Community Centre, Sea Cows Bay, on October 20, 2016.

According to Hon Fraser, government has abandoned the practice of issuing purchase orders (POs) to individuals to clear portions of roads with workers of their employ and is now hiring a supervisor and workmen as daily paid individuals to do the same work. These men, he said, now work directly for the government for a set number of days to do a specific amount of work.

New system has failed miserably

“We have tried it here in the Third District and it has failed miserably. For instance, a portion of road which in the past ordinarily was done for $12,000, through the use of POs, is being offered at the rate of one supervisor and six men for six days which equals $5,220. Needless to say, no one is interested in taking it.”

“What makes this scenario so bad is that the men who are not even hired by the supervisor shows up for work expecting the supervisor to provide them with tools, water and transportation, and they don’t event work for him, they are working for the Ministry.”

Hon Fraser added that there is a similar situation with what was once the petty contract system, where ordinarily a project would be done through the issuance of a petty contract. Government is now hiring directly a supervisor and workers to perform under his directions. They are all paid on a daily basis directly by the Ministry.

Rippling effects/small contractors going out of business

“What this practice has done to our economy is immeasurable, because the effects are rippling. Small contractors are forced to close down in order to eliminate overhead and due to their inability to compete with government's crews for work.

“Contractors will normally realise small profits on petty contracts, however, in this new system it is not worth participating.”

Hon Fraser said the NDP Administration, which has failed to adequately fund these very essential programmes, is to be blamed.

“The drains and ghuts which POs were given out to be cleaned are not happening anymore so you equipment owners are at a standstill as the trees grow in the ghuts. Meanwhile, no one wants to clean drains being paid as an employee of government without benefits.

20 Responses to “Small contractors being forced to close- Hon Julian Fraser RA”

  • especially those that are not connected (22/10/2016, 12:49) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
    The small man dead in the BVI.
  • 1st and 3rd district shut down (22/10/2016, 12:51) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    I can hardly see in the ghut by elmo conner but those in roadtown were cleaned twice for the year.
  • we doomed (22/10/2016, 12:53) Like (4) Dislike (10) Reply
    Our petty contract money was used to bail out a bankrupt airline owned by an outside company.
  • they don't care about us (22/10/2016, 12:59) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    The money that was wasted on fireworks could've well taken care of the bush-cutting.
  • vip (22/10/2016, 13:00) Like (5) Dislike (13) Reply
    WHY THEM DON'T CALL ANOTHER SNAP ELECTION NOW?
  • witness (22/10/2016, 13:03) Like (9) Dislike (9) Reply
    This country will live to regret not voting for Fraser and his VIP.
  • trrefdrfds (22/10/2016, 13:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Government don't have Money.. They gave it all waste it all on their friends and themselves...The money done. I agree with the Government don't work people if you won't be able to pay them.
  • watching (22/10/2016, 13:27) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Things have gotten to the dangerois level . We keep putting up with all this nonsense however ...so there is no one to blame but ourselves
  • CNN1 (22/10/2016, 15:01) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don't talk about the unpaid bills with LPO's for work done more than (1) one year ago. Small businesses in the BVI got to suck salt and watch the Government officials squander every dollar they get their hands on. When will they pay overdue bills for work already completed?
  • Vi girl (22/10/2016, 17:21) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    ummmmmm public works department anyone!!! why do we even have that department if they wont even keep the BVI looking tidy.
    • Same ting (22/10/2016, 20:19) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      @vi girl.
      This is the same question i have been asking for years . What happen to PWD carpenter shop and the road works gang ? Why are these men being paid ? What do they do on a daily basis ? The WHOLE SYSTEM has gone to the dogs because of hand outs . The problem starts with the POLITICIANS , supervisors and right down the ladder . No one is responsible . Which man in PWD can show any one the last day they gave the government 5 hours of productive work for any giving day within the last 6 months ? NO. NOT. ONE
      Now ayaa bauling bout petty contract ; let them who gettin pay do some thing fir their $$$ We will become beggars and strangers in our own country because of a LACK OF NATIONAL PRIDE
  • Let's see (22/10/2016, 21:00) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    $ 5,220 for 1 supervisor + 6 men for 6 days. So, if each man is getting $120/day, that works out to $ 4,320 over 6 days,meaning the supervisor collects $ 150 per day. Previously same workers got paid the same and supervisor got to pocket $ 7,680 if the gov paid them $ 12,000. Or, do you reckon that when the govt paid $ 12 K, the workers got paid double ($ 240/day) and the supervisor kept $ 3,360?.
    • Aha (23/10/2016, 04:59) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Lets see. Base on your line of reasoning, what you should do is hire the peope daily for 365 day. we hope you paying their SSN,NHI & taxes. Do not forget the wear and tear expense on our shovels, machete, transporting workers, generators, power drills, hammers or you all thought these were free services. A supervisor working in trade for $150 a day with all the things he has to do? Might as well he change career and work as a medical provider so he can collect some of that NHI payout because his skills worth the pay. Set ah thief and slave drivers for who you want to treat so.
  • CGB resident (23/10/2016, 07:40) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    What's wrong with prisoners=free labor, doesn't cost anyone anything
    • Take our country back! (24/10/2016, 07:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I have always wondered about that. Young men in their Prime eating and drinking better than many of us. Everybody else working and trying to pay their bills....and they up in Bsllo cooling out!. In the USA or anywhere outside of the VIs, (the other one or the Real one) would be keeping the streets clean, the horse track, A O Sherley grounds) and other public places,
  • vip loyalist (23/10/2016, 20:37) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Fraser vex cause he fat rat and his cronies ain't getting hand me out go hustle work it have work out there
  • Sherry (25/10/2016, 12:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    why can't youth groups be organized to help every now and then? Each district have their own environmental club and public service like they do with trash picking? People can do a lot of this themselves and have fun and learn at the same time.
  • pat (25/10/2016, 20:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The power of money; and the way power, in poor countries particularly, is swayed to damn the poor and enhance the 'haves'.
  • Hmmmm (26/10/2016, 09:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    We have a public works dept fully staffed with road worker...frazer and his crew of handout givers used that small contractor/petty contract system to keep ppl who dont want to look other work gainfully employed...we have a public works department who should be cutting bush and cleaning ghuts on their gov salary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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