UPDATE: Hon Vanterpool confirms VINO story! Pier Park ‘Grand Opening' postponed
Our story was confirmed by Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) while delivering a statement on the Tortola Pier Park project during the Fifth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands earlier today December 21, 2015.
Virgin Islands News Online broke the story last night that the planned event was going to be postponed a day before the scheduled ‘Grand Opening’.
The new opening date has been set as February 16, 2016 when, according to the Minister, most of the construction would have been completed and “more shops outfitted.”
What has been described as hardly any consolation, Hon Vanterpool announced that the Park will, nevertheless, be opened to the public from tomorrow, December 22, 2015.
It is unclear why this decision has been made when, according to our traditional NDP sources, the area is still considered “a construction site” hence one of the reasons for the delay in the ‘Grand Opening’ in the first place.
See previous article published December 21, 2015
Embarrassed? Tortola Pier Park Opening for Dec 22, 2015 postponed!
-reports are that the Grand Opening of the BVI Ports Authority’s Tortola Pier Park Project scheduled for December 22, 2015 is a ‘no go’ until next year
Information reaching our newsroom from our traditional sources within the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) regime is that the grand opening of the Tortola Pier Park Project scheduled for December 22, 2015 at 5:15 pm on the site of the project will not happen.
One source close to the BVI Ports Authority told our newsroom that the building construction, along with other items, are “far from completion” therefore the opening of the landside of the project is not expected to go ahead as planned.
It remains unclear when the BVI Ports Authority or the Minister for Communications and Works will make an announcement, less than 24 hours before the event.
The BVI Ports Authority, via its Tortola Pier Park, had planned an all-day event of music, cultural event, local bands and other entertainment leading up to what they described in many advertisements as a ‘Grand Opening at 5:15 P.M.’
Ports Project shrouded in controversy
The status of Ports Director Claude O. Skelton-Cline’s contract is unknown at this time. There are conflicting reports about whether the contract will be renewed, with our traditional NDP sources saying it’s a work in progress, and within the past 48 hours, that there could be a shift in position to renew the contract even if for a shorter term.
The BVI Ports Authority Pier Project was in the news following the 2011 general elections after two damning reports. One was conducted by the former Virgin Islands’ Auditor General Ms Sonia M. Webster and the other by the House of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee chaired by former Leader of the Opposition Hon Ralph T. O’Neal OBE.
The Auditor General's Report on the Ports Development Project unearthed corruption, conflict of interest, disregard for the laws of the Virgin Islands, unfair practices, undue influence in favour of one developer, disregard for the established tendering process and that no one looking was out for the interest of the people and taxpayers of the Virgin Islands, putting the people at a disadvantage.
PAC makes same conclusion of corruption
Following that report the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) conducted its own independent investigations and on page 31, 3 they agreed with the findings of the Auditor General's Report of wide-spread corruption, which was substantiated by the evidence furnished to the Committee from Board Members, Ministry of Communications and Works officials and former staff of both the BVI Ports Authority and its Board.
It’s unclear when next year the Tortola Pier Park will be opening.
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63 Responses to “UPDATE: Hon Vanterpool confirms VINO story! Pier Park ‘Grand Opening' postponed”
Be not fooled. This Governor have his eyes wide open. Be not fooled. Time is longer than twine..
I was there last week an most of the buildings were completed (just the outside). anyhow I'm glad they call it off because it didn't make sense rushing to open half way hopefully they can come correct before it's to late.
it's about time that corrupt persons go to jail and for along time and money recouped back to the treasury..
I hope they have insurance.
Doesn't the contract become VOID today, if the project is not finished?