UPDATE: Locals can continue providing service despite Jet Centre- Premier
The territory’s leader also said that the two local businesses will be allowed to continue providing their service to the airport despite the Jet Centre contract being awarded to an outside company.
The announcement of the agreement to have IAM Caribbean Inc. undertake the Jet Centre project had put a bitter taste in the mouths of many including two business entities that provided similar services at the airport.
During a press conference yesterday November 12, 2013 Premier Smith insisted that the initiative is not a major project. He referred to it as a facility that is being put at the airport. This followed a question whether government was prepared to reconsider the idea of sourcing out the agreement especially considering allegedly had not gone through the proper bidding process.
“It is essentially a service that is going to be provided by this company,” said Premier Smith.
He also noted that the two local companies will be allowed to continue providing their services.
Proprietors of both local businesses had told Virgin Islands News Online that they had a brokerage arrangement with IAM Caribbean Inc., and with them now coming directly meant their business would be affected.
See previous article posted November 5, 2013
IAM agreement will take bread out of our mouths- Concerned VIslander
-Local businesses providing similar services at Terrance B. Lettsome Airport likely to suffer with the signing of Jet Centre agreement
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour and the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) are being accused of taking bread out of the mouths of locals and cutting them from opportunities to take their businesses forward by signing an agreement with IAM Caribbean Inc for the establishment of a Jet Centre at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.
Reliable sources told Virgin Islands News Online that IAM Caribbean Inc and local businesses Airport Services (BVI) Ltd and Platinum had a brokerage partnership and with the agreement of the BVIAA and IAM that partnership will now be broken. “The same business that they (IAM) were doing through the local company, they coming to do themselves and that is going to kill those people’s business,” the source posited.
The signed agreement has also caused major uproar from Board Members of the BVIAA as its Chairman was accused of allegedly signing the agreement without first discussing with other board members. This news agency understands that a board meeting is set for today, November 5, 2013 to discuss the matter and, according to one board member, “It’s going to be fiery”.
The owners of two local businesses were contacted by this news agency and it was confirmed that they had a brokerage arrangement with IAM. They also confirmed that they have been trying for years to get the BVIAA and the Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural and Labour, Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering to give them a shot at establishing a Jet Centre.
They said they were both surprised at the recent agreement but declined to comment further. One of the business unit owners alleged of being told of the new development in the most unprofessional manner and orally. “He said (BVIAA head man) let me tell you before you got to hear it on the news or on the road this is so so so. Would you believe that, not a letter nor a meeting just so raw.”
According to sources close to the two entrepreneurs who operate businesses at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, for many years they have been attempting to have the BVIAA grant them the permission to utilize the VIP lounge for a Jet centre.
“That idea was their own (names called) in the first place. These are our local people I am talking about. They shared the idea with BVIAA and now look what they did rather than give them a chance at it. They were so deceitful to go all the way to Barbados and bring IAM. They taking bread out of our own people mouths, they are going to kill their business now because somebody in government (name called) got personal agendas,” said the source.
Recently, the BVIAA announced that they had signed an agreement with IAM Caribbean Inc., headquarters in Barbados for the establishment of the Jet Centre at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.
“Yes we feel that the existing operators should have been incorporated into any business venture proposed. Both companies (Airport Services and Platinum) inquired about the potential to have such a facility whether through the Airport Authority or by themselves and were advised it would not happen until the airport was expanded and even then it would go out to tender,” the source said.
The source, who opted to speak on behalf of the locals, said that they were all caught by surprise with the dubious actions of the BVIAA and the government of the day. “First it was the Cruise Pier now it’s the BVIAA, this corruption must stop. They are killing their own to personal agendas.”
Several calls and messages to the Managing Director of the BVIAA Mr Denniston Fraser and Chairman of the Board Mr Glen Harrigan went unanswered throughout yesterday November 4, 2013. Hon Pickering was said to be out of the country and would not be back before next Monday while his Permanent Secretary was said to be out on a training programme for the day.
According to a press release, it was based on a ‘robust’ and steadily increasing demand for premium Business Jet facilities in the British Virgin Islands over the last few years, IAM Jet Centre - Tortola is set to open by mid January, 2014 and will join an expanding family of IAM facilities across the Caribbean, in Barbados, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Grenada - which will open in mid-December.
“Like its sister facilities, IAM Jet Centre - Tortola will be totally focused on business jet users and VIP guests. The facility will feature in house Customs and Immigration, elegant lounge and meeting spaces, focused and professional customer service staff and state-of-the-art security screening capabilities,” the release stated.
It further stated that IAM will work cooperatively with existing ground service providers at the airport by utilizing their ramp services where available and by agreeing terms for the accommodation of their existing clients in the Jet Centre.
According to the BVIAA IAM has 24 years of experience in providing business aviation services across the Caribbean giving business jet users, their crew and VIP guests a remarkable experience at the airport. IAM promises to bring this same level of first class services to the Virgin Islands.
“IAM will also mobilize its significant international resources and contacts within the business aviation industry to heavily promote the British Virgin Islands as a premier destination and thereby create avenues for overall growth of the British Virgin Islands tourism industry,” the BVIAA press release stated.
37 Responses to “UPDATE: Locals can continue providing service despite Jet Centre- Premier”
Little by little, competition is coming in and we will finally get the opportunity to buy quality products, and quality services, in quality environments. This is the only way this country will move forward where we will all benefit. Instead, you guys prefer to settle for only what you know. For those of you with "outside" experience you will understand that for a country of our size, with our GDP, should be far more advanced today. Especially our infastructure.
If you still think you are getting a lime. Do like the oldsaying goes. Make some juice with it and find a way to use it to your advantage. Stop complaining.
We are too negative people. Stop it.
Food for Thought
****** aint pay us his past workers in vg. Owning a set a ppl money. That jam down woman broke he. Where he getting money to wa be is this and he cant pay the ppl them money blame it on strock. Hmmm only in the bvi
or
stale doubles?
u actually think that this Government cares!
If the Minister felt the jet services here were not good enough and only the new company could introduce the standard of service he wants to see, why not make the new company join with one of the local operators? No, that would have taken a caring and responsible representative who have the development, growth and sustainability of his local people at heart!
I wouldn't be surprised if this new company isn't getting concessions to come here. After all, the Gov't. already giving it to the big foreign airline but not to the small local airline!! This is just the nature of the NDP. They don't care anything about locals (unless they in the Investment Club then anything goes, right or wrong / legal or not / fair or unfair), only foreign companies and investors even when they know their decisions killing off existing local businesses and opportunities for future ones. I heard one Minister went as far as trying to take back Crown land from a local businessman to give to his rich white friend even though the local man was ready and able to develop the land. If that isn't proof enough of my contention, I don't know what would be!
You all does just talk a pack of $%^& sometimes!!! You 'heard' it 'seems'. Not one fact! How can anybody take Crown land and give it to an outsider? Stop talking bull%^&* man!!!!!!!!!!!!! Both Parties are doing bull$%^& it's just that VIP are better at keeping you stupid a$$%^ distracted with petty and bush contracts so you don't notice what they're doing. Just HUSH for godsake.
the method of using an outside company for this send the wrong message. This is just the BVI continue to be sold out. they say TTP 20 percent for the local and now they give away the airport services. flip flopping