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Where is the $7.2M BVI Airways planes? Hon Fahie calls for CoI

-a small model of a plane said to be in a Baughers Bay workshop is the joke on social media
Small model of the plane named NDP that resembles BVI Airways has been circulating on social network around the Territory. Photo: Social Media
Opposition Leader, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) right called for a Commission of Inquiry into the failed BVI Airways initiative on numerous occassions in the House of Assembly (HoA) but Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL), left Premier and Minister of Finance continues to ignore his many request. Photo: VINO/File
Opposition Leader, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) right called for a Commission of Inquiry into the failed BVI Airways initiative on numerous occassions in the House of Assembly (HoA) but Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL), left Premier and Minister of Finance continues to ignore his many request. Photo: VINO/File
The National Democratic Party (NDP) invested $7.2 million of taxpayers money into BVI Airways which was scheduled to have direct flights from the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, Beef Island to Miami International Airport. Photo: VINO/File
The National Democratic Party (NDP) invested $7.2 million of taxpayers money into BVI Airways which was scheduled to have direct flights from the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, Beef Island to Miami International Airport. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - We all are aware of the history when in 2016 Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) announced that he had committed the Territory into a $7 million deal with the once defunct and bankrupt BVI Airways to provide direct flights from Miami, Florida to Beef Island.

At the time he claimed that the deal that had no public consultation and had another local airline company who had already approached the Government years ago to do the same was a “game changer” for airlift.

Was it a scam?

After some three-deadlines passed for the flights to start and a number of investigations by the local and international press about the company and the deal the public became uneasy and suspicious.

It also was revealed that when the same BVI Airways pull out of Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, Beef Island in 2014 they owed the BVI Airports Authority almost $100,000 in landing fees.

It also was made known via a series of questions in the House of Assembly (HoA) from the Opposition that the cost the taxpayers pumped into the airline has increased to $7.2 million. The Government has never come clean about the issues surrounding BVI Airways and many have already concluded that taxpayers will never get their money back.

"We need a Commission of Inquiry" -Hon Fahie

Opposition Leader, Hon. Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the failed BVI Airways initiative during the HoA on Thursday, March 1, 2018, while grilling Dr Smith with questions.

"I would advise the Attorney General (AG) to proceed through a Commission of Inquiry, because you cannot have this amount of money out for so long and no solid questions being answered for it, and taxpayers’ money gone," expressed Hon Fahie.

The Opposition Leader also raised the request again for a Commission of Inquiry on March 26, 2018, while debating the controversial Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency Act 2018.

There has been all type of information circulating about the sale of the planes, the directors and investors and who were paid what. However, the BVI Airways owners claimed that the reason they did not fly was because the government did not keep their side of the deal, a notion that was rejected by Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Smith.

Social Media jokes

On a lighter side, a model plane named NDP that resembles BVI Airways has been circulating on social network around the Territory and the poster of the plane claimed to have found the $7.2 million plane at a Baughers Bay workshop. It is unclear who originated the post or who is responsible for making the replica.

33 Responses to “Where is the $7.2M BVI Airways planes? Hon Fahie calls for CoI”

  • policeman (09/04/2018, 16:38) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well ssh look melee
  • Yes (09/04/2018, 16:48) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Fraser got back his generator money so when will Doc get back his?
  • we are slowly drifting in the wrong direction (09/04/2018, 16:51) Like (22) Dislike (0) Reply
    Them need to lock up the local shareholders until we get answers.
  • good money after bad (09/04/2018, 16:53) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply

    So we spent 7.2 million to retrieve 100 thousand? 

    • LCS (10/04/2018, 15:55) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      No, we never gotten a penny. The $100,000.00 should have benn deducted from the deal! I agree, there should be an investigation (CO). It's needed.
  • st.thomas calypso (09/04/2018, 16:54) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    "whey de money gone i don't know"
    • boyblue (09/04/2018, 20:04) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
      It went to pay for office rental , office staff,pilots and flight attendants while for an extended time the Brats pursued a frivolous lawsuit to stop the sale.
      Of course the Brats are locals with an entitlement mentality who like many others would do anything to have locals fail.Never supportive. An enquiry would be great because it would cast lights on the Brats.
      Dr Smith falls short in his leniency towards those of ill will against the VI and Gov those like the Brats and especially the one public servant with slander and unsubstantiated accusations at every opportunity against the Government. BVI needs money honey and no better time than now to sue the Brats and others.
    • Yes (12/04/2018, 07:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The money gone in the hairy bank.....
  • jokes (09/04/2018, 16:57) Like (22) Dislike (4) Reply
    VINO we need to see a cartoon with the 5 ministers waving at andrew........LOL
  • wize up (09/04/2018, 17:31) Like (21) Dislike (1) Reply
    stiffer legislation them actual enforcement because I don’t know about some of you out there I rather not pay taxes because I can do something more profitable with the money I pay in tax: after paying those dues and have it fu(ked up can not be right: had the planes taken off we would have been overjoyed.......
  • My My (09/04/2018, 19:33) Like (34) Dislike (3) Reply
    The NDP is too corrupt.
  • fact (09/04/2018, 19:34) Like (45) Dislike (2) Reply
    The NDP is the most corrupt government in the history of the BVI. We still haven't heard the truth of the ports project millions.
  • not fair (09/04/2018, 19:52) Like (35) Dislike (0) Reply
    If it was anyone else other than the NDP they would have already been investigated and jailed. The lady who wears the pants and the former fs and two Ministers have a lot to answer.
  • Once again (09/04/2018, 19:53) Like (36) Dislike (3) Reply
    A set of fat millionare NDP rats running around rich while we the people continue to suffer and remain broke.
  • Send another email. (09/04/2018, 20:02) Like (2) Dislike (10) Reply
    Somebody need to send Andrew an email explaining that the plane was found on a table in baughers bay buddy. So that he can rest his case overnight and vote for what he was making noise against the next day.
  • qc (09/04/2018, 21:23) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    where is it you ask? someone bank account in the USA and BVI
  • HUNTER (09/04/2018, 21:52) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Whilst we tracking the $7 millions "dem" can we say if we ever got that $7m generator that was so urgently needed to provide to the water company? We had finish tracking that? Ah mean two wrongs don't make a right but two 7m spent incorrectly is a $14m drawback for the people. Still think UK should not monitor ( control ) their $300m help?
  • See (09/04/2018, 22:46) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    A national disgrace in the middle of a disaster recovery .Real classy leaders we have
  • Consider (09/04/2018, 23:16) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    The BVI laws make a director personally liable for decisions made that is not in the best interest of a company and this should be pursued aggressively.
    Who is going to take this on?
    Maybe it time for those who profess to have the BVI interest at heart to start taking actions rather than just talking. The above is the simplistic way to get things moving.

    • Yes (11/04/2018, 14:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Obviously it was in the company's best interest to sell the plane to meet their debts. What is at issue is that there was a breach of contract. Unfortunately, only the Lord knows what was in that agreement.
  • ????? (10/04/2018, 06:44) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think it was one big eblorate SCAM. You the people of the BVI got played for 7.2 million dollars. Names and Faces change but the game remains the same.
  • Back to ranting (10/04/2018, 10:03) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    Hon Fahie: stop messing around: that money gone forever. You want to do us some good, get a transparency & accountability bill before the HOA & keep an eye on those HUNDREDS of millions about to come in.
  • Creativity (10/04/2018, 10:40) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    That’s why Irmaria ain’t touch Baugher’s Bay cause de plane! De plane!!
  • beat the dead horse (10/04/2018, 12:36) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    I cant believe this is still raising questions. I have been on here since day 1 yelling from the rooftops that this was a scam of the highest degree. This money is gone. Long gone. It is NOT coming back. It is spent, lined the pockets of a lot of people.
    There needs to be a full judicial inquiry into this. People have committed fraud! Follow the paper trail. It is not difficult. The planes were never bought, the FAA applications never were filed. The money went from numbered company to numbered company. People need to go to jail over this.
  • Mountain Dew (10/04/2018, 13:14) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    VINO we want to see a cartoon with the plane flying with the money
  • VG 1 (10/04/2018, 14:10) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please go on to another topic...we are not going to get it back..don't use see the man ain't answering this question, don't care how many times we ask it....you all have the change you were in the streets dancing for, a change from prosperity to poverty... some doing well while others catching hell
  • Aer Y Lingus (10/04/2018, 23:03) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The plane is sitting at an airport in Moncton,New Brunswick,Canada. Been there since August.
  • Well Sah (10/04/2018, 23:49) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    We made some broke men instant millionaires
  • thank you (11/04/2018, 10:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    That's the grim reality. These inept people we have at the helm of our government were taken for a ride with this deal except it wasn't in a plane! lol! They handed over 7mill and have NOTHING to show for it. Easy come easy go I guess.
  • Ghost (12/04/2018, 10:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    all the money gone in ndp bank
  • ginger (12/04/2018, 13:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good question!!! And where are the water by Bi-water, the medical school study and the race track study?
  • Diplomat (14/04/2018, 10:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI government, the prople’s represensatives, the intelligentsia, the elites.........etc got punked and scammed by BVI Airways, a defunct, bruk ass and dead beat airline, for $7.2M. $7.2M of taxpayer money down the sewer without any proper accountability; $7.2M cannot just be spent willy nilly without any accountability. Everyone involved in this scam must be taken to task by a neutral third party. There is a fiduciary responsibility to properly account for the $7.2M. We cannot pretend that it is no big deal, nothing to see here. $7.2K disappearing should be investigated and so too must $7.2M. A COI is needed to investigate what happened, were there any wrong doing and any accused get due process. If every thing was above board, what is the problem? What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If ABC or XYZ were in power and wrecklessly expended $7.2M, LMN would be raising cane and rightly so.


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