Where is the $7.2M BVI Airways planes? Hon Fahie calls for CoI
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”
So we spent 7.2 million to retrieve 100 thousand?
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.
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.
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.