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BVI IAC centre more than an office building- Francois Lassalle
Lassalle told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview that he sees the centre as an investment.
He was responding to a question regarding the total cost of the project to the territory, explaining that upon its completion of the centre the accounts will be available.
“The government is funding that project but one thing that is really important to understand that this is not just another office building that is not going to generate revenue. This space is going to generate a lot of value by itself but not for itself, as it is a non-for-profit institution,” CEO of BVI IAC noted. “So all the rooms we have created are going to be available for rent for arbitrations. It was obviously designed for that but also for more generic meetings, seminars, or trainings or conferences.”
Tourism will benefit
Meanwhile, the BVI IAC’s boss sees the facility contributing to tourism.
“Having this business facility in the BVI also means that the BVI Tourist Board will be able to target Business Tourism. It would also increase occupancy for hotels, restaurants and taxis, so it is going to generate a lot of value and it is going to pay for itself pretty quickly,” he said.
“So I know from a media perspective it is always interesting to talk about cost but this is actually something that will create value and I see this more as an investment from the government.”
BVI IAC to compete on international stage
The BVI IAC boasts 4 hearing rooms (two of which are connected and create a conference room with a holding capacity of 200 ), 6 break out rooms, among other amenities. The project started on August 8, 2016 and the services of Kelvin D. Liburd, Architect and Class Designer, were engaged.
Liburd said the center which is housed on the third floor of the Ritter House on Wickham’s Cay II was constructed as a first class building to rival the international facilities of Singapore, Hong Kong and the like.
“ I’ve had a passion for designing from a very early age, I’ve always had an interest in what kept a building standing, what the final product would be and it is always a joy for me to create a space for the end user and how they will feel in that space. So with every approach I listen to the needs of the client and I would implement those needs in the furniture, layout, whether it is the colours chosen, or even the very materials. And so I listened and decided to respond to that request and from the reviews it seems to have been well executed.”
The soft opening of the BVI IAC was held on Wednesday November 16, 2016.
Purpose
The BVI IAC provides full administrative and concierge services in support of parties and arbitrators conducting arbitral proceedings under its auspices, serving as the official channel of communications and ensuring safe custody of documents. The BVI IAC also provides services such as financial administration, logistical and technical support for meetings and hearings, travel arrangements, and general secretarial and linguistic support. The centre maintains a roster of 190+ international arbitration and dispute resolution practitioners drawn from common law and civil law jurisdictions who can conduct arbitrations in a variety of languages.
The BVI IAC Board was appointed by Cabinet on September 7, 2015. The members are Mr John Beechey CBE, who holds the position of Chairman, Mr Mark Forte, Mr Cherno Jallow, QC, Mr Murray Smith and Ms Felice Swapp.
The Board was appointed to oversee the establishment and later operation of the company. The Centre was established under section 93 of the Arbitration Act, 2013 to provide full-service support and facilities for arbitration and mediation proceedings.
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