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Dr Neil M. Smith tipped to be General Manager of BVIEC

The Director of Programme Strategy at the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), Dr Neil M. Smith, has reportedly been tipped to be the new General Manager for the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC). Photo: VINO/File
Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham served as General Manager for BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) for over 21 years. Photo: VINO/File
Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham served as General Manager for BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) for over 21 years. Photo: VINO/File
The major functions of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) are the generation, transmission, supply, distribution and sale of electricity throughout the [British] Virgin Islands. Photo: Facebook/File
The major functions of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) are the generation, transmission, supply, distribution and sale of electricity throughout the [British] Virgin Islands. Photo: Facebook/File
LONG BUSH, Tortola, VI- Word reaching our news centre is that the current Director of Programme Strategy at the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), Dr Neil M. Smith, has been tipped to be the new General Manager for the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC).

Dr Smith is expected to replace Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham who served as General Manager for over 21 years.

It is our understanding that Dr Smith had applied for the advertised post and was interviewed by the Corporation's Board and was successful. A recommendation was then made to Cabinet.

Once approved by Cabinet, the recommendation is to go before the House of Assembly for final approval.

Dr Smith has had a long public sector career, as he started out at the BVI Electricity Corporation and left in the senior position of Generation Engineer.

No stranger to leadership

He was then named Financial Secretary (FS), a job he held for many years under the National Democratic Party (NDP) regime.

When he was reassigned from the FS post, Dr Smith was appointed as Director of International Business (Regulations), before landing a job at the RDA.

He appeared before the Commission of Inquiry in 2021 to answer questions over the BVI Airways scandal surrounding a $7.2M scam, where funds were paid out in violation of the agreement, and to date, no plane or direct flights between Miami and the Virgin Islands have materialised.

The then FS noted that he was instructed by the Dr D Orlando Smith Cabinet to make the payments.

Dr Neil M. Smith, an Indigenous Virgin Islander, is the brother of Attorney General Dawn J. Smith. He is well-trained and qualified for the position. He holds a doctorate in Business Administration and Leadership. His first Degree is in engineering.

Confusion?

There was some confusion after Mr Abraham retired and was promised to return for a year (2023) after his retirement on December 31, 2022, but it appears the deal fell through and the Board moved to fill the position.

39 Responses to “Dr Neil M. Smith tipped to be General Manager of BVIEC”

  • Xxx (08/03/2023, 09:55) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Congratulations
  • support (08/03/2023, 09:56) Like (13) Dislike (6) Reply
    Good man for the job
  • nada (08/03/2023, 09:58) Like (20) Dislike (11) Reply
    Let us hope he does not procure any generators as we might not get them. #BVIAIRWAYS
  • Shameful passed 21 years (08/03/2023, 10:12) Like (19) Dislike (7) Reply
    Run a audit into the BVIEC for the last 21 years if yone wants to find careless spending. In that space of time the former GM did not give a raise.
    • Cha (08/03/2023, 15:23) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
      You too darn lie. workers got raises in 2022 you probably did not get any because you didnt deserve none! Tell the truth no man. Not because you hate someone so bad you have to tell lies. I can tell you hate Leroy but you cannot keep him down no matter how much hate and lies you all spread......
      • @Cha (09/03/2023, 04:15) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
        You have to be drunk or only you got a raise in privacy.
        • Cha (09/03/2023, 09:07) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
          There is always the opportunity for you to work some place else Boo .lol
        • Cha (09/03/2023, 09:08) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
          Go look work some place if you aren't satisfied. Nonsense you chatting
      • @Cha (09/03/2023, 04:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        Raise? I also work there and we did not get a raise we got 2 increments but that’s not a “raise”
  • 2023 (08/03/2023, 11:12) Like (14) Dislike (23) Reply
    he understands business development and should bring some good ideas to the table: that place need updating:
  • Oh My (08/03/2023, 11:19) Like (36) Dislike (4) Reply
    What about the $8 million plane. Some people just have luck.
  • musa (08/03/2023, 11:29) Like (6) Dislike (9) Reply
    Great news
  • Real (08/03/2023, 11:46) Like (40) Dislike (3) Reply
    He must be politically connected because he made some major screw ups and lost the people of the BVI a ton of money. This says to me, we are not serious about handling our own affairs nor do we have the political maturity to save ourselves. Here we go back down that slippery slope. This is a very bad decision.........
    • HMMM (08/03/2023, 14:58) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
      He certainly did not lose nearly as much as the current administration. Start with the last investment at the market square.
  • Nice (08/03/2023, 12:05) Like (8) Dislike (14) Reply
    Good Pick, and humble too.
  • C. Edison (08/03/2023, 12:10) Like (4) Dislike (21) Reply
    Good Pick!
    This Smith Family has consistently been the backbone and stalwarts of BVI development as far back as can be traced. East West North South USVI/Puerto Rico and places overseas. A BVI family known and respected by the UK Gov.
    A true legacy of giving to home and everywhere else they call home.
    I have always been fascinated by them since my arrival on these shores and did some research which has left me in awe.
    His Dad,Bennet Smith,granfather Wilfred W Smith Grandfather Daniel B Smith etc etc..
    • We not serious. (08/03/2023, 13:40) Like (45) Dislike (13) Reply
      Isn't this the same Neil Smith who was involved in the giving away 7 mil of tax payers money to some fake plane deal..Why are we keep recycling these people. Its that bad in the BVI that only a few people got brains.? We are not serious about change...
      • Jill (08/03/2023, 15:02) Like (10) Dislike (13) Reply
        We recycle other countries’ rejects so let’s save our own who will not be given the chance we give others.
      • Better Deal (08/03/2023, 16:21) Like (3) Dislike (4) Reply
        A better deal was a benefit to the country. Investment and risk went wrong. But it was to help move us forward. A much better deal than Andrew selling us out for God knows what to the man in Senegal. You guys are crazy.
  • What a BVI (08/03/2023, 12:14) Like (27) Dislike (9) Reply
    Some people in the BVI are loved no matter what they do. This man is more responsible for most of the mess the BVI is in, but I guess when you sing for your supper and sell out your people to the colonial masters to remain free and keep your good reputation you will always be free as they will blame others as a smoke screen.
  • Truth (08/03/2023, 12:34) Like (5) Dislike (13) Reply
    Congratulation, Dr. Smith.
  • Undercover Observer (08/03/2023, 12:42) Like (7) Dislike (9) Reply
    One does not need to have a full grasp of the technical details of a function to lead/manage it effectively, though it is a plus if one does. The reality is the further one is from the base of the pyramid one may know little about the technical details. At the top of pyramid, the top job is to lead/manage the resources to meet the goal and objective of the function. Mr. Smith holds an engineering degree ( don’t know if it is in electrical engineering) so he will have some basic understanding of energy sources, ie, wind, fossil fuel, thermal, wave, etc, power generation, transmission, and distribution. Additionally, a plus for Mr. Smith and BVIEC, is that he has experience managing finance at the highest level. The hope and desire of consumers is that the BVIEC does not skip a beat between the handoff from Mr. Abraham to Mr. Smith. Mr. Abraham led the BVIEC for 21 years and is leaving some big shoes to fill.
  • Lost souls (08/03/2023, 12:44) Like (33) Dislike (3) Reply
    No bad deed goes unrewarded here! Just keep plugging in the same old rusty pieces into the machine and then wonder why it breaks.
  • Definitely salt (08/03/2023, 12:51) Like (8) Dislike (7) Reply
    Boy we ain’t getting no raise again.
  • lol (08/03/2023, 12:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Alston ! tell them next time don't do that to your face, use a better blocker,lol
  • NICK (08/03/2023, 13:56) Like (11) Dislike (11) Reply
    Good pick. Bam!. "He that is without sin cast the first stone". Congratulations meh boy.
  • xx (08/03/2023, 14:04) Like (18) Dislike (8) Reply
    This must be a joke. This place is not serious. Look trouble here
  • Welsah (08/03/2023, 14:13) Like (34) Dislike (13) Reply
    Symorne Penn would have been a better pick. But as it goes they now put a person who they can now manipulate and have as a puppet. He is just a yes man.
    • @welsah (08/03/2023, 14:42) Like (5) Dislike (9) Reply
      Well said. They like people who done sell out to the status quo and to the UK colonial masters. Miss Penn was definitely not only the better choice, but she would have also been the most proactive and productive selection.
    • Wellsah Indeed (08/03/2023, 14:55) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
      You all fully well know that she was a HUGE yes woman to the one who gone as she was not and still isn't sure of what she is doing. I heard that she consulted him for EVERYTHING. Had no balls at all. SMDH
      • haaaa (08/03/2023, 15:20) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
        You are such a moron you cannot fit any of their shoes. You are one of those haters and not acknowledging how far BVIEC has progressed under the last leadership. Go have several seats. You must be one of those disgruntled and unproductive workers there.
  • smh (08/03/2023, 15:26) Like (24) Dislike (1) Reply

    Let us stop the &*^% nonsense now. What has Neil pioneered or led in the BVI? Not one *&^%@ thing!!! His legacy will be giving away $7 million dollars without no proper explanation. This place is just going to &^%$@ sh**. Just because someone is a 'nice' person doesn't mean they're fit and proper. We demonize Myron over a Wall that cost 1.2mil and that is still there around the school, even surviving Irma. But this man allegedly squandered $7mil as FS, no plane, admitted to paying out all the money despite the agreement saying different, currently under investigation and he is rewarded with a new big job. And you want the youth to stop doing what they're doing? What message are we sending? This is all just ^&*%$@ crazy and that's why the young people will do what they want to get their money.

  • @SMH (08/03/2023, 16:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    that was well put ???? hypocrisy is the name of game , nothing surprises me these days , people are still insinuating that the real doctor stole the people's money
  • asking for a friend (08/03/2023, 18:25) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    He will do well but whatever happened to Henry Creque?
  • am (08/03/2023, 21:13) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Let's go FS! Hoping your perform well, provide sound leadership and look out for your people in this new role. Blessings!
  • ??? (10/03/2023, 11:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Correct me as I have been known to be wrong, but I thought he was under investigation. You gotta love the stupidity and the ignorance of the BVI. That's all you can class the ludicrous actions as. We are our own enemies, not the UK, not the expats...it's us. And we people worrying about the UK taking over. That's the least of our problems.
  • ok (10/03/2023, 20:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    He worked there before his FS days. He will be just fine.


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