Gov't fires contractor for NEOC building
This announcement was made during the Seventh Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA), which took place on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The NEOC is designed to serve as a critical hub for the Government of the Virgin Islands, facilitating coordinated operations in response to major emergencies and hazards.
Geared to endure a range of natural disasters, the structure will be fortified against hurricanes, earthquakes, and landslides, ensuring the continuity of government functions during crises.
This initiative comes in the wake of the previous NEOC building's destruction by Hurricane Irma in 2017, highlighting the urgent need for a resilient replacement.
From the project's inception, a significant budget allocation of $10,792,481.11 was dedicated to the establishment of this emergency centre by the Department of Disaster Management. Initially, the completion of this vital facility was anticipated by January 28, 2023.
Construction of the building was being carried out by a joint venture between local firms Tandem Development and D & B Heavy Equipment Services Limited.
Contract termination
Premier Wheatley elaborated on the situation regarding the construction timeline, revealing that the original contractor had been granted two extensions due to various challenges encountered.
The first extension was set for November 18, 2023, while the second pushed the deadline to September 30, 2024. The last recorded activity on-site was the pouring of a roof slab in December 2023, marking a critical phase in the structural development.
“This achievement signifies an important milestone for the project,” Wheatley remarked, noting that the structure is now fully enclosed. He continued, “Work will soon commence on both the internal and external finishing elements.”
However, he expressed concern, stating, “It became increasingly evident to the Ministry of Finance that the contractor was failing to make significant progress on the project due to several obstacles. To propel this essential project forward, we made the difficult but necessary decision to terminate the contract. A formal termination letter dated November 1, 2024, was dispatched to the contractor, informing them of the government's intent.”
The Premier said, to advance the initiative, the project manager has recently undertaken a comprehensive review, updating the designs and specifications required to finalise the work. New tender documents have been created and are currently undergoing meticulous review prior to submission to the Caribbean Development Bank for their approval.
Hon Wheatley further remarked, "We anticipate receiving the necessary approval from the bank by late July 2025, which would then enable us to initiate the procurement process for a new contractor in August 2025."
Setting a new completion date ‘challenging’
He cautioned the members of the House of Assembly that setting a firm completion date remains challenging, as it will largely depend on the new contractor's availability and schedule. Nonetheless, he predicted that it could take an additional 18 to 24 months for the building to become operational, factoring in a defects liability period under the new contract.
“We understand that despite the earlier contractor's substantial progress on the building's main framework, achieving completion under the initial agreements was proving to be both difficult and unattainable,” the Premier concluded. “Thus, we as a governing body have chosen to take decisive action to terminate the contract in hopes of securing a new contractor or consortium of contractors who can bring this project to fruition.”
He also clarified that one problematic aspect identified in the management of the initial contract was the ad-measure contract mechanism, which compensates the contractor based on the amount of work completed. This structure posed challenges to timely project execution.
“Moving forward, the new procurement approach will transition to a lump-sum contract, which provides the contractor with greater flexibility to meet the project's schedule effectively. We are optimistic that the engagement of new contractors, coupled with the shift to this more streamlined contract format, will resolve past inefficiencies in project management and significantly reduce the likelihood of further delays,” Premier Wheatley concluded.
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17 Responses to “Gov't fires contractor for NEOC building”
And of course we now have the next contract $$$$ to share around. And the people and the VI still won't have an operational building.
And on and on it goes.
But all boxes on COI ticked.
So business as usual.
You have said a mouthful premier. It sounds like the contractor was having difficulty being paid or there was a lack of monies provided to payroll, supplies, materials, etc.
Why would there be a lack of funds for something as important as our National Emergency Operations Center but there seems to be an endless supply of money available for every pan-knock and jump-up. Stop all this waste of money “fete-ing” and get the country in order. Priorities are priorities! Every story has 3 sides, the one you tell, the one they tell and the truth is somewhere in between the 2. Should this not have been an RDA project if they were the mechanism by which all government contracts were facilitated by/from/through? Tax payers want to know. Stop wasting MY money with schupidness!!!
Cindy please go find out what’s going on with this project you hear !
People hate the truth. We already know what’s going on. I like voice of reason just said.
These contractors are owed millions of dollars, funds that they've frontline financed for years while the government irresponsibly withheld payments. It's disgraceful that they had to use their own money just to keep the project afloat and protect their reputations!
After enduring relentless stress and financial struggles, the contractors had no choice but to walk away. They communicated to the government multiple times that they could not continue under these dire circumstances, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. And instead of acknowledging their own failures, the government chooses to spin this narrative and paint the contractors as the villains!
The truth is clear: the contractors are owed substantial amounts and are left in uncertainty, all because of the government's negligence. This is not just a business matter; it's a moral outrage, and the real story is about to unfold!