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Hon Vanterpool refuses to provide reports in HOA

-stands behind Section 18 subsection 6 of the Standing Orders saying disclosure of the document will not be in the public’s interest
Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has refused to provide reports and other documents as requested by Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) in the House of Assembly, citing the Standing Orders and saying that such disclosures would be inimical to the public interest. Photo: VINO/File
It was during the Fifth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Second House of Assembly on March 20, 2015 during the question and answer session. Photo: VINO/File
It was during the Fifth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Second House of Assembly on March 20, 2015 during the question and answer session. Photo: VINO/File
Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) had asked the question in the House, “Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please present this Honourable House with a copy of the report prepared by Bone Crusher Consulting Services on the water system within the Water and Sewage Department?” Photo: VINO/File
Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) had asked the question in the House, “Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please present this Honourable House with a copy of the report prepared by Bone Crusher Consulting Services on the water system within the Water and Sewage Department?” Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has refused to provide reports and other documents in the House of Assembly, citing the Standing Orders and saying that such disclosures would be inimical to the public interest.

It was during the Fifth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Second House of Assembly on March 20, 2015 during the question and answer session.

Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3), a former Minister for Communications and Works, had asked the question in the House, “Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please present this Honourable House with a copy of the report prepared by Bone Crusher Consulting Services on the water system within the Water and Sewage Department?”

To this question, Honourable Vanterpool responded, “Madam Speaker, the objective of the agreement between Bone Crusher Consulting Services and the Water and Sewerage Department was as follows:

1. The location of each meter/connection geographically and placement of the same.
2. The condition of each meter/connection to the main line.
3. Identify any unrecorded meters/connections.
4. Confirm registered meter/connection in accordance with the Departmental report provided.”

The Minister went on to state that the report that Honourable Fraser was seeking contains very sensitive information.

“Madam Speaker, Legislative Council Standing Orders Section 18 subsection 6, states: ‘A Minister may decline to answer a question if the publication of the answer would, in his opinion, be contrary to the public interest.’ Therefore, Madam Speaker, I am unable to provide a copy of the report to this Honourable House.” 

Minister refuses to hand over proposals for BVIEC engines

With regards to the purchase of engines for the BVI Electricity Corporation, the Minister took a similar path where he declined to answer citing confidentiality issues.

“Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House if the two engines being purchased through the $35 million loan approved by this Honourable House was tendered?,” asked Honourable Fraser, to which the Minister answered "yes."

Honourable Fraser then asked, “Madam Speaker, if the answer to Question 1 is yes, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please present this Honourable House with the Tender Documents, and the names of the companies that responded?”

The Minister then presented the tender documents on a jump drive due to the volume of pages comprising the documents.

“Madam Speaker, three companies purchased Requests For Proposals or RFPs for Package A – the engines. They are 1) Burmeister & Waine Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC), 2) Wartsila and 3) Man Global. However, Madam Speaker, only one company, Wartsila, responded. Two companies responded for Package B (the transmission cable) – K-Line International and PB Power. K-Line International eventually won the tender,” he said.

Disclosure may harm future bids - Minister

“Madam Speaker, if the answer to Question 1 is Yes, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please present this Honourable House with the proposals from each of the participating companies?” asked Honourable Fraser.

The Minister went on to quote the aforementioned sections of the Standing Orders and adding, “I am of the opinion that to provide a copy of the proposal would be providing competitors with information that has been submitted in strict confidence for the recipient party only, which may impact future bids and negotiations.”

 

13 Responses to “Hon Vanterpool refuses to provide reports in HOA”

  • sports show (01/04/2015, 17:11) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Trying to buy our born crusher but aint going work
  • Lord-oh (01/04/2015, 17:54) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Isn`t the governor a recourse when bias like these happen---Its tax payers money--not mark--- not NDP. hand the documents over.
  • bvi (01/04/2015, 19:03) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    The government suppose to come to the house and report the business of the people, these people and I mean NDP believe this country belong to them and their friends, these are the same people who spend two years out of their term in office lobbying for independence and self determination, it seem like the NDP want to turn this country into Iran, Syria, Afghanistan,Lebanon, we don't want no civil war in the bvi, so we have to make sure that we vote the entire NDP, out of power, no mix and match, vote VIP or PEP no NDP.
  • ooooo (01/04/2015, 20:19) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    what's the big secret with we taxpayers money?
  • citzen (01/04/2015, 21:43) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    I am a shame of the conduct of NDP they think that government money belongs to them or they are spending their own money and they don't have to give account for it.
  • pete (01/04/2015, 22:32) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    anything having to do with tax payer money is the business of the people. What is so embarrassing to the minister that he can't be straight? And why is it up to him to pick and choose what is public or not? This is how the cruise dock began, and other projects that were less than transparent. I am surprised, given the bullet he just dodged with the Governor giving him a pass, that he insists on pushing the envelope and keeping things secret, shame!
  • upset (02/04/2015, 03:24) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    This minister continues to play possum with the business of the people of the Virgin Islands. He continues to say what is not in the people,s interest. If it is not in the people's interest he should not be doing it. He is not spending his money. He is spending tax payers money. We put people in the house to represent us therefore both sides should be informed on how our money is spent. The whole thing looks fishy. Virgin Islanders are not stupid. He is not a Virgin Islander so he should not be running our affairs. He needs to be voted out. What is he hiding? Hope the governor is hearing him.
  • lord--oh (02/04/2015, 04:14) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am a NDP supporter -straight up--no doubt--I was VIP all my years-- but this Purcell Road that ate up so much of tax payers money under VIP and still undone--make me think--when VIP introduce residents must have valid work permit to drive that was the turning point for me--there were lots of men I knew with wives and kids who are from here but because the husband permit has not yet been process-the husband couldn`t drive--couldn`t drop his wife to work and his kids to school, so ridiculous---Back to the Topic--- As an NDP supporter I am saying Mark you need to hand the documents over--there are rumors that people are getting rich from this deal--also there are rumors that some of these outages are willful to try to convince or fool the people to make us think that these generators are so, so badly that no questions won`t be asked...those rumors bother me--put all the documents on the table and defuse and disprove the rumors. se cant stop rumors--there will always be rumors--that`s why documents are so important.
  • Don Quijote (02/04/2015, 07:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    Mark seem very c*****t in his actions.

  • adam strange (02/04/2015, 07:56) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    what has he to hide that he won't show the reports
  • Curious (02/04/2015, 07:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    what has he to hide
  • Detective Snake (02/04/2015, 10:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Vanterpool what are you hiding? What happen to TRANSPARENCY?


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