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Law firm shuns Hugh E. Darley for fear of Gov't victimisation

- Mr Darley said previous law firm has business with Government that it does not want to compromise in the future
Former Project Coordinator of the Cruise Pier Development Project Hugh E. Darley has not only confirmed that he has retained legal counsel in the Virgin Islands, but also that the law firm which his company IDEA Inc. had retained backed out of the arrangement citing the fear that it could lose future Government work. Photo: Trip Advisor
Hon Mark H. Vanterpool, Minister for Communications and Works. Photo: VINO/File
Hon Mark H. Vanterpool, Minister for Communications and Works. Photo: VINO/File
Darley pointed out that unlike what the Minister said about the buildings needing to be strong to withstand hurricanes; one-storey buildings do not need to be built with piles. Photo: VINO
Darley pointed out that unlike what the Minister said about the buildings needing to be strong to withstand hurricanes; one-storey buildings do not need to be built with piles. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Former Project Coordinator of the Cruise Pier Development Project, Hugh E. Darley has not only confirmed that he has retained legal counsel in the Virgin Islands, but also that the law firm which his company IDEA Inc. had retained backed out of the arrangement citing the fear that it could lose future Government work.

As a result, Darley said his company has retained the services of another Virgin Islands based law firm to represent its interest as it seeks to recoup monies allegedly owed for designs and drawings used in the construction of the pier project.

However, as final negotiations take place between IDEA Inc. and this newly hired law firm, Darley said he would be revealing the name of the firm when it is safe to do so.

“We had to change firms because one firm felt like the matter was too toxic and they did not want to have a conflict in the future as they had business with the Government,” Mr Darley told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview on February 3, 2016.

Darley seeks amicable resolution

Darley said he never intended to have a battle with the Government of the Virgin Islands in the media and hopes the matter is resolved amicably. “We would like to reach a resolution that is good for both parties and we will try to meet with the Premier and see if we would resolve this amicably between the two parties.”

Following the further revelations about the cost projections and standard of work done on the project, this news site again asked Darley whether he had documentation to counterbalance what Minister Vanterpool was saying.

“I do have a lot more documentation. I have probably about 2,000 pages regarding estimates and costs. I don’t want to go that far and go through all of that but we have estimates down to every square foot. Someone unfortunately is just giving the Minister some bad information, speaking about cost per square foot and us building some buildings on the sand. Well that was never the case,” he said.

BVI Ports Authority lacks expertise

According to Darley, if the BVI Ports Authority had built tens of millions of projects in the past then maybe they would have had the expertise needed to build the cruise pier development project. “They didn’t [have that expertise] and the contractors are like sharks as they can smell blood in the water.”

Darley pointed out that unlike what the Minister said about the buildings needing to be strong to withstand hurricanes; one-storey buildings do not need to be built with piles. “You have more money in the piles than you do in the buildings. When you spend more money on the piles than on the building cost you know that is not a very good decision,” he said.

Darley noted too that there are buildings on Tortola that are 300 years old built only on stone foundations and have survived hundreds of hurricanes.

43 Responses to “Law firm shuns Hugh E. Darley for fear of Gov't victimisation”

  • wow (04/02/2016, 08:31) Like (35) Dislike (1) Reply
    if this place opens for the 16th pigs will fly
  • NDP supporter (04/02/2016, 08:50) Like (48) Dislike (2) Reply
    Seems Like VINO is the only business in the BVI not afraid of the NDP!
  • Bernie Sanders (04/02/2016, 09:13) Like (7) Dislike (33) Reply
    This man have a trade Licence?WHY don't he bring in a Law Firm from Orlando where he have his big organization...Google Idea People and tell the public what and who you find.Hughie is acting like a baby who the mom took her TT's from ,bawling...Feel the Bern..
    • Kong (04/02/2016, 10:34) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
      Can you just up and go to Orlando to work. An Orlando based law firm cannot just up and come to the BVI to represent a client. There are procedures. He probably need to hire a lawyer from the Caribbean who was called to the BVI Bar (which he is likely to do)
    • @ bernie sanders (04/02/2016, 10:49) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
      stop with that word TT before you get a cerntain minister excited
  • Scoopin (04/02/2016, 09:37) Like (17) Dislike (33) Reply
    This guy needs to go sit down, he wanted to give us a cheap project that would not last us decades. He has capitalized on quite much already for pretty much nothing, which was a waste of taxpayers money. The real cost of the project by far has exceeded his projections and he is still trying to get paid. He is just pissed off government got wise and left him out, and now wants our government(the people of the Virgin Islands)to just award him millions. If he so cared about overspending he would be happy with what he already got and move the hell on....he is not on our side, he gives not one sh' about the people of the VI. He is just trying to capitalize.
  • town man (04/02/2016, 09:46) Like (23) Dislike (11) Reply
    I Google Idea ,i found a design for Falmouth PORT in Jamaica..I Google Falmouth in Jamaica and saw Idea name no where it was Mott Macdonald Design and Built ,look at the facts people this man is a fraud..
    • +++ (05/02/2016, 00:33) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I actually did see that Idea was part of that development. They had to comply to historical standards, of which BVI has none. and the vendors were complaining because they were being bypassed by chosen taxis and buses and not getting any benefit. I think he was also involved in one in Haiti also.
  • E. Leonard (04/02/2016, 09:47) Like (17) Dislike (7) Reply
    Not too sure about the absolute statement that single story buildings do not need to be on piers. A foundation system has to be engineered for each building for the load bearing capacity to safely and uniformly transmit the load ( dead, live, wind) imposed on a building to the ground. Is not the footprint on which the landslide development is constructed reclaimed land? In addition to transmitting load to ground, foundations also prevent lateral movement of supporting material, to increase stability of structure, and to secure a level and firm bed for building operations.

    In regards to designing buildings to withstand hurricane force winds , this is a government decision. It depends on how much risk government wants to take. There are five categories of hurricanes: Cat 1 -74-95, Cat 2- 96-130, Cat 3-111-130, Cat 4-131-155 and Cat 5-156 or greater. The Vi lies along hurricane alley and should construct buildings should have minimum wind load standards. Storms at Cat 1-3 occur more frequently so minimum standards should be set to minimize the risks. Cat 4 and 5 occur leas frequently so greater risks may be assimed. Construction for these wind load can be optional.
    • all smiles (04/02/2016, 13:10) Like (16) Dislike (9) Reply
      E. Leonard - have you heard of SBC? Soil bearing capacity? What did the geo-tech report state? Additionally; IDEA (I do not work for them) would have had the structural engineers designed to BOCA (Florida) code - hurricane resistance and for seismic activities. Where is the value engineering report that should have been done on a project of this scale/magnitude? Also, were all structural engineering options fully vetted? Soil engineering, mini-piles etc. could have been employed to drastically reduce the foundation costs! More unanswered questions linger and the technicalities of what the minister states does not make sense! Why would anyone use BOQ's that were flawed? Wasn't the 'professional' firm on the waterfront paid to evaluate the contractor bids (some of which they themselves produced)? This project is very, very easy to dissect and evaluate where the waste and where, if any collusion/insider trading of information was allowed to go on.
      • roots (05/02/2016, 07:30) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
        "Additionally; IDEA (I do not work for them) would have had the structural engineers designed to BOCA (Florida) code - hurricane resistance and for seismic activities".

        You don't work for them yet you make such a statement. Your apparently enslaved mind gives a foreigner the benefit of the doubt, and not the local government. WHY?

        If you just stop and think about the whole thing, you can't you see that this guy is fraud? 2000 pages of estimates down to the foot? Really? And yet the project is double his "estimates"? It seems he is the one that needs to be sued - for incompetence.
      • Disinterested (05/02/2016, 08:46) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
        Seems as if you are closer to IDEA than you pretend to be. Look as if you were certain that IDEA had structural engineering and structure designed in accordance with BOCA, Florida building code? Has the BVI adopted BOCA building code. Release the design info to refute what the MCW is saying. Agree with Leonard that the statement that single story buildings do not have to be on piers is misleading and self serving. Hope no engineer that it worth his or her salt would not blindly build on a site, single story or not, without doing the geotechnical and doing the foundation engineering. A lot of engineering terms were fling around, i.e., SBC, value engineering, structural engineering, seismic activity.....etc but it is hard to tell if you are asking a question or just trying rationalize your position. The MCW is on the hot seat of his own doing but Darley needs to either put up or shut up.
  • King Kunta (04/02/2016, 10:51) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    My law firm here and ready its begin with O and ends with ball headed
  • wize up (04/02/2016, 10:53) Like (17) Dislike (14) Reply
    why I get the feeling that these publications with Hugh E Darley are simply politically motivated: lawyers and law firms from all over the world have been practicing in this territory for years....use this example; Delta petroleum have sued the government many times and still continue to have contracts with the same government.... stop the foolish talk!!!!
    • .... (04/02/2016, 13:17) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
      You didn't read properly. They are not afraid of the government. They are just afraid that the government doesn't give them more work. They too must be doing pretty good off the government nipples as you all does say...
    • @ wize up (04/02/2016, 13:50) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      You fool how you were not saying that when zbvi, and we know who paying the man rent, blue pro government site and others had a ton of articles on Darley...you just a bias hater
      • wize up (04/02/2016, 14:31) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
        @ wize up: you are so right and trust that you will accept my humble apologies for being such a bias hater( so what is this thing about paying rent...you know I slow so fill me in, please)
  • Tis Truth! (04/02/2016, 11:05) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Between Darley and Mark the bet is on as to who is doing the most damage to these virgin islands
  • cheese sandwich (04/02/2016, 11:38) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    I heard he is coming for the opening on the 16…He going be singing still
  • Keep it Going (04/02/2016, 12:09) Like (9) Dislike (9) Reply
    This guy is an opportunist. People please do some research on him and see that he is a sore team player. We didn't continue with him, he was paid but yet he's still hanging on. Relationships end sometimes, whether we like it or not. Move the hell on Mister!!
  • not now (04/02/2016, 12:52) Like (10) Dislike (15) Reply
    There are a number of buildings on Wickhams Cay that are not on piles. The Social Security Building is one and that is two floors high. To put wood buildings on piles is an over kill. There are other cheaper types of foundations which could have been used and get the same results. Mark is talking pure rubbish.
    • Diaspora (05/02/2016, 00:07) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      Effective foundation, not cheap foundations, should be the goal. Foundations are a critical system on a building. Foundations transmit the stress to ground from imposed loads(live, dead.....etc). A weak foundation pose a public health and safety risk. As such, foundations should not put in place based on assumptions. Foundations should generally be designed by structural/foundation engineers.
  • Jamdown (04/02/2016, 13:20) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
    I saw that Falmouth Port was done for Royal Caribbean cruise lines.Why didn't Hugh Darley bring them along with him to develop BVI PORT?
  • Clearly (04/02/2016, 13:37) Like (7) Dislike (6) Reply
    Mark needs to be removed until this matter is resolved
  • W*F (04/02/2016, 13:49) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Name the Law Firm that don't have any back bone. They need to be put on blast so people can steer clear of them.
    • dog (05/02/2016, 00:36) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      you just proved their point. They don't want retaliation for doing their job! that is part of the problem in BVI.
      peer pressure and retaliation. If people were allowed to do what they were supposed to do we would have a more open society.
      • Pro bono (05/02/2016, 16:33) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
        Now what law firm will handle a no caser? There is nothing in it..there is no money to recoup. If he was able to pay a fat fee,then perhaps a lawyer could be persuaded but this joke man and his joke case is an embarrassment and wasted time.
        Willing to bet that no law firm has
        or will take this case be it locally or otherwise. App arently he needs work because he is idle and wants to be revelant.
  • manchester (04/02/2016, 13:50) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    maybe this particular law firm lacks the intellectual ability to handle these kind of complex cases .however there are some excellent forensic legal practitioner in the bvi jurisdiction
  • town man (04/02/2016, 14:17) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    That means National Bank Building is not safe ..The TT man should be careful of what he saying because National Bank workers shouldn't go to work in that building because it is not built on piles..
  • Jac (04/02/2016, 16:28) Like (3) Dislike (7) Reply
    I believe we could have gotton something much much better looking for $82M instead of those "much improved shantis". Look at the building behind of Mr Darley. I agree that Mr Darley should leave it along and move on though.
  • Daily Dally (04/02/2016, 18:01) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Well Darling Dally, what is the name of the law firm that backed out after being retained by you? Can,t wait to hear the tale about the one you claim to have now...NDP was on top of things to have terminated their arrangement with this questionable individual..
    • Wendy (05/02/2016, 16:18) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      I am proud to know that ourGov was astute enough to have eliminated this Darley character from further involvement and negotiations. He is a big question mark . His reality appears to be skewed and therefore,he may not be cognitive of his position as an uninvited and unwanted distraction. He is, actually,a nuisance.
  • wize up (04/02/2016, 20:26) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    I am still puzzled how this Hugh E Darley can come to the territory and belittle the people and some folks siding with him: invited him to go to court house; get a lawyer from overseas if the local firm will become a victim of the system for deal with his legal matter: I submit this Hugh E Darley can not go no where else on earth with such conduct: take time and read about this Hugh E Darley????. I am proud to know that a VI Lander was the project manager.
    • De truth (09/02/2016, 20:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Den of thieves - that money stolen out of the job going straight off island to fund VI pig troughs somewhere for them to run too when house burns down.
  • watch the game (04/02/2016, 23:22) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Expecting the people to be successful in mandating that companies continue employing workers when there is no reasonable prospect of selling their products is foolish.....
  • church (04/02/2016, 23:43) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    When I heard this on news on what Mark and his gang did to the country it disturbed me. Thank God every rope has an end!!.
  • Lawyers. strupes. (05/02/2016, 03:23) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    They are not lawyers. They are cowards. They have a law degree but they dont really unferstand their roll in society. Just like our Doctors Greediness have taken over their humanity and professional purpose.
  • HeHe (05/02/2016, 07:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    a ha Andrew opening a law business ma son
    • wize up (05/02/2016, 08:57) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ he he: will that law business be called Fahie & Darley (I need to know)
  • Really (05/02/2016, 09:49) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    https://hughdarley.wordpress.com/
  • Yes (05/02/2016, 10:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Which law firm he went to, orion?


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