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Smith: Hon. Vanterpool putting himself in the firing line

Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool (left) and Darley speaking to residents on June 27, 2012 regarding the plans for the development of the cruise ship pier. Photo: VINO
A concept of what the Pier Park would look like. Photo: UIG
A concept of what the Pier Park would look like. Photo: UIG
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Although Minister for Communications and Works Mark Vanterpool has been commended for putting himself in front of the firing line for the Cruise Pier Park development, one talk show host opined that “sometimes we need to come before the advanced stages”.

Cromwell Smith, host of Umoja, stated last evening, July 12, 2012 that it’s important for the Virgin Islands’ public to get all the information and the facts, and added that he does not believe that Government should have to sell a project.

“I don’t think an elected representative should have to sell a project or development...and I think the Minister is doing the right thing by coming now and answer the questions...sometimes we need to come before the advanced stages, before you get to a certain point. However, according to the Minister there is still time to tweak the project and negotiate with the investors on certain things that we might see that will be challenging,” Mr. Smith added. “So we still have time to tell the Minister what we want to see...more local investment in the project, we want to see more action, we want to make sure that it does not take too long to take control of it.”

If everything goes according to plan, cruise ship passengers’ first impression of Road Town will be splendour of green, flurry of activities and the Territory’s way of live.

On June 27, 2012 at the cruise pier dock, residents were shown slides of how a four-acre plot of land, of concrete and grass, will be transformed into a destination.

Hon. Vanterpool and Hugh Darley of United Infrastructure Group (UIG) made disclosures on the mammoth project, which is estimated to cost $75 million. In breaking down the public and private partnership agreement, the Minister revealed that $25M will be earmarked for pier and excursion dock; $25M is allocated for land side development and $25M for community investment.

The public was informed that Government is not injecting any money but is leasing the land for 48 years with a buy-out option at 15 and 30 year intervals.

He stated, “At this time with this economy what we are presenting might be the best thing. We are going to reap the benefit, create business for our people, and they will benefit and after 48 years the project belongs to the Government of the BVI.”

22 Responses to “Smith: Hon. Vanterpool putting himself in the firing line”

  • hog city (13/07/2012, 09:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    how come cromwell aint calling mark the spokesman for the cruiseship company like how he called fraser the spokesman for biwater?
  • Nonsense (13/07/2012, 09:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cromwell you know better. If you are having high level discussions with people about potential investments, especially when there are multiple persons/companies interested, there's certain information that you cannot put out. The Government can only put out information once an MOU is signed and that can only be signed once certain conditions are agreed to. There is a reason for elections, its to choose people who we are confident that can take the country forward. Of course we want to ask questions and have our concerns addressed before think touches paper. If the Government has to come to people with every nitty gritty before doing anything what will we get done? Then look at some of the meetings. Some of the questions are just political and greedy. Most people will make noise when they realize nothing is in it for them personally or for their business, to hell with the country. No matter how you approach it you can't please everyone. I'm pleased with the way they're handling these things, they realize how the game is played. If they sit back bullshi$$ing around, people like same Cromwell will ask come 2015 what these guys have done to be considered for re-election. Cromwell himself will say these guys were elected and all they did was talk talk talk and ask questions, no action. So keep on the sidelines let big people do their work.
    • john public (13/07/2012, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      isn't this government in the sunshine?
    • bigger picture (13/07/2012, 09:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      "If the Government has to come to people with every nitty gritty before doing anything what will we get done?" I am disappointed in this statement. The whole idea of democracy is to keep the people involved. the "nitty Gritty" is just the POINT! the more information the more people understand, the more questions that perhaps the minister hasn't thought of, the more clarity and compromise for a better product. There are talented people in public and more experienced than some of the ministers including premier. The more details the better. otherwise we are all going to be hung with the consequences including poor design, polution problems, and misrepresenting BVI.
    • Goodsense (13/07/2012, 15:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Very well spoken. Thank God for people like you who understand the game. It is very refreshing to read from someone who truly understand how the game is played and how to evaluate the players. Thank you, Thank you. You need to educate more people on this game.
  • nothing is free (13/07/2012, 09:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    My problem is the buy- out option. Mark need to stop telling people that the development is free and won't cost the people of the BVI nothing because there is no developer who will give back a multimillion dollar project for zero dollars. mark please tell the people what it will cost us to buy out at the various intervals.How will that cost be calculated? If the Gov't can not raise the capital to buy-out the development then what happens to the property?
    • bigger picture (13/07/2012, 09:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      agreed.
    • Nonsense (13/07/2012, 10:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The man already said the people will get half of the increased per-head tax which is miillions per year. They will also get a share of the rental income from the property. These people will make more than ten times their profits from these fees alone. when you don't understand things you should ask a question not make stupid accusations. If you own piece of land but don't have money to develop it. I have the money and I tell you let me develop the land, the land remains yours, we sign an agreement and the income generated from the development we split in half. If I stand to make over 10 times my money over time by splitting the fee with you and you stand to make a lot of money that you couldn't make before, both of us win. Stop the scare mongering. If you want to argue about something, argue about the fact that that $75mil should be about $200mil for the kind of money these people walking away with. they are making a lot of money. why you think they're working so hard to get guarantees from the ships? You think it's because they love the BVI? NO! Both parties will make a lot of money with that arrangement. Two ships alone guarantee 425,000 passengers at an increased tax of $15.00 per head. We will get half and the developer get half. 425,000 passengers at $15 per head is roughly $6.4million a year. This is only from 2 ships. With the other ships coming on board we will have about 650,000 passengers, that's $9.75mil a year, roughly $4.8mil each (govt and developer) per year. Run that over 15yrs that's almost $150mil in revenue just from tax, about $73mil per party. Add in the buy out clause and the developer will far surpass their initial investment. Now add the revenue income from rental and other and you will see. So if the BVI stands to make almost $10mil a year in just taxes for simply allowing the use of its land, what is wrong with that? How much are we getting now? the ships already pulled out and we here acting like we the big bad boss.
      • Nonsense (13/07/2012, 10:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Also remember that Government will collect income tax and other revenues from every single new business that sets up on the cruise pier. Add to that, if we can put a mechanism in place so the taxis pay their fair share in taxes, even more revenues. Everybody want this and that fixed but nobody want to put things in place for hte money to come in. Financial Services is fickle right now so Tourism is our only shot. Either we deal with it or start eating coconut and seawater!
    • Wake Up People (13/07/2012, 11:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Wake up people, where you all come from with the nonsense about costing us nothing, only the government can TAX ite people, and PASSENGER TAX is a TAX, so if these people are goingf to get $8 from every one of the projected 240,000 passengers that are coming in, who the hell you all thing is giving it to them, and what you all think it is? it is the re-payment on a loan. Government is borrowing money from these people, and paying it back with PASSENGER TAX.
    • Present Please (13/07/2012, 14:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      If Government does not exercise any of the buy-out options, then the entire property with the improvements revert to Government at the end of the lease for FREE, i.e ( they do not have to pay any money for it ) just like what happened to OCEAN CONVERSION AT BAUGHERS BAY. It is the People's Plant. It will happen also to the BI-WATER PLANT at Paraquita Bay too, at the end of the contract, BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AT THE BAR BAY PLANT AT HODGE'S CREEK. Why, because the BVI Investment Group owns that, and want government revenue from it forever more.
  • ooooo (13/07/2012, 09:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i wonder if raffles has any connections to this project?...and secondly,what will happen to the folks whose land will be taken away?
    • bigger picture (13/07/2012, 09:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I thought the same thing. Mark is a front man. he doesn't think beyond that. From the beginning, it was scary to have him in the government because of his track record and direction he (and his) wants to take the country. these developers don't mess around. They are experienced and I bet are smiling the further down the road this project gets.
    • Stinks (13/07/2012, 10:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Who's land is taking way ooooo? the government owns the 4 acres that's being put up for this development. how you all could lie so easy? the people who own the surrounding lots via long-term leases will see their property value shoot through the roof once this is done.
    • BREAKING NEWS (13/07/2012, 10:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stink mouth oooooo.... You so accustom to VIP and their "under the table deals" that you don't know something when it is postive!!
  • vip (13/07/2012, 10:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ndp selling us out again
  • shara parlin (13/07/2012, 12:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mark just need to shut the hell up and let Glover Parks and GIS sell this..he need to fix water and swerage, PWD, Fire and get WIllock back in his Ministry.
    • under dog (13/07/2012, 14:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      willock you say..not over my dead body..lol...naa for real if he wants action that is the man but then again NDP supporters aint wah dat...but this ports project is a sell out! BAM hit the right spot
  • ------------------------- (13/07/2012, 16:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we need more information about this project...something seems to good to be true
  • Eagle and Buffalo (14/07/2012, 13:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ Nonsense, your point on what information can be release about a company is a big swing a miss. Usually only proprietary information is withheld. And this is done to protect this info from competitors. Other than any proprietary info lets have full transparency on terms and condition of this lengthy lease(48 years) of scarce waterfront property that Noel Lloyd and PAM fought fiercely and sacrifice much to rescue from the returning capitalists and opportunists. For goodness sake how can a 48-year lease be a nitty gritty project. An example of a nitty gritty silent approval project may be outsourcing solid waste collection. Do not insult our intelligence with nonsense; no pun intended. Lets be real the project cost is not free to Virgin Islanders. First, 4 acres of prime land is being given to the company for 48 years. And the opportunity cost is what? Zero. No. Secondly, the company will be. paid back with a portion of the passenger tax. What is the opportunity cost of this lost of potential revenue? Zero. No. If the project.has to be bought back before the lease term expire, who pays the buy out cost? What is the opportunity cost of this? This does not sound like free to me. It is ok to have political leanings but lets keep it real. This project may be beneficial to the BVI. But lets give it a thorough vetting to ensure it is win-win for us. This is not too much to ask, is it? hasto bought back
  • under the rock (16/07/2012, 11:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Interesting article to be sure


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