.png)
NDP carried out close to $6 million in no bid contracts!
This comes even after the signing of the Protocol for Effective Financial Management which clearly stated in Section 11B that projects over the petty contracts limit must go out to public tender to ensure transparency.
This information was made known following a question posed by First District Representative Honourable Andrew A. Fahie to Premier and Minister of Finance on all projects exceeding the petty contract limit of $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars) that were approved by his Cabinet since taking office in November 2011 and amounts approved for each project.
In addition, the Premier was to tell the House of Assembly (HOA) whether or not the projects were tendered.
In his answer, it was unearthed that the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government since taking office in November 2011 to current [December 17, 2013 when question was answered] approved some $8,827,205.99 (eight million eight hundred and twenty seven thousand, two hundred and five dollars and ninety nine cents) in projects while still claiming that the former Ralph T. O’Neal Administration left the country broke.
No tender for close to $6M! Violation of the protocol?
What was even more alarming is that out of that amount, some $5,876,105.89 (five million eight hundred and seventy six thousand, one hundred and five dollars and eighty nine cents) were given out with no competitive bidding, not allowing tax payers to fully realize value for money.
According to the information released in the HOA, these projects that were not tendered but were given out in multiple contracts, included the Craft Alive Project with the latest price tag of over a million dollars, the Georgy Hill Road Project which is another project given out in multiple contracts with no competitive bidding with the latest price tag over a million dollars.
The controversial upgrade of the Technical Vocational School in Baughers Bay costing tax payers over $834,420.00 (eight hundred and thirty four thousand, four hundred and twenty dollars) was never tendered, according to Premier Smith. The project is ongoing so the final cost is still unknown.
Another project that has ballooned in cost but was never tendered is the Methodist Manse Road/Paul Wattley Drive which was listed on the answer to the question to cost $541,168.05 (five hundred and forty one thousand, one hundred and sixty eight dollars and five cents) however, research by this news site shows the cost to be much more.
The Park and Recreational Facility just opened on Virgin Gorda was another project that saw no competitive bidding while over $301,487.85 (three hundred and one thousand, four hundred and eighty seven dollars and eighty five cents) was spent on it, while it was executed in multiple contracts.
The $2,517,730.10 (two million five hundred and seventeen thousand, seven hundred and thirty dollars and ten cents) sewerage project was one of the few that saw a competitive tender process.
Calls for UK intervention, Governor AWOL
Social and Political Activist Edmund Maduro has called on the United Kingdom Government to intervene in the Virgin Islands to put a halt to the NDP Administration violation of our rights. He told this news site that under the Virgin Islands Constitution there is “the principle of being equitable”.
Mr. Maduro, a former Chief Immigration Officer, told this news site that the no tender process for contracts over $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars) is a “violation of our rights as everyone should have an opportunity to apply for these contracts”.
He said, “it’s wrong what this NDP government is doing and the time has come for intervention by Her Majesty’s Government to stop this abuse of power.”
A senior civil servant, who has to remained anonymous because of General Orders [rules governing the government workers] restriction, told our news site that, “I blame the Governor Mr. McCleary... if the Premier is saying these projects were approved by Cabinet with no public tender then it means the Governor was there and has allowed these guys to violate the protocol and the constitution… it’s a shame…does he care about us or is he setting up this Government?” the seasoned civil servant asked.
Both Opposition Members Honourables Julian Fraser RA, (R3) and Andrew A. Fahie (R1) have been consistent in saying that the ruling NDP regime continues to violate the protocol they signed on Effective Financial Management and has cited Section 11B of the document.
_(2)1.png)
.png)
_-_Made_with_PosterMyWall.jpg)
_(2)_02.png)
_02.png)
Follow Us On
41 Responses to “NDP carried out close to $6 million in no bid contracts!”
Thanks for the story but more analysis is required.
If one reads the Protocols, these apply mainly to projects with a lifetime value of 5% of recurrent revenue (approx $300m for 2014, so that is $15m). The gov needs to communicate how it deals with projects over $100,000 but under the 5% of recurrent expenditures. In some other document, there is room for the gov to waive the tender process.
What should happen, all projects over $100,000 should either go out to either a full or selective tender (but tendered none-the-less). These procedures should then be included in a Protocol document, enacted into law, so that it is a contract between the gov and the people of the VI (not the UK gov).
Then we can take action, if the gov does not comply.
What is your point???
I believe the Governor extended his stay in order to take care of a few things that need taking care of and the folks from the UK were here to have a quick peak at things!
Something is up. Just wait for it. These things take time as lots of i's must to be dotted and t's crossed. I totally believe a storm is brewing.
This is another set of ting to talk. Now they seem to be turning us over to the Chinese.
Turks and Caicos if calling for England was the best thing for them. The people of the BVI have the power to stop the madness we don't have to be so passive and call on others to fight our battles for us. We see wrong we can stop wrong.
NDP must go!!!