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RDA to be turned into Virgin Islands Development Agency– Premier Wheatley

- Promises legislation will soon come to HoA regarding decision
Created as a statutory body, the RDA was set up under VI legislation to work hand in hand with Ministries to deliver projects under the Recovery and Development Plan after the hurricanes of 2017. Photo: Internet Source
According to the Premier, the plans to rebrand the RDA will come as part of infrastructure development plans in the VI for a serious upgrade and overhaul in the VI. Photo: VINO/File
According to the Premier, the plans to rebrand the RDA will come as part of infrastructure development plans in the VI for a serious upgrade and overhaul in the VI. Photo: VINO/File
FAT HOG’S BAY, Tortola, VI – The Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) will soon take on a new name, according to Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). He said this will allow Virgin Islanders to continue to benefit from the agency.

“We're going to be turning the Recovery and Development Agency into a Virgin Islands Recovery Agency and very soon persons will see the legislation come to the House of Assembly so that we can do that,” he told ‘Da Morning Braff” radio show host Floyd Burnett aka Heritage on June 19, 2023.

According to the Premier, the repurposing of the agency will come as part of plans to address issues of infrastructural development, which he said calls for a serious upgrade and overhaul.

“We will provide this Virgin Islands Development Agency with the specific terms of reference, the resources and the mandate to produce a development plan which will involve phased development over a period of time to address our roads, our ghuts, our bridges, our water infrastructure, everything that is taking place and of course we have ongoing projects to improve our infrastructure,” he added. 

Created as a statutory body, the RDA was set up under VI legislation to work hand in hand with Ministries to deliver projects under the Recovery and Development Plan after the hurricanes of 2017.

Speaking on the current plans, the premier said he anticipates greatly the signing of the contract for the pump station in Long Swamp.

Infrastructural projects ongoing- Premier 

“Of course, the tender bids should have been evaluated for the road from Paraquita Bay straight down to Hodges Creek and then it will continue from Hodges Creek to Long Swamp and there's a bunch of other projects which are ongoing,” he added.

The Premier said the transition from the Recovery Development Agency to Virgin Islands Development Agency is key for the government in terms of infrastructural development.

“Another thing you can anticipate is that very soon, very shortly, we will be having a conversation with the people of the Virgin Islands about our District Council and this is going to allow the community, all our various communities, to be able to participate in the process of their governance and have a community development model,” he said.

The Premier highlighted that while there is a national development model there is also a need for a community development model.

20 Responses to “RDA to be turned into Virgin Islands Development Agency– Premier Wheatley ”

  • asura (20/06/2023, 10:05) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    so they going side line PWD?
    • resident (20/06/2023, 10:28) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
      why not pwd is not up to the job, the most they do is patch potholes and even that they can't do properly
    • @asure (20/06/2023, 12:35) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      PWD will probably function as maintenance agenda. PWD will develop major construction projects and get RDA to construct the projects. PWD develop and fund and RDA construct. This is a model that is employed elsewhere.
  • fish bay (20/06/2023, 10:44) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    Fish Bay is amazing now, congratulations RDA
  • Joker (20/06/2023, 12:25) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Welcome to more of taxpayer money going down the drain,paying thousands of dollars to these individuals who once was in government,it goes like this, rehabilitat you building and space like how we want it and I will get it rent for you for a nice money,what happens to Gov building isn't that ready as yet?look at the magistrate court with that old building in the yard!they don't have money to fix that ? But they have money to rent upstairs of passport office.these government official are getting to be annoying with their incompetence behavior,yesterday was normal working day but some could find them self at bars drinking...tola small and bush have ears and eyes.
  • pwd (20/06/2023, 12:34) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    is PWD now defunct?
    • E.Leonard (20/06/2023, 13:09) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      @PWD, from the 30,000’ level, Public Works should still have a vital role to play working in conjunction with the VIRDA. The model reference by Premier Wheatley is somewhat similar to that employed by the NAVFAC( Naval Facilities Engineering Command) through a subordinate agency called ROICC( Regional/Resident Officer in Charge of Construction). A ROICC manages the safe, timely, and cost-effective design and construction of major capital projects. ROICCs receive funded projects from PWD and other customers for design and construction. Projects completed, they are turned over to customers for operations and maintenance. The maintenance of facilities typically falls under a Public Works Department (PWD) or Public Works Center(PWC). PWD can still issue minor construction projects. In essence, VIRDA design and construct and PWD maintains to attain facilities design purpose, and lifecycles.
      • @E.Leonard (20/06/2023, 14:18) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        @E.Leonard, ole boy, you think there is a role for Public Works from the 30,000’? Well, here on the ground at the 30’ level, Public Works cannot even properly fill a pothole. I thought the Navy was about ships, not construction? But it sounds like it also does construction. Were you in the Navy working with ROICC and Public Works?
      • RealPol (20/06/2023, 19:22) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        Undoubtedly, Dr. Hon Premier Wheatley, (R-77, MoF, is getting a little help on the renaming and redefining the purpose of RDA. The help demonstrates that the Premier is on point and not way out in left field. The help also outline an important role for Public Works—-Maintenance and Repair. In regards to Public Works, I will posit that Public Works needs to be restructured and re-imagined with a new mission , vision and clear guidance and real accountability. VIDA indeed would have the talent, skill, experience and financing to get projects done. I say financing, for projects referred to VIDA for construction would have already had funding appropriated. Let’s geh ah dun. In the past, you also advocated having two budgets (a) Operations and Maintenance, (b) Capital. With this new initiative, the two budgets may be worth taking a strong look at.

  • Sowande again.. (20/06/2023, 13:39) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    Nice. Sounds like a progressive plan..
  • run way (20/06/2023, 14:39) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    I can't blame them cause PWD building a sidewalk for 4 years now down by the Governor House and still can't finish .....
  • Sowande (20/06/2023, 18:49) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Now lemme see wha odder moves I can come up wid to buy some more time.
  • Disinterested (20/06/2023, 20:37) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Clearly, Public Works strengths are not in capital projects design and construction. The RDA has demonstrated that it is more effective and efficient in executing construction contracts, bringing projects in on time and under budget. What really are Public Works strengths? It supposedly should be maintenance but the jury is still out on that, ie, road conditions, etc.. Are we in for a situation whereby VIDA can deliver quality projects but Public Works being ineffective in performing the maintenance. The MCW needs to ensure that the maintenance is at the same high standards as the construction. Public Works need to pull up its socks and get with the program or prepare to be canned. Nuff said. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. No more getting dress and coming to work to rest. Stop being an embarrassment to the engineering and public works profession. We stop putting square pegs in round holes.
  • DOA (21/06/2023, 05:20) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Dead on arrival. When these people going to learn that creating legislation and giving fancy names to bodies does not solve problems. Dumb.
    • @DOA (21/06/2023, 08:05) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      We are experts at defining what will not work but empty at suggesting improvements. Ah yu make the dog sick. When ah yu don’t like or disagree with someone politically, if the person say the sun rises in the east and sets in the west ah yu will disagree wid dat. Here is a news flash. There are so
      specific tools for specific jobs, eg, a screwdriver can be used as chisel but a chisel does a better job. Similarly, we keep the current process of doing construction or we can adopt and try a better more cost effective process, ie, VIDA. Whether we voted for the incumbent government or not it is the government of the BVI. And until it is changed we have to live with its policies, though we may disagree with them. To the Victor go the spoils and elections have consequences . Let’s work together to move the BVI forward.
      • @@DOA (21/06/2023, 09:33) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
        We are also good at making assumptions that people speaking through their behind. They (the government) have been provided solutions (facts known personally to me) but some do not have the correct surname. So let them sink in their own damn ship. Assumptions only expose ignorance.
  • Socrates (21/06/2023, 05:22) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    ViDA sounds like a reasonable, functional initiative, does it not? Will it be a statutory body or a discrete department? How will it be centrally funded through the normal budget process ? Will it be funded with initial working capital as an industrial fund ? Will each project be responsible for funding all the labor and material cost needed to make the project complete and useable, ie, paygo? How will cost overruns be handled? Will the project be responsible for cost overruns which may not be fair and reasonable? Who will be responsible for recapitalization needs, VIDA or PWD? Will VIDA also do major maintenance, projects costing, inspections, along with design and construction? Will PWD maintain any in-house , inherent design and construction capacity? Will customers have to go through VIDA for design?
    • @Socrates (21/06/2023, 09:34) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      I doubt they even know the answers. Vision and wisdom are lacking.
  • Political analyst (22/06/2023, 16:48) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok. Many of us have been bellowing tons of white noise of what is going in the BVI ( who are we? BVI or VI? If we can’t even get that right). Here is the deal. I’m normally verbose with diarrhea of mouth but will keep this brief. Ok. The VI has graduated from grant-in-aid in 1978/79. So why are we having so much trouble graduating from the jaws of colonialism, the new colonialism, having more political freedom?


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