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'Way more delivered by RDA' under CEO Anthony S. McMaster- Premier Wheatley

- more delivered & operational costs cut despite CEO earning less than predecessor
Cabinet in March 2022 approved the appointment of Anthony S. McMaster as CEO of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA). Photo: RDA
Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley has lauded the work of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and its CEO Anthony S. McMaster for the work delivered for the territory. Photo: GIS
Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley has lauded the work of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and its CEO Anthony S. McMaster for the work delivered for the territory. Photo: GIS
Before Anthony S. McMaster, the RDA was headed by New Zealander Paul D. Bayly, who had the support of the then Governor Augustus J.U. Jaspert, however, he resigned in January 2020, Mr Bayly had reportedly earned over $300,000 a year according to Board sources. Photo: Facebook/Youtube
Before Anthony S. McMaster, the RDA was headed by New Zealander Paul D. Bayly, who had the support of the then Governor Augustus J.U. Jaspert, however, he resigned in January 2020, Mr Bayly had reportedly earned over $300,000 a year according to Board sources. Photo: Facebook/Youtube
GREAT HARBOUR, Jost van Dyke, VI – Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has lauded the work of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and its CEO Anthony S. McMaster for the work delivered for the territory.

Premier Wheatley made the statements on Thursday, August 25, 2022, during a ceremony for the Contract Signing for the new Jost van Dyke Primary School.

“The RDA was paying all kinds of 3-400 thousand dollars salary, brother McMaster said they not paying you that 3-400 thousand [dollars] salary that they were paying to persons who came from elsewhere… but we have to make sure we treat our own people well,” he added.

Before McMaster, the agency was headed by New Zealander Paul D. Bayly, who had the support of the then Governor Augustus J.U. Jaspert; however, Bayly resigned in January 2020,

Mr Bayly had reportedly earned over $300,000 a year, according to Board sources, and at the height of his tenure, Mr Bayly was labeled by some as a failure in the post and was accused of stacking the RDA with expatriates.

According to Premier Wheatley, the operational cost of the RDA was also high, coupled with a large staff complement.

RDA Operational cost cut - Premier Dr Wheatley 

“Brother McMaster has cut that down by more than half. And he has delivered way more projects… they have cut down their operational costs and they have delivered way more projects under the leadership of the CEO Mr Anthony McMaster,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley indicated that the RDA is now building capacity for local contractors by giving them opportunities to bid for large projects.

He cited local Rajah A. Smith of No Limits Contraction and the winning of an almost $1M contract.

“He has benefited from being able to go through the RDA’s capacity building process, and now these are international contractors based on International procurement processes, he has grown and he has developed. Someone from right there in Jost van Dyke and we look forward to other contractors,” he said.

Premier Wheatley added, “I know many other contractors have gone through the RDA process and they have been able to build their capacity and they have been able to grow and they have been able to develop and now they'll be able to compete for contracts that they would have never been able to compete for in the past,” he said.

12 Responses to “'Way more delivered by RDA' under CEO Anthony S. McMaster- Premier Wheatley”

  • Only in the BVI (26/08/2022, 13:03) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Same contractors over and over
  • Truth and honesty (26/08/2022, 13:11) Like (14) Dislike (8) Reply
    Mac Master is the real deal...Don't get much credit..he is not the take credit type. He is the get the job done type...
  • No way! (26/08/2022, 13:15) Like (22) Dislike (13) Reply
    The RDA is now an extension of the BVI Government with the same practices and same political decision making. Why is it still in existence? COI I say.
    • Small man dead now (26/08/2022, 14:20) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      It is not working the way it should because its the same contractors all the time and the work is not trickling down at all
  • No jostvandykians will be hired (26/08/2022, 13:55) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    The work is not trickling down
  • Karnel fan club (26/08/2022, 13:57) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Did Mitch secured any work for the people of jost van dykes?
  • anegada (26/08/2022, 15:00) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Where is Rajah from? Didn't he do the work in Anegada? You all complain too much
  • @ KARNEL (26/08/2022, 15:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    WHO DID ???????
  • Ghost (27/08/2022, 09:59) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    You see part of our problem is that we don’t see the value in our own enough and we like to bring in others to do the job.. Kudos to you McMaster. You were always the Right man for the job… His Salary should be as the former CEO’s salary so Hon. Premier I hope you do the right thing by him if it isn’t for you yourself have stated he has delivered more... He’s no push over nor is he a man “for the take”.. McMaster get things done! keep up the Good work and May God Continue to guide you and your team in all you’re trying to accomplish for our country.
  • Joker (27/08/2022, 12:46) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The RDA was put in place to help with the $400 plus million pounds loan guarantee now that that is now not going to happen why do we need a RDA ?
  • BS (28/08/2022, 16:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Fahie screwed the RDA so it became another Govt department to con money while pretending not to. Skelton is the head of the board. The ex financial sec is in charge of the money. There is NOTHING independent about the RDA. All it does is the same as a decent Govt department should do and the tax payers get lumped with the extra coats. The RDA needs removing OR remove the Government depts whose job it takes.


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