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  • Two Bids Submitted for West End Ferry Terminal Project || BVI Cricket Association Prepares to Launch Youth Coaching Program Following Safeguarding Training. ||. "Enough is enough," says Walwyn as Infrastructure Woes Persist. ||. Tourism Summit Opens on Peter Island, Focusing on the Future of the Virgin Islands’ Tourism Industry || Dr. Stephanie Vanterpool’s Documentary on Pain Treatment Premieres on PBS || 12 BVI Police Officers on Interdiction Amid Corruption Allegations, Some Arrested and Charged ||. 12% Crime Increase in Virgin Islands Attributed to Money Boys Gang. ||. USVI Resident Arrested in BVI for Possession of Ammunition. ||. RVIPF Investigates Multiple Overnight Shooting Incidents, Including Fatality in Purcell Estate || Young Man Fatally Shot in Purcell Community, First Murder of 2025 || The International Morning Braff Show Returns to the Airwaves || Caribbean Juniors Compete at British Junior Open Squash Tournament || ‘Fat Cat’ Shemoi Carey Apprehended for Attempted Murder; Police Seek K’Shawn Martin || Man Found Deceased in Abandoned Vehicle in Long Swamp || Police Investigate Gunfire at Hannah’s Estate, No Injuries Reported || Masked Gunmen Strike Twice in Cane Garden Bay || WhatsApp Scammers Target BVI Cancer Society in Deceptive Scheme || Three BVI Bars Rank Among Top 10 Caribbean Favorites, Callwood Rum Shines || British Virgin Islands Earns Coveted Spot on New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2025" || De Castro Supports Enhanced Policing with Caution Against Unchecked Powers || Police Officer Charged Over Internal Security Breach. ||. Virgin Gorda Police Apprehend Fugitive Linked to String of Burglaries and Robberies. ||. An Absolute Travesty: Sixth District Representative Condemns Police Amendment Bill Over Privacy Risks || Premier Calls for Swift Passage of Police Amendment Bill to Combat Money Laundering || Governor Albert Bryan Jr. || First Babies of 2025 Deliver on January 2 || Some Businesses Continue To Insist On Minimum Spending For Credit Card Payment || Vybz Kartel’s Return: Freedom Street Concert Marks Historic Comeback After 13 Years. ||. Mentoring Anointed Leaders Everywhere (MALE) BVI Movement Bolstered by $5,000 Drakes Traders Donation || ADVERTISEMENT: Need a banner in a hurry? Look no further than JAHPHIX DESIGNS. Our high-quality banners can be delivered to you in 24 hours or less. Tel: (284) 340-1995 or email us at mail@jahphix.com ||
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Local News

Premier Sacks Deputy in Major Cabinet Shake-Up, Appoints Julian Fraser

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British Virgin Islands Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley in a significant Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday sacked Deputy Premier Lorna Smith OBE, citing a lack of confidence in her commitment to his administration for the remainder of the term. 

In a virtual statement on October 23, Wheatley appointed former Virgin Islands Party (VIP) member and Third District representative Julian Fraser to the vacant position.

“I’m pleased to announce that the honourable Julian Fraser, member for the third electoral district, is now a member of my government who will sit on the government front benches going forward,” Wheatley said.

He noted that Fraser remains the chairman of the PU party but has now aligned with the Virgin Islands Party, where he was a longtime member.

Fraser, who left the VIP after losing the leadership vote in 2017 to establish PU, will also take on the role of Minister for Labour and Immigration.

Governor David Pruce on Tuesday signed the instruments of appointment, and Fraser was officially sworn in.

Wheatley thanked Smith for her service but stressed that her dismissal is “a necessary change,” stating, “I do so with a heavy heart. She did not give me the confidence that she would remain with my administration for the duration of this term.”

He underscored the importance of “political stability at this time” as the territory’s leaders focus on vital reforms.

Smith, who won the Territorial-At-Large vote for the National Democratic Party in the April 2023 general elections, had previously switched her allegiance to assist the ruling Virgin Islands Party in forming a government. She held the portfolio for Financial Services, Labour, and Trade. 

Wheatley highlighted that Fraser “brings much to the table” and that his political experience is “invaluable.” 

He reassured stakeholders of his “full commitment to the financial services and trade.”

Fraser is noted as the longest-serving politician in the territory, having previously served as Deputy Premier under the late Premier Ralph T. O’Neal.

Local News

Two Bids Submitted for West End Ferry Terminal Project

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The Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) has confirmed the receipt of two bids for the West End Ferry Terminal Project by the extended submission deadline of January 17.

One submission was made by a joint venture of two local firms, while the other came from a Canadian company. Representatives from both bidders attended the official bid opening, which took place at the RDA’s Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park office. The process was led by RDA Director of Procurement, Mr. John Primo, and witnessed by key stakeholders, including CDB Contract Supervisor and Project Manager Sergio Dantas, RDA officials, and representatives from the design consultancy firm, Inros Lackner S.E.

The bid opening adhered to a two-envelope system, with only technical proposals reviewed at this stage. Inros Lackner S.E. will now conduct a thorough evaluation of the technical submissions, expected to conclude by early February 2025. Following this, the financial proposals will be opened for assessment.

The West End Ferry Terminal, a project funded under the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Loan (RRL), was once the busiest seaport in the Virgin Islands but has been out of operation since its destruction in the 2017 hurricanes, severely impacting travel and commerce between Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and the USVI.

Bid documents were issued on July 30, 2024, the same day the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) granted its No Objection, allowing the procurement process to move forward. The bid deadline was later extended from October 18, 2024, to January 17, 2025, to give bidders additional time to prepare their submissions. Additionally, updates on the project were provided to First District residents during a community meeting on July 23, 2024.

The RDA reaffirms its commitment to maintaining transparency and rigor throughout the procurement process, ensuring this flagship initiative aligns with the Territory’s long-term development goals.

 

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Crime/Police

Senior Magistrate Dismisses Case Against Walwyn and Stevens in High-Profile ESHS Wall Project

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Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards has dismissed the case against former Education and Culture Minister Myron V. Walwyn and former assistant secretary Lorna Stevens, ruling there was no case to answer in the breach of trust charges brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The ruling, delivered today, January 21, followed a preliminary inquiry into allegations related to the controversial Elmore Stoutt High School perimeter wall project.

The decision effectively ends the prosecution’s case, with the Senior Magistrate finding insufficient evidence in the arguments presented. The dismissal brings to a close a chapter in the long-running investigation into the wall project, which has been the subject of public scrutiny for years.

The perimeter wall project, initiated in December 2014 under Mr. Walwyn’s tenure, has faced persistent criticism for budget overruns, alleged mismanagement, and a failure to deliver value for taxpayers. Despite more than $1 million spent, the project was never completed, as revealed in a 2018 report by Auditor General Sonia Webster.

Ms. Webster’s report highlighted significant concerns, including contract splitting into over 70 work orders and 15 petty contracts, many awarded to contractors without trade licenses. She concluded that the Ministry of Education and Culture failed to ensure proper oversight, resulting in overspending and poor value for public funds.

The findings of the Auditor General spurred a police investigation in March 2019. However, updates on the case were sparse until October 2022, when Ms. Stevens and Mr. Walwyn were arrested and charged. Ms. Stevens, who assisted with oversight of the project, was accused of breaching public trust.

The wall project was revisited in 2021 during the Commission of Inquiry (COI) led by Sir Gary Hickinbottom. In his April 2022 report, Sir Gary reiterated the concerns raised by Ms. Webster, labeling the project’s management as “extraordinary” and emphasizing the risks associated with the use of multiple unlicensed contractors. He recommended that the police investigation proceed without interference.

“The construction of a single wall involved 70 different contractors, the majority of whom had no constructor’s trade license, in circumstances which disregarded the increased costs and complexity,” Sir Gary wrote in his report. “This inevitably put at risk any desire to get the works completed at speed, as those involved, including [Mr. Walwyn], well knew.”

Senior Magistrate Richards’ findings signal a significant setback for the prosecution. Legal observers note that the court’s ruling raises questions about the strength of the evidence and the strategy employed in pursuing the charges.

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Local News

Windy Hill Closed After Oil Spill Causes Multiple Accidents

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The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force has announced a temporary road closure from Windy Hill to Stoutt’s Lookout due to the oil spill and resulting vehicular accidents. The Fire Department has been contacted and is working to address the situation as quickly as possible.

RVIPF has confirmed that three vehicles were involved in collisions however no injuries have been reported.  One taxi reportedly slid off the road into nearby rocks earlier today.

Motorists, particularly tour operators, are advised to use alternative routes until further notice.

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