British Virgin Islands follows new UK tender rules for port project

The government in the British Virgin Islands has announced its intention to launch an open tender for a cruise pier redevelopment project in that country. Like the Cayman Islands government, the eastern Caribbean island which is also a British Overseas Territory, has signed a similar fiscal framework agreement with the UK government and committed to following international best practice when it comes to public procurement. It is understood that the government had looked at giving the project to an interested developer without tendering but has reconsidered that position and opened up the process.

The islands premier, Orlando Smith said the move was in line with the UK agreement which the BVI has the Protocols for Effective Financial management which commits the BVI to acting in line with international best practices in public procurement. “The cruise ship pier development is one of the important projects that has been under consideration for some time,” he said in an official release. By introducing greater transparency into the process for awarding large contracts, the premier said it was government’s intention is to ensure the most competitive offers and best value for public money.

In a situation not dissimilar to that here in Cayman the government had been hoping to sign a deal for the redevelopment with specific interested investor without a tender process but because of the UK deal it changed course.

Smith said because the country’s financial secretary could not confirm that attempts to “ensure a credible restrictive bidding procedure” were in line with the agreement the proper way to proceed was to stop the talks with the one developer and issue an open invitation.

“My Government is determined to include the people of the BVI in the process of modernising our territory – both in developing major new facilities such as the cruise pier and by operating in a transparent, efficient and cost-effective way. We will all be stronger as a result,” the premier said.

Despite warnings from the overseas territories minister that the Cayman Islands premier needs to get plans for the development of cruise berthing facilities, here, back on track with international best procurement practice, McKeeva Bush has stated on several occasions that he will be working with China Harbour engineering Company to build Cayman’s cruise port .

The Beijing based firm was selected by Bush, and has never tendered for the project, which has grown considerable since government first asked for expressions of interest from the private sector in developing the George Town cruise berthing facilities.

On his visit to Cayman earlier this year, OT minister Henry Bellingham said that the CIG must be in line with international standards for procurement before the UK could agree to the development going ahead. The governor has echoed those sentiments and stated that the auditor general and the chair of the central tender’s committee are advising the premier on how to get the process back on track.

However, comments from the premier who has referred to Alastair Swarbrick, the auditor general as the governor’s hit man on several occasions does not appear to be taking that advice.

Article Cayman News Service