Road Town Master Plan and Omar Hodge
The Government of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) signed two design consultancy contracts on 24 March for a Road Town Master Plan and a Fisheries Landing Site at the Omar Hodge Fishers' Wharf. The contracts, awarded to OBM Limited ($74,000) and WDMO Group Design & Drafting ($35,200), mark the next phase of planning to strengthen food security, support local fishers and guide Road Town's long-term development (Government of the Virgin Islands; RDA).
The Government of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) took a visible step in the Territory's post-recovery development on Tuesday, 24 March, when Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio D. Wheatley signed two consultancy contracts for design services.
The agreements cover a Road Town Master Plan and a Fisheries Landing Site at the Omar Hodge Fishers' Wharf in Baughers Bay (Government of the Virgin Islands). Premier Wheatley described the occasion as a meaningful milestone and said the contracts represent 'progress, vision, and confidence in the future of the Virgin Islands.' He said a modern, well-designed fisheries landing site will support livelihoods, enhance food resilience and reinforce a commitment to responsible use of marine resources, while the Road Town Master Plan will help create a capital that is functional, resilient and attractive (Government of the Virgin Islands).
The RDA will manage both projects and led the procurement. The Road Town Master Plan consultancy was awarded to OBM Limited for $74,000; the Fisheries Landing Site design contract went to WDMO Group Design & Drafting for $35,200, the government statement said. RDA Chief Executive Officer Anthony McMaster emphasised that the awards followed a competitive Quality and Cost-Based Selection procurement process and highlighted the projects' role in strengthening the Blue Economy and food security (RDA/Government of the Virgin Islands).
Junior Minister for Tourism and Culture Luce Hodge-Smith underscored the Road Town Master Plan's potential to improve quality of life and shape the Territory's identity. She said the aim is a capital 'rooted in culture' where heritage is felt in architecture, public spaces and the flow of streets, making Road Town a destination that still feels like home (Government of the Virgin Islands).
Managing Director Marvin Flax of OBM Limited said the firm has deep ties to Road Town and intends to deliver a practical, forward-looking master plan through stakeholder engagement and responsive design. WDMO Managing Director Wayne O'Neal expressed appreciation for the selection and pledged collaborative delivery 'to the standard that the people of the Virgin Islands deserve' (Government of the Virgin Islands).
Officials said the Fisheries Landing Site will provide safer, organised and sanitary facilities for fishers, improving handling, cold storage potential and market access while honouring the legacy of the late Omar Hodge. For many residents, fishing remains both a cultural touchstone and an important source of income and fresh food; government statements note the landing site will support those livelihoods and local food resilience (BVI News; Government of the Virgin Islands).
Next steps include detailed design work by the appointed consultants, stakeholder engagement and technical studies led by the RDA. Timelines and construction schedules have not yet been announced. The RDA, established in 2018, said it will continue to support initiatives that strengthen public infrastructure and promote sustainable growth as it moves toward an expanded development-focused mandate (RDA/Government of the Virgin Islands).
The contract signings were presented as part of a broader move from immediate recovery toward longer-term planning and infrastructure development intended to protect livelihoods and shape Road Town's future growth (BVI News; Government of the Virgin Islands).
Primary source: BVI News