Vanterpool Questions $81M Capital Spending Plan
People’s Leadership Movement (PLM) leader Mark Vanterpool has questioned the government’s ability to execute its proposed $81.1 million capital spending programme in 2027, describing the allocation as unrealistic and raising concerns about how the money will be managed.
People’s Leadership Movement (PLM) leader Mark Vanterpool has questioned the government’s ability to execute its proposed $81.1 million capital spending programme in 2027, describing the allocation as unrealistic and raising concerns about how the money will be managed. Vanterpool argued that the government’s record of implementing capital projects offered little assurance that it could spend such a large sum within a single financial year. “All of a sudden, and then over seven or eight years, all of a sudden you’re going to tell me that in a six to eight month period before you are, before an election period, that you can deliver 81 million dollars of capital projects.
Even within 12 months, you can’t do that. Speaking on the PLM’s The People’s Mic podcast, Vanterpool questioned the resources available to implement the projects and expressed concern about accountability. “Where are the resources going to come from to produce an $81 million capital spending in the BVI?
This is a setup and it’s scary,” he stated. The former minister made the remarks after podcast host Angela Burns pointed out that the government had budgeted $81.1 million for capital projects in 2027, compared with an expected expenditure of $49.1 million in 2026. Vanterpool said major capital projects required completed designs, lengthy procurement procedures, financing arrangements, clear timetables and effective project management before construction could proceed.
He also questioned the government’s ability to deliver on its promises, citing the unfinished disaster management building at McNamara and the prolonged delay in rebuilding the Althea Scatliffe Primary School. Concern Vanterpool further expressed concern about the government’s financing plans, including proposed borrowing of approximately $47 million and the use of existing balances or reserves.
He questioned the implications for the territory’s financial position, particularly with the budget projecting a $2.6 million recurrent deficit. The PLM leader said the government needed to provide more details about the proposed projects and demonstrate how it intended to complete them. “I’m very worried about it.
And I’m worried about the people’s money being accounted for properly with an $81 million capital budget projected,” Vanterpool stated. He maintained that the government should focus on delivering projects that address residents’ immediate needs, including roads, water, schools and housing, rather than relying on large spending allocations. “The test is not how much government spends, but it’s really what it accomplishes with the money it spends for the people of the Virgin Islands,” Vanterpool stated.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley’s proposed $559.1 million budget includes $81.1 million for capital expenditure, with allocations for road improvements, water infrastructure and sewerage development. The estimates remain subject to legislative approval.
Primary source: BVI News