Why Wasn't Rda Awarded $14M?
Questions have arisen after a $14 million road surfacing contract between Road Town and West End was awarded to Tortola Paving Company instead of the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA). Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley told radio hosts the division of responsibilities between ministries and the RDA is still being finalised as the agency transitions to the Virgin Islands Development Authority.
Residents and contractors are asking why the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) was not put in charge of a $14 million road surfacing contract stretching from the Road Town Ferry Terminal to the West End Ferry Terminal, after the award late last year to Tortola Paving Company. The issue was raised publicly on the Talking Points radio show, where hosts Damion Grange and Elvin Smith pressed Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley on why the project went to a government ministry rather than the RDA — an agency many point to for a strong record of delivering infrastructure projects on time with minimal cost overruns.
Elvin Smith questioned whether a project of this size should have been managed by the RDA, which historically has overseen major public-works contracts in the Virgin Islands. Premier Wheatley responded that the division of responsibilities between ministries and the RDA is not fixed and must be clarified through upcoming legislation as the RDA transitions into the Virgin Islands Development Authority. "It is not necessarily a set kind of structure in terms of what the RDA will handle and what the ministry would retain," Dr Wheatley said, adding that the RDA currently has a full slate of projects and that the ministry felt comfortable managing this particular contract.
Another key concern from residents and road-users is whether the resurfacing work includes underground water and sewage works. Damion Grange warned it would be disheartening to see freshly surfaced roads dug up months later to install utilities. Premier Wheatley said the $14 million contract is primarily for asphalt paving and does not directly include water, sewage or other underground utilities.
He noted, however, that supporting infrastructure can be installed under separate contracts where necessary. Wheatley pointed to recent projects in Fish Bay, Hodges Creek and Paraquita Bay where sewage lines, water mains, telecommunications infrastructure and electrical conduits were coordinated and placed under roadways prior to final surfacing.
He credited the RDA for doing "a great job" coordinating service providers to prevent repeated excavation after roads were completed. For BVI residents, the debate touches on more than procurement: the Ferry Terminal corridor is a vital transport artery for commuters, businesses and tourism.
Clarity on who manages large infrastructure contracts and how underground utilities are scheduled will affect project timelines, costs and the durability of newly surfaced roads. The government says legislative changes tied to the RDA’s transition will outline future roles and responsibilities for such projects.
Primary source: BVI News