BVI News

BVIPA refuses to divulge purchase price of Chateau property on VG

The BVIPA’s main cargo facility in Port Purcell on Tortola. 

By Kamal Haynes, BVI News Staff

The state-owned BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) has refused to say how much of the public’s purse was spent for the recently-acquired Chateau beachfront property on Virgin Gorda.

Leading up to the BVIPA’s October 9 announcement that they acquired the property, BVI News made several attempts to get information relating to the cost of the purchase.

Our news centre was prompted to start its inquiry after sources reported that the property — which was owned by close relatives of a sitting legislator — had been purchased at an estimated $5 million.

Promised the information

While contacting the BVIPA’s Deputy Managing Director, Oleanvine Maynard on Thursday, October 8, she confirmed that the BVIPA had indeed acquired the property but said the reported $5 million price tag was not accurate.

She then promised to issue a statement with all the accurate information relating to the acquisition of the property. Subsequent to the Authority releasing a statement the following day, BVI News observed that the name of the property, the price of the sale, and the appraisal quote of the property were all excluded from the media document.

Those omissions prompted our news centre to make further contact with the BVIPA Deputy Director, who said at the time of answering, that she was not in close proximity to the documents to give a precise quote. She then gave the directive to contact her at a later time during that day.

Run around by the BVIPA

Several subsequent attempts were made to call Maynard before getting through. And during that over-the-phone conversation, Maynard said she gave consideration to our news centre’s request and felt that it would not be in the BVIPA’s interest to disclose the amount paid for the property at this time.

BVI News then explained that the information is of public interest as it was the taxpayers’ money that was used to acquire the property. Maynard then stated that she would have the information within the next five minutes.

More than 40 minutes later, an employee from the BVIPA contacted our news centre and informed us that Maynard was “unfortunately scheduled for several meetings” and was therefore unable to grant the requested information during the day.

BVI News had also made contact with the recently-appointed Managing Director of the BVIPA, Dean Fahie who told our news centre that Maynard was the Port Authority’s point-of-contact on the matter.

According to the aforementioned media release by the BVIPA, the acquisition of the Virgin Gorda-based property is to expand the St Thomas Bay port facility on the sister island.

 

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36 Comments

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  1. Nothing says:

    Nothing in the corrupt BVI is done in the open. Auntie always gets a deal. The people are suffering and losing their businesses but those in power, their cronies and their relatives make more money than ever. This is the true definition of a Third World country. Have a good time and please please suffer. It makes those in power quite happy to see.

    Like 46
    • it is a must says:

      They have to say ,this is a democratic society .

    • So says:

      So let’s be realistic. The deal is done and paid for by taxpayers dollars. Nothing about the deal before hand. Nothing after. This is blatant corruption. This is exactly why the UK is watching so closely. The people of the Territory must have their voices heard. This c*****t government needs to be stopped. If an interim government has to be placed by the Brits to stop this then so be it. The Brits don’t want to rule this Territory but it’s obvious the people presently throughout the government irregardless of which party they are, only seek to benefit themselves and not the people who elected them. There needs to be a sunshine law where all deals are open to public scrutiny before they happen.

      Like 17
      Dislike 2
    • Yep says:

      Oh for sure, AUNTIE BE GETTING THE SWEET DEALS. AUNTIE IS SITTING GOODDDDDD.

    • Dear Andy says:

      Dear Andy Foy,

      Since you were voted into office you have done nothing on behalf of the people. All you schemes have been to benefit you, your family (remember dear aunties building for your office), all your friends and cronies. Not one deal that you gave away was there any announcement or transparency. The few are are living the dream while the masses are living the nightmare. The most unfortunate of this all has been your lack of responsible leadership during this pandemic. While you play basketball with your bodyguards the people suffer. It is truly the hope of the people that the Brits step in and stop this madness before nothing is left.

  2. vip heckler says:

    This simply means that it was way overpriced…….Kickbacks anyone?

    Like 41
  3. Oh Ohhh says:

    Well well wellllllllll!!!

    VIP is so transparent, it is blinding. Dont stop digging until you get the answers BVI News. Cant you do a search or something?

    Like 38
  4. Tola says:

    And cutting staff pay

    Like 24
  5. LOL says:

    Stop complaining, this is what you voted for!

    Like 38
  6. Boo says:

    Why the secrecy?

    Like 17
  7. 9th District resident says:

    @Butch

    Say something bro.

    We the voters want to know how much of the public’s money was used for this land purchase!!!!

    And while you at it, please let us know what happened to all the donated money given by the multitude of very compassionate folks for the VG populace after Irma. I believe you made a statement in the house of assembly about accountability recently, well we the 9th district voters want to know what happened to that money.

    Like 31
    • @9th District resident says:

      And you are so correct, we the people is tired of the one sided lies and deceit. We the People have a right to ask and have questions answered. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REMIND THIS GOVERNMENT THAT WEEEEE THE PEOPLE IS THEIR BOSS, WEEEEE THE PEOPLE IS THEIR EMPLOYER. PROBATION TIME IS OVER!!!!!!!!.

      Like 16
  8. Rubber Duck says:

    Something rotten in the state of BVI.

    Like 28
  9. WE THE PEOPLE says:

    We the people would like to know how much OF OUR HARD WORKING TAXPAYING DOLLARS WAS STOLEN TO SINK INTO THIS PROJECT. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOU PEOPLE THAT IS CONSTANTLY TAKING ADVANTAGE AND PUSHING PEOPLE OVER THE CLIFF TO LINE YOUR POCKETS. DIRTY, DIRTY SCUMS.YOU GO INTO POLITICS HALF CLEAN AND YOU COME OUT OF POLITICS REEKING WORSE THAN A ?.NO WONDER THE UK IS WATCHING THE BVI LIKE A EAGLE IN THE SKY. EAGLES SEE EVERYTHING.

    Like 17
  10. tri-party opposition says:

    We are willing to bet that that sale passed thru the real estate company of the chief for a high commission

    Like 20
    • @tri-party opposition says:

      Wait, Wait, wait……

      Stop talk chupidness here. you mean to tell me they so flipping blatant with this kind of thing?????

      Like 11
  11. Windy says:

    IT’S THE PEOPLES MONEY !!!!

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
    • @Windy says:

      It is the TaxPayers money they are continually helping themselves to with out asking for permission. One set of dirty den of stealing hoodlums.

      Like 20
    • Windy says:

      It’s not tax payers money it’s a revenue generating statutory body …editor get your facts right

  12. Secrets says:

    Help London it’s getting crazy

    Like 25
    Dislike 1
  13. J says:

    Where there is smoke, there is fire. If there is nothing to hide, why the secrecy? I am truly disappointed. Too many secrets when it comes to our money. At the rate that VIP is going, the 7.2 mil that went up in smoke will look like a drop in the bucket.

    Like 47
  14. X says:

    Spending our money, but don’t want to tell us how much? hmm.

    Like 11
  15. Ooohhhh. Boiiiii says:

    The purchase of that property by Government is WORSE than the Prospect Reef purchase . The building is ghetto ; only needs to be torn down as it said to be structurally unsound . The area is NOT conducive to ferry / passenger travel as the harbour is small and shallow and prone to SEVERE ground swells . The dock is low and narrow for the daily volume of passengers. There is No parking space (unless Gov will purchase the sellers recently acquired lot of “ wet land “‘that has been FILLED IN

    We are going to hell in a hand basket led by a set of Edge U Cated people who have Truly made NDP sins look like “ make belief”

    Ooohhhh I cry for my Country

    Like 19
    • Careful ..... says:

      Buying it is the cheap part brother! You ain’t seen nothing yet.

      Wait until the real bill comes to break up and build, and see who gets those sweet deals!

      Need a breakwater, new docking, new buildings, parking, oh boy, money, money, money …………. ca-ching, ca-ching, ca-ching baby!

      $$$$$$$$

      Like 20
  16. I said it says:

    The Taxpayers IS THE BVI GOVERNMENT PERSONAL ATM MACHINE. AS A TAX PAYER, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF MY MONEY WAS SPENT ON SOMETHING THAT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF. IF I’M SPENDING MY MONEY, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE AND TO WHOM MY MONEY IS GOING.

    Like 14
    Dislike 1
  17. Heckler says:

    This set making all the rest look like choir boys and acolytes. Even the good ole cookie monster and the tricky grasshopper couldn’t empty the cookie jar this fast and this effectively.

    Like 15
  18. Forward ever Backward never says:

    Corruption to its core. VIP must Go
    They are killing the BVIslander’s dream. We have nothing to look forward to.

  19. Joe S says:

    Is that the property that D. Flax had for sale ??

  20. Joe Sutter says:

    Is that the property that D. Flax had for sale ??

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