Decision whether to extend RDA’s mandate on Cabinet agenda
Cabinet is expected to consider extending the mandate of the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) which was set up after the 2017 hurricanes of Irma and Maria to assist in restoring some of the territory’s damaged infrastructure.
This was disclosed by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley at a press conference late last week after it was noted that the agency was given an initial five-year mandate expected to be reviewed by legislators.
“Interestingly, that’s (the RDA extension) on my Cabinet agenda and I’m not allowed to preempt Cabinet from whatever decision,” Premier Wheatley told reporters last Friday. “So, you should hear about what decision we make on that soon but it is on the Cabinet agenda actually [last Friday] afternoon, and of course it’s discussing whether to extend.”
The RDA was established in 2018 by the government as a transparent and accountable specialist project implementation agency to respond to the unique challenges faced by the territory following the extreme weather events of 2017.
Just recently, calls were made for the agency to explain its procurement processes to the public after concerns were raised over whether value for money was being achieved given that the project cost for a new multi-purpose facility in Jost Van Dyke amounted to just over $4 million.
At the time, Premier Wheatley said one of the reasons the public may be questioning the costs is that the public may not have the technical background and has not been exposed to the technical information involved in arriving at the costs for some of these projects.
According to the RDA’s website, the agency has also been established to work with government ministries to both build back the territory’s infrastructure and to build up the capacity of the BVI’s people.
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The RDA need scrapping because the work nah trickling down…Same set ah contractors getting all the work.
Not only is the same set of contractors getting all the work , the quality of the work is poor . Question , does the RDA has a quality control department?
So if they have all these single out departments question don’t these departments have to pay rent? And as for Infrastructures isn’t is more wiser to merge with Public Works? Which to the eyes of the BVI is best to save the unnecessary spending???
RDA is PWD 2.0. It has not lived up to its mandate and should be disbanded. All current workers should be absorbed into PWD and if need me, staff reductions made and some people transferred etc. to other government departments. RDA is Recovery and Development Agency. What are we recovering from? PWD should be responsible for infrastructural development so that’s your answer, scrap the RDA, fluffed up salaries and pretend progress.
please just put these functions back into the procurement unit of the Ministry of Finance. There is no need for duplication and we have new Financial Regulations
Contractors and the Public should decide the fate of the RDA. Premier don’t have a clue what’s going on behind the scenes with this bunch. This is a “Boys’ Club.”
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communications & Works are working hard in adopting the COI recommendations and it is a pleasure to work with these two entities.
From a financial perspective the RDA need to be scrapped and our locals and those expats with specialized acumen absorbed within Central Government. I say DISMANTLE THE RDA!!!!!!
Such a waste of taxpayers dollars. Why does government keep create different agencies and departments that do the same function and the same work. Rather than paying for the operations and high salaries of these agencies like the RDA put the money into the Ministry of Finance Procurement/ Projects unit and Public Works. These departments begging of resources to get the right tools and talent.