Gov’t issues $750K no-bid contract to rebuild and promote BVI brand
The government issued a $750,000 contract to a consultancy firm for rebuilding and promoting the brand image of the BVI, a recent post Cabinet meeting statement has revealed.
According to the statement, Cabinet decided that the formal tender process be waived for the provision of “integrated communications support” to continue to rebuild the BVI’s reputation in the international market.
The Cabinet said the brand image rebuild contract was in respect of the four-month extension granted to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) but did not offer any details of what this may have meant.
The release further advised that government had already entered into the new contract with Maitland Consultancy since January 1. This contract is expected to run for a period of five months up until May 31.
Additional $1.19M requested for future marketing
While the government indicated that the $750,000 contract is expected to cover this period, the Cabinet said it will also requesting an additional sum exceeding one million dollars for future anticipated expenses this year.
In this regard, the government decided that funding in the amount $1,189,786.29 be approved via a Schedule of Additional Provision at the earliest Sitting of the House of Assembly to replenish the Marketing and Advertising Subhead and cover other expenses for the remainder of 2022.
This news comes as the territory anticipates the release of the report on the now-concluded Commission of Inquiry that was called to look into whether corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty may have taken place amongst public, elected and statutory officials in recent years.
Governor John Rankin indicated on Thursday that the COI report will now likely be made public in June after a 15-month long process which ended last month.
Governor Rankin said the report will first be shared with local elected officials before being discussed with elected officials in the United Kingdom (UK) sometime next month.
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Seriously? That is the biggest BS ever. You want to rebuild the image? Stop making crap decisions.
This Government likes to waste money.
With nothing to back it up.
With the COI report pending he still continues to issue contracts with no bidding. Is he using these contracts to fill his personal coffers? I guess we can look at more as his legal defense fund. These politicians never cease to amaze. They continue with total disregard to the laws.
Maitland Consultancy is a political campaign consultancy management firm. The VIP government is using taxpayers’ dollars for their own benefit.
F*T A****T and the gang using public funds to pay for their next box of PoliTricks – https://www.maitland.co.uk/ – you couldn’t make this stuff up and if you did no one would believe you.
IT IS TRUE PEOPLE OF THE BVI NEEDS TO STOP VIP FRM LIES AND misleading THE PREMIER IS A WOLF IN SHEEP CLOTHING BEAWARE BVI PEOPLE…..
Glover South Park. This government is out of control..
My money owed from the BVI Airports Authority, like you publicly announced months ago. The end of April is near and suddenly you can find money for branding.
No amount of money spent on rebranding the Virgin Islands will repair the damage done by the VIP government. The territory’s image cannot be repaired with the VIP in power. So we need to clean house, get a fresh start. This means getting rid of Andrew Fahie and his government. This consultancy contract for the so called rebranding of the Virgin Islands is just another pay day for one his croonies. My fellow Virgin Islanders we are constantly under attack by this government. Andrew spare no effort in destroying the Virgin Islands.
NDP either. Independents for the majority trust.
A no bid contract to an unspecified company for “integrated communications support”. It doesn’t get much vaguer than that.
Now it’s known who they are. Surely they will work on VIP’S branding.
Another kickback job. Please someone, look into this.
He went public on the airwaves and announced an increase for the workers at the BVIAIr Port Authority and up to this point he has not fulfilled his obligations
The worker’s pay was slashed by 26 %. He had a meeting with the workers on site and said he never knew about the slash. He is fully aware and giving the public the impression it will be paid months ago.
You are a big part in tarnishing the image of the BVI
2. The prejudice that Visitors are welcomed at the port of entry into the BVI .. no amount of consultancy fee, can replace that damage.
3. People in positions need to leave their personal bias against people of different races and cultures in their homes when dealing with the public
That is where the training begins so there would be no need for that.
Taking place in broad daylight now. No bid contracts continue regardless of COI findings. Welcome to the Narco dictatorship of the BVI!
My guess is this isn’t marketing the BVI in the traditional sense. I’d say these are communications/lobbying dollars. Specifically intended to blunt/guide the COI process.
Poor Fahie, doesn’t understand the dynamic and was convinced this was needed to play the game.
The result is consultants and lawyers get to take the BVI for a ride.
Unfortunately, a standard story for the BVI.
I mean these people are on steroids’. WTF, blatant disregard for laws. So many no bid contracts and somehow they always approving more funds for the future, just in case. These people really take us all for idiots. I have never seen the BVI in the state in which we are today. I have never seen so much foolishness and money passing around like hot bread. I have never seen so many new construction and consultancy businesses.
F*T A****T and the gang using public funds to pay for their next box of PoliTricks – https://www.maitland.co.uk/ – you couldn’t make this stuff up and if you did no one would believe you.
Not again! And at this point I don’t even care how corrupt this looks….If you are going to spend money, spend it on a real ad agency in the USA (where the majority of BVI tourism comes from).
Everything that comes out of this administration looks like it was a High School homework project. The whole BVI Love thing makes no sense, with it’s little green leaf and eco-nonsense when we don’t have any real eco-friendly measures in place.
Here’s an idea – watch some TV and look at the ads you like, then hire that guy! This is not rocket science. …
From January 1st????? That means these people have long been getting paid! May is in a few days!!! What do we have to show for this $750k?
So you cheat on your wife but she doesn’t know about it. You then hire your friend To help her get over you cheating on her? Even though she really does not know for a fact. And you spend.a good bit of your savings To pay your friend, while your household is struggling financially! To try tomake you look good. In front of your wife.
Same Money that you paid your friend, you will go out and drink and party and tip the strippers With. Which? It’s part of the reason why your wife would be mad at you in the first place. Makes a lot of sense to me!
I HOPE YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT THAT MONEY AND HOW ITS BEING SPENT ? , YOU SEEMS TO WONDER HOW EVERY DIME IS SPENT EXCEPT BY YOUR OLD TIME BUDDY
I’m not even mad at them hiring a lobbying firm/consultancy. Why did it have to be no-bid? Couldn’t you have tendered it, and contacted similar firms internationally to encourage them to submit a proposal?
Please stop toying with our leadership head. It is crystal clear they don’t have a clue. Add up all the BS money that has been spent recently then tell me to donate to the ESHS rebuild. Get rid of the silly Covid portal and the rest of the crap tourists will find their way to our islands once the experience is worth it. This administration is shameful a leaves a lot to be desired. I cannot vote for this folly.
This government’s priorities are nauseating. But here’s the thing: we seem to be pinning our hopes on the UK to save us from our own corrupt government. But when has the UK ever acted in the interest of the people of these islands? After Irma? Pshaw. We cannot expect the UK to save us. The only people who can change what happens in this place is ourselves.
100% correct. we must put emotion aside and be realistic about persons that can make a positive difference in the Territory’s direction.
for us?
Apart from continuous grant money – OK. And support for EU grants (when they were still members), massive assistance after Irma, oh, and free coastal surveillance and monitoring, and I suppose we have to thank them for developing and distributing free Covid vaccines..and a COI. Unfortunately if we insist on electing racist numbskulls with the intellect of a jackass, they will eventually leave us to our own devices. Hello China..
Disliked by mistake
Oh, one ore thing. This guy raised hell on the former government for these same actions (No bid contracts and whatever else he claims this money is for). But hey, this is what transparency and your government working for you looks like. I am convinced that this guy is SICK. He has a major problem and is unfit to lead the people of the Virgin Islands.
Sinking the BVI for almost 4 years now
Go use some of that same 1.19million you found to pay for public relations to go build the school instead of begging for handouts from the public.
Who remembers when NDP hired Glover Park as their public relations firm? Same AnFa and VINO raised bloody hell. Couldn’t understand why a government needed a public relations firm. Now look at him! No bid contract and all! These people Maitland been collecting $750k of our tax money for 4 months now and we only just hearing about it.
AnFa don’t even know that it is a political public relations service he hired. Instead he talking about rebranding the BVI brand and image and marketing and advertising. I am sure Maitland right their laughing behind his back and collecting our money to the bank! They are probably like this guy has no idea what he is talking about so let’s get a free ride.
Nothing is wrong with the brand image of the BVI. Tourists love the place and coming here regardless.
The only image that needs help is that of the government and it’s cronies. Specifically the VIP government. The worst government in the history of the BVI by far. At least Cyril had the decency to resign and promise not to ever enter politics again. AnFa clearly has no shame.
The only public relations needed is to convince the UK that the whole ship is not rotten by cutting out the rotten parts and replacing them. Also convincing the people of the BVI that all is not lost by stepping down and aside. AnFa and every board member and every Director and Managing Director appointed under this government. Give restitution to every BVIslander that has been victimized over the past 3 plus years. Then all of you just disappear from the public light.
UK will be happy with the stable hand of Skelton and the people of the BVI have confidence in him to lead us out of this hell hole that AnFa put us in. That is if Skelton will run again. UK is not going to back off for any other name we put forward. So no sense pretending. We are past the stage of telling the UK to let’s have another election and hope for the best. Before that happens they will do us like they did Turks. We have to send Skelton now in order to postpone the UK invasion. And they might say it is still too late for that.
This isn’t no time for Penn or Tall boy or Fraser or the Cuban or Cindy or none of them.
I am sure he knows exactly what that firm represents and does not expect anyone to go digging so saying that they are rebranding the BVI brand and image and marketing and advertising is just to fool us the people.
He know what he is doing.
Silly me thought this was the purpose of tourist board.