Hodge: Funding shortfall for permanent infrastructure repairs
Director of Public Works Jeremy Hodge has indicated that there are insufficient funds budgeted to carry out necessary permanent repairs on the BVI’s public infrastructure.
Speaking at a community meeting hosted by Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn on Thursday, August 29, Hodge outlined the financial constraints faced by his department.
Hodge explained that his department receives an annual maintenance budget of $500,000 for roads across the territory. However, he noted that nearly half of this amount must be reserved for emergency responses during the Atlantic hurricane season, leaving inadequate funds for comprehensive infrastructure repairs.
“I get $500,000 a year to maintain roads for the territory. I have to ensure I have at least $200,000 of that is for the Atlantic hurricane season to respond and clean the place because I don’t get a budget to tidy up after hurricanes,” Hodge said.
With an allocated budget of $1.4 million, the Public Works Department plans to resurface about 4.5 miles of road. Hodge acknowledged that while this approach is a quicker fix, it has been questioned by residents concerned about the cost of temporary repairs that may be damaged again. He admitted that the budget constraints forced them to opt for these interim solutions.
Contractor hired for road works
When asked about the total cost required for a complete overhaul of the territory’s infrastructure, Hodge estimated it would be around $100 million. He also mentioned that a contractor would be hired to use his own labour force for the roadwork, with mobilisation expected by Sunday, September 9.
Hodge expressed disappointment that these repairs are being carried out during the hurricane season, which he fears could lead to further disruptions due to the seasonal rains. “I’m sad that it happened this season because with all these rains, we’ll have disruptions,” he said. He further lamented that the fixes would be only temporary.
The BVI’s infrastructure has suffered damage not only from Hurricane Irma in 2017 but also from recent rains and Tropical Storm Ernesto earler this month. In response to the ongoing issues, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley announced in November 2023 that the government would seek a $100 million loan to support infrastructure repairs. However, as of the latest update in July 2024, the status of the loan remains uncertain.
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Government are setting this man up for failure with a budget like that. This won’t even scratch the surface for what is needed.
It is especially alarming that the Government don’t realise that investing in this infrastructure is a win for the residents and the tourists.
Nobody is setting anyone up. Why would he sit there in that post and enjoy mediocrity? If not for that public meeting with residents putting some heat on them we would’ve never heard about these issues. The senior people in govt are comfortable taking home 100k plus while the Territory goes to s**t. Their only concern is making 25yrs to collect their pension, until then is every man for himself.
More Educated Moo Moos!!! Ministry of Education said it. Just get a nice degree and come get paid, no need to really know or do anything!!! I feel 10 times dumber after reading this s**t. Unbelievable!!!!
Does the government manufacture the materials required for road work? I’m educated. Is that cost-free???? Also, give back public work a budget so that they can complete work internally; giving out all these contracts externally just makes it more expensive. Another educated moo-moo
The UK has access to lots of money to spend here once they take over and dismiss all the elected and civil servants.
With the current state of the UK finances, is it realistic to think they have access to lots of money to spend here?
Didn’t we waste about 1 million on party’s?
Thats like double the road budget!
Just saying.
Is the road in Sea Cows Bay considered fixed now?
SCB road is disgusting why you dig it up and make it worse than it ever was and then do nothing to it.
I understand that they will be temporary solutions and in bad season but they must be done.
Proper planning prevents poor performance. A little known concept in this part of the world. Let’s try another one: budgeting for capital improvements? Or, what about an audited financial statement for govt. We don’t even know for sure if the monies are as the pols tell us.
This is absolutely pathetic.
a $500K maintenance budget is absolutely ridiculous especially with the decrepit state of the BVI infrastructure!
What is the country doing for the future of the BVI?
This is worse than anyone probably thought it would be..
Jeremy, use the money to improve the infrasture. Do what it can do but don’t sit on it. Ig you use it and the people see improvements you will get public support. But saving it and road repairs go to hell is not making sense. This government spend a lot of money, but in the wrong places. We can never see where our money go. They are giving you peanuts but spend it prudently prioritizing, get value for what you spend.
Of course in the Premier’s mind Sea cows bay road is in tiptop condition, when everyone sees blue that guy sees orange.
Annual budget over 400M with only 500k for maintenance of infrastructure. make it make sense.
it might the beginning of our journey bavmck to the good old days / so mules & and donkey cart was king , maybe that’s why they are letting the bush trees grass grow / that’s the fuel for the jackass & mules ( and the weed would be for we humans
Time to stop all the committees consultants adviaors who give nothing. Think S-C. Stop paying people to sit in offices all day holding up business and spend the millions on the infrastructure
If Mr. Hodge knows that we don’t want to hear this piddle. IF he is the Director of Public Works in 2024 and sits and accepts $500,000 per year for road and civil works, then, we know where the failures are. The Minister for Works has his District on lock so don’t give a damn and you are fully aware that the Public Works employees/work crews show up for work, piles into Government vehicles and heads out to the bars and spends their days drinking and courting.
You have the remit to fix our doggone roads. Why are you saving for emergency situations and letting the road go to hell when the Premier has shown you that when he needs money for parties he can find it. As a country we sent $125,000 to St. Vincent in their time of need. So wouldn’t it make sense that after hurricanes and flooding disasters he will find some as well? The travel budget is five times that and that is alright with you? Are you asking for what you need? $500,000 and saves $200,000 for Atlantic hurricane season?
Young people don’t even care about their name being associated with failures.
Please, I hate to say it, but some of the middle aged workers and even retirees need to come back and put this set of young jackasses out to pasture, because it is simple. There are resources available but not the will to fix things as obviously nobody gives a damn.
You sound so stupid. Can he control what is given to him?
Yes, he ccan. Fight and beg and cajole for what you need if you have to and if not I would leave. Because all we have are our names. Eeverything else is secondary.
If you have a job to do and do not have the tools to do it what do you do? Sit there and say I don’t have enough? You may think I sound stupid, but I am old enough to know what past Directors and MMinisters of Communications did with a lot less. Seems to me all we get out of $400 plus million dollars is a bunch of excuses.
Begging and pleading don’t work either. Remember these people go in to discussions without department heads and make the finals decisions who gets what to do what. It is ridiculously annoying
When are you all going to stop putting blame on Hurricane Irma for the poor infrastructure in this place! All other Caribbean islands that suffered the same or worse damage from Irma have already rebuilt their roads and other infrastructure and have moved on! For please sake – please put the blame where it belongs – on government’s mismanagement of funds – and leave Irma in the past where she belongs!
What is Jeremy’s background and qualification?
Pwd a joke waste of time all the workers a joke waste of time then young girl in Pwd have sex in the pump room then men smoking weed all day
Wowowiwowo
Pwd a joke Jeremy a joke waste of time the workers all waste of time all them young girl have sex in the office and then men smoking weed and drinking rum all day
The Minister and the Premier must have something to say about this situation. I would think they should have just as much responsibility if not more.
Pwd a joke Jeremy a waste of time all them young girls in Pwd have sex in the office then men smoking weed and drinking rum all day
The reality is nobody cares because we don’t care. All they have to do is throw another party soon and all will be well. Lobster Fest will be great, cost a lot, everyone will get full and drunk, all will be well! Then Xmas on Main Street, then Easter in VG. All will be well!
J a waste of time and a f**l Pwd road men be by the gas all day drinking rum and smoking weed the man who run the road crew driving up and down doing his own work in the Pwd truck the young girls leaving the job to look men other workers in bars drinking rum some in the ghetto smoking weed how road work get finish
The VI roads are in deteriorated state and $1.4M of which 50% has to be held in deserve for emergency(s), is not even a drop in the budget. A separate contingency fund for emergencies should be set up .,The current process ties the PWO hands.
In the universe of facilities management, entities typically budget 2-5% of Plant Replacement Value ( PRV) or Asset Replacement Value for maintenance and repair( M&R). Every facility has a design life and to attain that life requires planned periodic M&R which is religiously adhered to. Poor and underinvestment in M&R shortens the design life, adversely impacts service delivery, requires replacing the facility earlier than planned, increases operating costs, increases replacement cost, etc.
A key metric in effective facilities management is Facility Condition Index ( FCI), which is the ratio of M&R and replacement deficiencies divided by PRV. Generally, a number equal or greater than 0.10 signifies failure and time for replacement..Additionally, consistently budgeting/allocating more than 2-5% of PRV for M&R may also indicate time for replacement..
Moreover, the above is applicable to facilities save for roads. FCI applies to facilities other than roads. Nevertheless, road has its own metric, ie, Pavement Condition Index(PCI), which indicates the overall condition of the road network or a specific segment. Roads also are design with specific lifecycles. And timely periodic maintenance and repair is needed to attain the lifecycle.
Underinvestment in roads increases operating and M&R costs, results in poor service delivery, shortens the lifecycle, increases reconstruction cost, increases the potential for accidents, increases motorists vehicle operating costs, replacing road sooner than planned, etc. It is a matter of paying now or pay me later.
Clearly, you got some knowledge of facilities management. You have been writing about roads for years but no one seemed to care or interested. The government continues to grossly under-invest in roads and public work underperforms, delivering poor service even with the funds allocated. It cannot even keep up with potholes. The territory , public works will not get to the high level of facility management you are detailing any time soon ..The whole system needs to be revamped and restructured, including some personnel changes. We need to stop putting round pegs in square holes.
“ is a matter of paying now or pay me later.” Cuz, the [British] Virgin Islands (VI) is in a penny wise pound foolish situation. The current government is one of the least experienced government in our history to date; they are all “ greenies.” Experienced has to be earned with time and is priceless. To govern effectively one must have the knowledge, education, skill , , experience, leadership and management ability, etc. Where is the vital corporate knowledge (repository of knowledge) in this government? There seems to be a disconnect , serious lack of understanding as to the importance of adequate investment in infrastructure to economic growth and development, quality of life, standard of living, etc.
Bull J* and white hair man all waste of time bull the boss for the road crew he have his man by big brother gas station all day drinking rum
The two boss and the White hair man waste of time
How the road will get fix when T rebel all over the road asking people for money and cufax in the ghetto smoking weed and drinking rum
You taking about party Pwd have party everyday them young girls in Pwd all up on the men in Pwd rum and beer in office smoking weed it like a club and * and the white hair man run it