Just $5M repaid on EE/LL sewerage loan to TPP
The government has repaid just a little more than half of the $8 million loan that was taken from the East End/Long Look (EE/LL) Sewerage Project and re-routed to the Tortola Pier Park (TPP) Project under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) administration nearly 10 years ago.
This was revealed when lawmakers discussed the status of the loan repayment and the timeline for its completion when the House of Assembly (HOA) met this week.
Eighth District Representative, Marlon Penn, asked Communications and Works Minister, Kye Rymer, to give legislators an update on the status of the loan repayment taken by the government in which he served as a former Education Minister.
Rymer said $5 million had been paid between 2016 and 2020 and promised that the balance will be repaid as the status of the TPP’s finances improves, once it continues to recover from the 2017 hurricanes and global pandemic. However, he couldn’t give details of a possible timeline for the repayment as Penn requested.
After listening to the minister’s explanation of the financial status of the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) — the TPP’s parent body — Penn said it appeared as if the entity was in a $2 million deficit.
Penn stated earlier this year that, save for $1 million, all the money that was rerouted had been returned to the project but did not state at the time whether this was done by the current government.
Subsequently, the government awarded a contract of $511,786.97 in June to BioSafe Treatment & Septic Solutions for the construction of inspection chamber wet wells and the procurement and installation of pumps and mechanical components for the Long Swamp Pump Station.
Rymer said at the time, that once constructed and commissioned, the Long Swamp pump station would serve as a central system for the collection of effluent to then be pumped into the Paraquita Bay waste treatment plant for tertiary treatment.
“Based on all project projections and barring any unforeseen issues, we expect that the commissioning of the East End/Long Look Sewerage Network will take place in 2024,” Rymer said at the time.
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SEWAGE PROBLEM IN THE 7TH AND 8TH DISTRICTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW…….SICKENING!
IT WILL BE THE SAME DARN THING….IT WILL NOT BE READY TO FLUSH
in the east and smoke in the west. Tortola not safe to breathe.
Get M to pay back what he made off the TPP and all should be even.
Lol Marlon has no shame. His party took the money while he watched. He fully endorsed them during campaign season even after the disrespect and now he asking questions, He was to ask Dr. Smith before he resigned.
BVIPA still owes IDEA $2 million USD for the the design and berthing agreements delivered in 2015. When should we expect payment. Our 20% equity was given to BVI Investment club? Where are my dividends?
Come to the BVI next week and all will be explained. I am sure. Was your deal done with AF?
But if you go back in history you would find where marlon told them to put the sewerage money back. Seems like it was removed without him and the former D7 rep. Knowing. Who was the minister for works? Because that’s who shoulder the blame for moving the funds. That minister was out of place. Stop blaming marlon and kedrick.