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RDA seeks consultants for road designs

The Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) is inviting consultancy firms to assist in enhancing the BVI’s road infrastructure.

The request comes weeks after the government acquired a $100 million loan aimed at bolstering the territory’s infrastructure and economic growth.

The RDA’s primary goal is to develop roads that can better withstand the effects of climate change and support the BVI’s expanding economy and population. The agency identified nine key road sections for improvement and plans to engage four consulting firms, each responsible for the design and construction management of two or three roads.

These consultants will be responsible for engaging stakeholders through all phases of the project and overseeing the entire project lifecycle, from planning and development to producing preliminary and final designs.

The consultants will also assist during the tendering and awarding of construction contracts and supervise the implementation of the works. The expected duration for each assignment ranges from 12 to 24 months.

In October 2024, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley signed an agreement for a $100 million loan facilitated by CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank. The Premier emphasised that, while this new loan will increase the central government’s overall debt, rigorous due diligence and analysis have been conducted to ensure that debt servicing remains manageable and sustainable.

According to the government, the loan will finance essential infrastructural projects, including recurrent and capital expenditures, totalling $91.65 million. It will also refinance balloon payments due in 2026 on existing loans, totalling $7.91 million, and cover transaction costs associated with arranging the loan facility, amounting to $440,000.

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13 Comments

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  1. Roger Burnett says:

    Your ancestors knew how to build roads, and so too did the Romans. They didn’t need a team of consultants to tell them that alignment, a firm foundation and drainage are fundamental.

    Like 24
    Dislike 4
  2. Hmmm says:

    This have to be Engineers from Guyana, Trinidad etc.

    Like 2
    Dislike 4
  3. wellsah says:

    dig up the main roads and lay the layers for porous asphalt

    Like 1
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  4. BuzzBvi says:

    They need to be friends of the family. Knowledge, skills and previous experience will NOT be necessary. Must be able to hide and launder money from public funds.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  5. Hmmm says:

    Before a few locals go and Educate themselves on how things are done properly they prefer stay as they are…but let a foreigner get a contract or 2 with qualification, just listen for them

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  6. Listen says:

    Some of the most durable roads like Long Bush and Mc Namara were done by locals using pick and shovel. Common sense and hard work goes a long way. Nowadays if something cannot be done by a machine it remains undone hence the problem of maintenance which accounts for three quarters of the road situation. If the drain is not maintained pooling becomes an issue resulting in major damage no matter where engineers come from or how much is spent its simple common sense. Men like Walter Francis, Pickering, Thomas Potter, Ronnie Farara and others did outstanding work without hardly any schooling and without the hog pen mess we see so called Educated Qualified Contractors making for millions of dollars. Any of the educated qualified recognize that from the Seventh Day Adventist Church to Frozen Imports in Fat Hogs Bay need to be done in concrete as there are three ghuts one by Crabbe one by Ludolph Pickering and one by Nature’s Way. This water should be diverted underground before it gets to the main road and the drainage system adequately maintained. A foreign contractor is not going to notice these things as readily as locals who have to risk their life in serious flood waters when there is heavy rain. Stop letting the tail wag the dog and barking shit.

    • Tamarind says:

      Who did the work on the highway around the east side of Manuel Reef a number of years ago? It seems to be holding up well. A number of drainage problems had to be brought under control when it was done.

  7. Simple. says:

    It’s only common.sense man right yah so can do the job no nee
    d to go outside.

  8. Bvi love says:

    We always behind smh

  9. Rattler says:

    What is the role of Public Works/Engineering? Public works/Engineering should be developing construction standards which all construction in the territory follow. Public Works also develop an active rolling list of construction projects..It should send RDA a funded list of projects for execution.. I see RSA as a construction acquisition agency for government and statutory bodies. The process should entail RDA receiving projects for design and construction from customers, ie, government and statutory bodies. Design completed consistent with current standards, RDA shouid issue an invitation for bids. Bids received , RDA awarded contract to bidder(s) and assigns an inspector to the project..Project completed , RDA should provide owner with a) redlined plans:documents, b) warranty documents. Periodically, RDA should solicit feedback from operators on the operational effectiveness of the project.

    • @Rattler. says:

      Rattler, that process you describing sounds like something they can do in the UD, Canada, UK and other developed countries. This is is not ready for that level of work as yet. A cloud mek up the place flood, pothole occur like ants. My beal will settle and be happy with less potholes. Government since it cannot maintain the roads properly needs to give each vehicle registered owner a monthly transportation allowance.

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