BVI News

Sister islands contracts for sister island companies | RDA hopes to spend where work being done

CEO of the RDA Paul Bayly

With a number of recovery projects slated for the sister islands, the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA) is hoping to award those jobs to companies with ties to those islands.

“What we are trying to do is spend money where we are doing the work. So if we have projects on Virgin Gorda … What we really want to do is get, if we can, Virgin Gorda companies to bid for it (contracts) so we can spend the money in Virgin Gorda with Virgin Gorda companies. It’s the same with Jost Van Dyke and Anegada,” Chief Executive Officer of the RDA Paul Bayly told BVI News.

He made the comment while noting that an increasing number of local contractors are gaining interest in his organisation’s procurement workshops aimed at facilitating capacity building in the territory.

He said 26 contracting firms have already confirmed their attendance to the next workshop on Virgin Gorda on Thursday. The island has three projects ongoing or ready to begin – repair’s to the police barracks, repairs to the basketball courts, and repairs to The Baths.

Bayly also stressed the importance of the agency spending money locally and said one of the main purposes of the procurement workshop is to encourage more local persons to come forward and bid.

“By doing that, we will build capacity right across the BVI and we’re very concerned about that because it’s not just the big companies we want to look after, it’s actually the really small companies that we want to grow over the next few years and that’s about the future of the BVI.”

Meanwhile, Thursday’s is set to run from 9 am to 2 pm at the Village Café.

The RDA’s Head of Communications Colene Penn also revealed a second event, which is set to follow Thursday’s workshop.

“At 2:30 pm we are having a Bidder’s Conference for one of the homes we are going to repair in Virgin Gorda. That home was damaged due to hurricane Irma and this is RDA helping to build back to repair and fix the economy and fix the infrastructure that has been damaged and to make sure that persons not only in Tortola but all through the territory benefit from what we are doing to help rebuild the territory,” Penn stated.

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11 Comments

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  1. My two cents says:

    I don’t think this is something that the RDA should be saying. While I fully understand what they’re trying to do it is feeding this parochial type of politics of job distribution that hurts and divides the country. Following from the policy then Tortola jobs will be for Tortola contractors to the exclusion of sister island contractors then? If I was a Tortola contractor that is what I would be expecting. Let your policy be the best local
    Company for the job wherever they are. Of course you have to be cognizant of the number of jobs one company may get and it’s effect on delivery and the social impact that it causes. These issues are never easy ones to address. Though the motive is a good one, it has to be balanced with the long term effects it may have on the territory and the whole ONE B.V.I. mantra that we can’t seem to get off the ground in a real way yet.

    Like 7
    Dislike 12
  2. Vi connection says:

    RDA stop talk piss… you guys are not for the small businesses. The requirements alone deter small businesses as we cannot compete with the big dogs who are already so established and that is who your requirements are geared towards. Reason why the same people get these contracts and they do not subcontract based on who is registered with RDA, they will …if at all….subcontract with their friend. Your strategy is a bit biase.

    Like 6
    Dislike 8
    • Nonsense says:

      RDA awards contracts across the board. Several smaller companies have recently one work with the RDA. The issue is that you have become accustom to just receiving work and not bidding for work. That’s the problem. It calls for a change of mine.
      Just complete the paper work and you will be fine. THis backyard business has to stop. Our people can apply and have already and will continue to receive work with the RDA.

  3. Jimmy Smith says:

    Fat Albert, use to say “he, he, hey” the ting start no longer based on is qualified, it is which island you are from, people this problems , this an over reach by RDA, who should not have been here in the first place

    Like 2
    Dislike 8
  4. Eyes wide shut says:

    This makes absolute sense. District should benefit from work being done in its district. Tortola companies are over vg in droves, check oilnut, mosquito, and necker. When does vg, anegada and jost get a chance? This is a good move and we need to see the sister islands benefit from the recovery.
    If a politician brings over other company over their own people they will get voted out!!

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  5. CW says:

    You lot cry about not enough attention to the sister islands constantly. Now they try to pay attention to the sister islands and you lot cry about that. Maybe you should try to help those locals companies compete instead of all this STRUPE CRYING. A way better use of your time.

    Like 8
    Dislike 3
    • @CW says:

      You are back, with that RACIST slang, “YOU LOT”, You thurd!

      Like 1
      Dislike 1
      • CW says:

        STRUPE COMMENT

        You lot refers to those posting on this forum. You don’t know my race so how can you presume racism?

        Are you a professional victim? Seems like it from here STRUPE, WHAT WITH YOU LOT COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING LOL

  6. My take says:

    At three hundred & fifty thousand dollars a year this man is highly over paid. This is ridiculous.

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
  7. Question says:

    Why do we need the Rda? A set of racist who discriminate against some online news

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