Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 20, 2025

COI Report: Gov’t ignored guidelines for procuring private office spaces

COI Report: Gov’t ignored guidelines for procuring private office spaces

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) report has indicated that authorities in the territory have been ignoring guidelines regarding the procurement of accommodation for government-run departments and offices.
The report zoned in on one guideline which indicates that government must not commence a lease until the property is ready for occupation. However, COI Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom found that the government has ignored this stipulation in multiple instances.

“Despite the Accommodation Guidelines emphasising the importance of not executing a lease until the premises are ready for occupation, there are several examples of significant gaps between the commencement date of the lease and the date of occupation,” the report states.

Sir Gary also indicated that the Premier’s Office also ignored the said guidelines when it leased part of Cutlass Tower for the Ministry of Finance to use following the September 2017 hurricanes. He said concerns were raised about the BVI government incurring financial obligations for some months in advance of occupation.

The report suggests problems normally arise with procurement of accommodations when the Deputy Governor’s Office (DGO) is excluded from the process, as it was regarding the lease of Cutlass Tower.

The report further stated that despite the guidelines, the procurement process can also be circumvented; as what happened with the lease for office space at the Tortola Pier Park for the Ministry of Finance.

“Whilst there were clearly strong mitigating circumstances, this lease did not go through the DGO. It was not signed by the Premier, and it does not appear to have been authorised by Cabinet. Moreover, the space was occupied for almost eight months before a written agreement was signed and the lease was somewhat belatedly vetted by the Attorney General,” the report indicated.

However, Commissioner Hickenbottom noted these are minor criticism of a system that appears relatively sound from a governance perspective. He noted there are policies and procedures to ensure transparency, accountability, and oversight of the government leasing privately-owned accommodation.

The report also noted the system has continued to evolve and develop with input from across the government over the years.

“Those responsible for the leasing of property by the BVI government, notably the senior public officers, are (like many other such officers in the public service) experienced and dedicated. There is no suggestion that, stretched as they might be, difficulties are encountered as a result of a lack of capacity or capability in respect of policy formulation and implementation,” the report said.

“Though no doubt, as with any system designed to deliver good governance, improvements can be made, on the evidence I have seen, the governance in relation to BVI government leases provides a good example of how the Public Service in the BVI is capable of developing and operating a coherent system that ensures a substantial degree of transparency and effective use of public money,” it continued.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
×