Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 27, 2025

Documents for proposed tender waivers to now be publicised

Documents for proposed tender waivers to now be publicised

In keeping with the Government’s commitment to uphold the principles of good governance, the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands has approved the publication of Cabinet documents relating to proposed tender waivers.

According to a press release from Government Information Services (GIS) today, March 17, 2023, under the Framework for Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry Report (COI) and other Reforms in combination with Recommendation B19 of the COI Report relating to Contracts states that, “The Cabinet agrees a standing waiver to allow publication of the Cabinet documents relating to Memoranda proposing tender waiver.”

The press release noted that the new Public Procurement Act, 2021 and Public Procurement Regulations, 2022 came into force on September 6, 2022. It said this brought a new set of policy guidelines on how procurement matters are to be administered, and eliminated the provision of a waiver that is included in Public Finance Management Regulations, 2005.

The new Act, however, makes provision for a transitional period for outstanding procurement matters, in process, to be administered, the press release pointed out.

According to the Government of the Virgin Islands, there are statutory obligations for the publication of contracts; therefore, all documents in support of decisions where a tender waiver is proposed will be made public in compliance with Recommendation B19 of the Framework.

"The publicising of tender waiver presents another opportunity for the Government to position itself as one willing to strengthen its institutional pillars by implementing systems to promote transparency and accountability—two underpinning principles of good governance," the press release noted.

'Proper & transparent procurement is the best way'- Gov Rankin

Governor John J. Rankin, CMG welcomed the decision of the Government of the National Unity in favour of publication of Cabinet documents relating to tender waivers. He stated, “This is in line with Commission of Inquiry recommendation B19 and the principles of transparency to which we must all remain committed.”

Regarding transparency, he said, “Proper and transparent procurement is the best way to ensure that public money is well spent and it is important that going forward open tendering is firmly established as the norm under the Public Procurement act 2021.”
Governor John J. Rankin, CMG has welcomed the decision of the Natalio D. Wheatley-led Government of National Unity in favour of publication of Cabinet documents relating to tender waivers.



'We are committed'- Premier

Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) stated that his Administration was committed to the implementation of the COI recommendations. In relation to Recommendation B19 he said, “we are committed to a transparent, fair and accountable procurement process.”

However, he noted that the Procurement made provision to exempt certain categories of goods and services from the procurement process.

He added that the Public Finance Management Act would still require contracts of over $100,000 to come to Cabinet. He stated, “In such cases Cabinet would still have to waive the requirement of the procurement process even though they were exempted by the Procurement Act” adding, “in doing so, the Government is adhering to the laws of the Virgin Islands.”

The Premier was also keen to point out that his administration was still considering legacy contracts from before the Public Procurement Act came into force.

It should be noted that under the guidelines of the tender waivers, information in Cabinet documents will be redacted if its non-publication is necessary for the protection of the national security of the Virgin Islands or if its disclosure would be contrary to law; impede law enforcement; prejudice legitimate commercial interests of a particular supplier; or impede fair competition.

The publicising of tender waivers, according to the press release, marks another milestone in the VI’s journey as a politically mature jurisdiction that is willing to embrace the principles of openness, transparency and accountability, which are also central to an effective and proactive communication process.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
China and Russia Deploy Seductive Espionage Networks to Infiltrate U.S. Tech Sector
Apple’s ‘iPhone Air’ Collapses After One Month — Another Major Misstep for the Tech Giant
Graham Potter Begins New Chapter as Sweden Head Coach on Short-Term Deal
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Alleges Poison Plot via Chocolate and Jam
Lakestar to Halt External Fundraising as Investor in Revolut and Spotify
U.S. Innovation Ranking Under Scrutiny as China Leads Output Outputs but Ranks 10th
Three Men Arrested in London on Suspicion of Spying for Russia
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
×