Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 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
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×