The
Development Planning Unit
Government of the British Virgin Islands

Implementation Strategy and Particulars

Over the past five (5) years there have been some issues and concerns associated with project implementation. The issues centred around the participation of local firms and BVIslander in this project. Given that the airport project is probably the largest project to be implemented by the Government of the British Virgin Islands in the foreseeable future, there is a sustained determination to address and correct all the legitimate concerns and issues. In order to avoid this project being plagued by the same old problems in project implementation, the implementation strategy for this project was built around the objectives of optimal local participation, transfer of skills, financial control, values for the money and timely implementation.

To achieve the goals indicated immediately above, it became necessary to ensure the continued operational integrity of the facility; economic/political considerations pertaining to the participation of belongers and local firms, cash flow requirements were manageable and efficient implementation of all activities.

The project will be implemented in such a way so as to ensure the safe and secure operations of the airport facility is never compromises because of the work activities. We are especially concerned about the security of passengers and separation of airport current operations and the construction activities. As well, we realize the importance of the airport to the tourism sector over a two years period of construction; according, all efforts are to be made to ensure that full operations are maintained.

For sometime there has been a sustained demand for increased participation of local contractors in major project implemented by Government. On one hand there is Government with the need to meet international procurement guidelines, while on the other hand, local contractors and BVI-based firms agitate for more significant part of the project work. A balance must be struct within the limits of the financial flexibility in accordance with the procurement rules of the funding agencies. There is the legal obligation to satisfy our financiers and there is the political/economic obligation to satisfy the needs of locals and BVIslanders wanting greater participation in public investment. In this connection, we deliberately divided the project into phases and packages. The first phase, Phase 1A, is divided into three packages with two being financed from local sources. This allows locals and BVIslanders to bid on two packages, which they will definitely have, an advantage in the tendering process. What has essentially divided to project along the lines of financing.

In view of the goal of transfer of skills and increased local participation, the project management team is made up of NACO engineers (supervisor), BCQS (quality surveyors) and Onions Bouchard Mc Collough (OBM) supervisory architects, to ensure physical progress in accordance with design. On the management side, the BVI Government project team of three (Project Manager from DFID, Contacts manager and an architect) ensures value for money and payment in accordance with physical progress. The project management team continues to report to the Airport Development Committee (ADC), which in turn reports to the Cabinet through the Chief Minister. The Airport Development Committee comprises the Permanent Secretary/Chief Minister’s Office, the Director of Planning, Chief Physical Planning Officer, Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer, Permanent Secretary/Natural Resources & Labour, Chief Engineer/Public Works Department, Financial Secretary and Director Civil aviation. The financial responsibility for the project is with the Permanent Secretary/Communications & Works who is the accounting officer.

Webmaster: Jerinice Stoutt
Website designed and created by CPMD
This page was last updated on: Monday, 21st November 2005