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| Biwater contract details emerge |
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| Written by Webmaster | |
| Wednesday, 03 March 2010 | |
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More than two weeks after signing a controversial water and sewerage contract behind closed doors, government has yet to publicly register the document or table it in the House of Assembly.
Government inked the lucrative contract, one of the most expensive in the territory’s history, with the United Kingdom-based company Biwater on Feb. 18 in a signing that was closed to the media. At Friday’s HOA meeting, Premier Ralph O’Neal turned down a request by Opposition Leader Dr. Orlando Smith to immediately provide the House with a copy of the contract. “When the document has been registered in the High Court, the honourable leader of the opposition could purchase a copy or, if he prefers to wait, he could get a copy when the document is on the table of this honourable House,” Mr. O’Neal said. Asked by Dr. Smith whether the contract would be registered within the next week, the premier responded, “As soon as it is registered, it will be laid [in the house]. I’m sure you know how that is.” Yesterday, Dr. Smith said he still had not seen the document — which only Cabinet has a right to see until it is registered or laid in the House. According to the opposition leader, an extended delay in registering the document could suggest there were some problems with the contract. Dr. Smith said he still believes the contract was awarded unfairly. “An opportunity was not given to other companies that have a large number of local people involved, who put a competitive bid in,” he said. As of Beacon deadline, the contract had not been publicly registered. Meanwhile, at Friday’s HOA session, Communications and Works Minister Julian Fraser defended the Biwater agreement, claiming his ministry had acted “in the way that any responsible government would have.” Negotiations with the UK-based company drew fire from local residents last October, after Mr. Fraser revealed plans to sign the long-term contract. After public mudslinging between Biwater and Ocean Conversion-BVI, which currently provides most of Tortola’s desalinated water, government agreed to hear alternate proposals. Mr. O’Neal said interested parties locally and abroad contacted him, but after meditation and prayer, he opted for Biwater. At Friday’s meeting, Mr. Fraser defended the contract many have called a sweetheart deal. “You would think those people who for propaganda purposes found it expedient to say it was too good to be true, would now let up on the rhetoric and face up to the reality of this government being true to its promise to make right the water and sewerage wrongs of Tortola,” he said.
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