Order Paper for Dec. 17 HOA

THIRD SITTING OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE SECOND HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, 17th DECEMBER, 2013 AT THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ROAD TOWN, TORTOLA AT 10:00 A.M.

ORDER OF THE DAY

ORDER OF THE DAY 1)

Prayers

2)

Confirmation of Minutes Confirmation of Minutes for the Meeting of Tuesday, 19th November, 2013

3)

Announcements by the Speaker

4)

Statements by Ministers

5)

Presentation of Papers a)

b)

c)

The Premier and Minister of Finance to lay on the table the following document: i.

Twelfth Special Report “Game of Chance” to the House of Assembly from the Complaints Commissioner; and

ii.

British Virgin Islands International Finance Centre Annual Report 2012

The Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour to lay on the table the following documents: i.

British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Independent Auditor’s Report;

ii.

British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2010 and Independent Auditor’s Report;

iii.

British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust Annual Report 2009 ; and

iv.

British Virgin Islands National Parks Trust Annual Report 2010.

The Minister for Health and Social Development to lay on the table the following document: i) 2010 Social Security Board Annual Report.

1

7)

8)

Notices of Motions Given Orally a)

The Premier and Minister of Finance to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to move the Motions standing in his name under Items 9(1)(i) and (v) on the Order of the Day.

b)

The Minister for Health and Social Development to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to move the Motion standing in his name under Item 9(1)(ii) on the Order of the Day.

c)

The Attorney General to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to move the Motions standing in his name under Items 9(1)(iii) and (iv) on the Order of the Day.

d)

The Leader of the Opposition and the Member for the Ninth District to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to ask the questions standing in his name under Item 8(i) and (ii) on the Order of the Day.

e)

The Member for the Third District to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to ask the questions standing in his name under Items 8(iii) through (vi) on the Order of the Day.

f)

The Member for the First District to give notice that, at a later stage in the proceedings, he would seek leave to ask the questions standing in his name under Items 8(vii) through (x) on the Order of the Day.

Questions and Answers to Questions i)

The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Ninth District to ask the Honourable Premier and the Minister of Finance the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance tell this Honourable House: a) b)

how many Statutory Bodies, Authorities, Commissions, Trusts and other similar bodies there are? how many are revenue producing? and

c)

how much has been paid into the Treasury so far for the year 2013?

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance tell this Honourable House how much has been paid by the Government to maintain and operate these Statutory Bodies and provide this Honourable House with a detailed list of the costs.

2

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House the number of civil servants on the Government payroll as of 30th November, 2013, and further how many are pensionable, how many are temporary and how many are on contract?

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance agree that with the expansion of Spanish Town in the Valley, Virgin Gorda there is need for the houses to be numbered and the unnamed roads in the village named. ii)

The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Ninth District to ask the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House the number of all vehicles on the island of Virgin Gorda at the end of the month of November 2013 and how the figures compare with the number of vehicles on the island as at 30th November 2012.

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House if and when work will be started to repair a portion of the public road from the Pump Well to the Roman Catholic Community Centre in the Valley, Virgin Gorda.

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House when work will begin on erecting guard rails on the public road leading from Nail Bay, Virgin Gorda to Cedar Hill and then to the Bond, North Sound, Virgin Gorda.

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works tell this Honourable House, that with the increased traffic in Virgin Gorda, if he would increase the traffic signs and stop signs, install the white line in the centre of the road and also the reflector lights on the side of the road, especially on the sea side.

3

Question 5 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House that as a result of the increase in traffic in Virgin Gorda, if he would make an effort to widen some of the main roads such as Bath Road, Reamer Hill Road and Crabbe Hill Road and to widen the narrow corners throughout the village. iii)

The Member for the Third District to ask the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please present this Honourable House with: a)

the revenue and expenditure for the month of November and 1st half of December 2013, and indicate whether we are on par with budget projections.

b)

a comparison of the same figures in (a) above, with those of 2012; and

c)

indicate where the revenues in (a) above were derived in dollar amount.

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House with Treasury Statements for the months of November and the 1st half of December 2013.

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House with: a)

a register of all revenue received from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) indicating the dates received and individual amounts during the month of November, and to date in December 2013; and

b)

a comparison of the figures given in (a) with the same period in 2012.

4

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House what the total revenue received from FSC is to date broken down by month (please indicate your cutoff date) for the year 2013, and that of the corresponding date in 2012?

Question 5 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House what were the contributions to the Reserve Fund for November and for December as of present 2013?

Question 6 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House: a)

what is the current balance of the Reserve Fund? and

b)

what is the current balance of each of the other established Funds.

Question 7 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House: a)

The dollar amount of all unpaid vouchers at the treasury; and

b)

The date of the longest outstand unpaid voucher.

Question 8 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House whether, as required by the Protocols for Effective Financial Management signed on April 23rd 2012 between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the United Kingdom, he has obtained from the Secretary of State written approval before: a)

Completing the Medium Term Fiscal Plan (MTFP)? and

b)

Proceeding with any new projects with a lifetime forecasted value of more than 5% (in our case 4%) of the annual forecasted Recurrent Revenue?

5

Question 9 Madam Speaker, with regard to Question 8 above, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House: a)

in terms of the MTFP, the date or dates on which such approval was sought, and the date or dates on which the approval/s was granted, and present this Honourable House with copies of both the requests for approval and approval from the Secretary of State, along with his [Premier] MTFP;

b)

as it relates to proceeding with new projects, tell us the names of each project, the date or dates on which such approval/s was sought, and the date or dates on which the approval/s was granted, and present this Honourable House with copies of both the requests for approval/s and the approval/s from the Secretary of State for each of the projects such approval has been granted for?

c)

if in the case of (b) above, approvals were denied or are still pending, tell us the names of each project, the date or dates on which such approval/s was sought, and present this Honourable House with copies of each request; and

d)

tell this Honourable House: i.

how many MTFPs were to have been prepared and submitted to date in accordance with the Protocols for Effective Financial Management, since it was signed on April 23rd 2012 between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the United Kingdom? and

ii.

how many MTFPs were actually prepared upon obtaining written approval from the Secretary of State?

Question 10 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House whether as provided for by the Protocols, the Government of the United Kingdom has to date requested any of the following: a)

details on the composition of debt?

b)

updates on capital projects?

c)

details of proposed capital investments, PFI, PPP, and alternative forms of private finance? and

6

d)

e)

if the answer to any of the above questions is “yes”, could he please tell us: i.

the dates for which each request was made;

ii.

whether the information was submitted, and if it wasn’t why not; and

could he please furnish this Honourable House with the information sent to the United Kingdom?

Question 11 Madam Speaker, with regards to the IPOC International Growth Fund Limited and three others, I am aware of a $10 million disbursement to the Peebles Hospital construction project which did not show up on the “IPOC Funds Appropriation Budgeted Appropriations and Expenditure” Chart presented to this Honourable House by the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance at its last sitting. Could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please: a)

tell this Honourable House why that transaction was omitted from the chart; and

b)

present this Honourable House with a spreadsheet indicating all transactions that utilized any money from the Fund, (temporary or otherwise) indicating clearly: i.

the dates drawn;

ii.

the purpose for which the monies were used; and

iii.

if the monies were eventually paid back into the Fund, give the dates it was paid back, and its source (whether Bank Loan of Consolidated Fund).

Question 12 Madam Speaker, if the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance is in a better position now than when I last asked, whether the arrangements made with McAlpine for the development of Prospect Reef Hotel is a Sale, a Lease, or a Partnership, and his answer was “The Prospect Reef Hotel development is at the early stages of the process. Cabinet has agreed that McAlpine was successful in being awarded the opportunity to develop the Prospect Reef site and McAlpine has agreed to pursue the development. We are now at the early stages of negotiating a development agreement which will among other things detail the obligations of both parties including how the arrangements for the Prospect site will be handled. Therefore, the specifics of the arrangements have not yet been negotiated or agreed”, could he please tell this Honourable House whether the arrangement made is a Sale, a Lease, or a 7

Partnership?

Question 13 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House whether: a)

his Government is currently providing subsidies to any commercial airline in the form of Revenue Guarantee, or through indirect concessions?

b)

if the answer to (a) is “yes”, could he tell us the names of the carriers, the nature of the subsidies, and provide us with a copy of the Agreement? and

c)

if the answer to (a) is “no”, has there been any request for such assistance, and what was the reason given for it?

Question 14 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House, if following the French action to add the territory to a list of “uncooperative jurisdictions” in August and consequently labelling us "an uncooperative Tax Haven" and ultimately placing us on their Black List, he was able to:

iv)

a)

determine the cause of the French action: if “yes”, please tell this Honourable House what was their reason; and if “no”, why not?

b)

remedy the cause: if “yes”, what was the remedy? and if “no”, why is it not fixed? and

c)

who was the person or persons responsible for such a costly misstep?

The Member for the Third District to ask the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House whether: a)

he has procured and tendered the remaining medical equipment estimated to be around $10 million for the Peebles Hospital project as yet?

b)

if “yes”, who was the winning tenderer, and what was the cost? and

c)

how were they funded?

8

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House whether:

v)

a)

he has concluded the search and recruitment for the additional staff and technicians including doctors and nurses for the new Peebles Hospital?

b)

if the answer to (a) is “yes”, what is the cost?

c)

if the answer to (a) is “no”, why not, and when do you expect this to happen? and

d)

was the recruitment carried out by consultants or by the British Virgin Islands Health Authority (BVIHA) and or the Ministry?

The Member for the Third District to ask the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House: a)

what was the total quantity of water received from each of the water producing plants on Tortola for each month of the year 2013

b)

what was the cost for the water received in (a) above per 1000 Imperial Gallons for each month?

c)

what was the cost for the water received in (a) above for each month? and

d)

in the case of the Baughers Bay Plant, please give the operational cost including material and spares for the year 2013 up to date.

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House when I can expect to see some badly needed repairs to potholes and asphalt-peeling to the portion of Drake’s Highway from Fort Burt to Fort Recovery, including the recently surfaced stretch from Albion to Palestina?

9

vi)

The Member for the Third District to ask the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture please tell this Honourable House whether water is still being trucked in to the prison at Balsam Gut? Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture please tell this Honourable House: a)

what is the outstanding arrears for the transportation of high school children?

b)

what was the last date bus drivers were paid for the transportation of high school children? and

c)

what was the length of the intervening period between the last payment and the prior one?

vii) The Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, now that the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance is fully aware of the existence of the Auditor General’s Report on the Cruise Pier Project and is constitutionally mandated receipt of said Report, then could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House when would the said report be laid on the table of this Honourable House in accordance with Section 109(3) of the Constitution of the Virgin Islands?

Question 2 Madam Speaker, if the answer to Question 1 is not in the affirmative then could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please explain to this Honourable House why not?

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the total amount of money expended on travel abroad on official duty by all elected Ministers of his Cabinet including the Premier from November 2011 when his administration took office to present, inclusive of per diem, incidentals, airline tickets, hotel, ground and other transportation, and all other 10

travelling expenses and related travelling expenses?

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide this Honourable House with a breakdown of each Cabinet Member’s travel on official duty as stated above in Question 3 inclusive of the following for each travel: date, place, cost, purpose of trip and benefits to the Territory for each trip as well as any report(s) done after each trip by each Member?

Question 5 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the total amount of money expended on travel abroad on official duty by all Public Officers inclusive of all Statutory bodies including their Board Members from November 2011 when his administration took office to present, inclusive of per diem, incidentals, airline tickets, hotel, ground and other transportation, and all other travelling expenses and related travelling expenses?

Question 6 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House when was the Reserve Fund officially established and, to date, list the amount(s) and date(s) of each withdrawal from the Reserve Fund since being established?

Question 7 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House if his Government has any policy or programme established for first time home owners that are Virgin Islanders struggling to get their first home? And if such a programme or policy exists, then could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please furnish this Honourable House with a copy of such?

Question 8 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the total Public Debt to date, and kindly state, using percentages, what is attributed to the makeup of the total Public Debt stated?

Question 9 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House if the United Kingdom has already given their approval in writing for the Cruise Ship Pier Development Project and/or the Terrance B. Lettsome Airport runway expansion project?

11

a)

if the answer is in the affirmative, please provide this Honourable House with a copy of such approval for one or both of the mentioned project(s)?

b)

if the answer is not in the affirmative then please inform this Honourable House if his Government has, to date, sought in writing permission from the United Kingdom for either or both of the mentioned projects and provide copies of such to this Honourable House?

Question 10 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of all projects exceeding the petty contract limit of one hundred thousand dollars that were approved by his Cabinet since taking office in November 2011 inclusive of the amounts approved for each project? a)

for each project, please state if the projects were tendered or not?

b)

for each project, indicate if a single contractor or multiple contractors were awarded the project?

c)

for each project, state when the project commenced and if it has been completed and what was the final cost upon completion?

d)

for each project, please state if multiple contractors were used through petty contracts or purchase orders or a combination of both? and

e)

given the answer to (d) is in the affirmative, please inform this Honourable House if his Government has engaged contractors for any of the mentioned projects in a manner that could be referred to as contract splitting?

Question 11 Madam Speaker, given the passage of the Public Finance Management Act, 2004 and Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House if since retaking office in November 2011 and to date, whether or not his Government has engaged contractors to any capital project in a manner that could be referred to as contract splitting as defined by the said Acts and/or the Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) Report?

12

Question 12 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House: a)

of each contracted amount, purchase order or otherwise, and dates of each to PWC to provide services to the Government of the Virgin Islands inclusive of services provided by PWC to any Statutory Body?

b)

if the works for which contracts were issued to PWC were done in accordance with Section 11b: Tendering and Procurement of the Protocols for Effective Financial Management?

c)

the scope of work for each service provided by PWC to the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Statutory Bodies?

d)

for each service rendered by PWC, provide the amounts and dates of each payment made to the company to date?

e)

if to date there exist any balance on any of the contract(s), purchase order(s), or otherwise?

f)

if “yes�, how much is the said balance for each?

g)

provide a copy of each contract, purchase order and engagement letter to PWC? and

h)

provide the Head and Subhead from which each such payment was made and the respective Ministry and/or Statutory Body that originated the charge against the Head and Subhead for each project?

Question 13 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House when the Building in Carrot Bay that was purchased by the last Administration to House the Post Office will be opened? a)

what all services will be provided at the facility when opened? and

b)

will there be an official opening ceremony?

13

Question 14 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House if his Government intends to negotiate with land owners in Carrot Bay in order to construct new public roads in the hills of Carrot Bay? If so, when?

Question 15 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House whether or not the works being carried out on the construction of the new Park being constructed on the grounds neighbouring the existing Queen Elizabeth II Park across from the Governor’s residence has engaged contractors, thus far, in a manner that can be referred to as contract splitting as defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 16 Madam Speaker, in reference to the project mentioned in question 15, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the following: a)

the full cost of the project?

b)

if the project was tendered?

c)

who is the project manager for the project and which Ministry is responsible for the construction phase?

d)

if the project was approved by Cabinet and if “yes”, when and how much was approved by Cabinet for the construction of the new Park? and

e)

if the project was fully budgeted for in the 2013 Budget Estimates and if “yes”, under what Head and Subhead and the amount allotted for the project in the budget?

Question 17 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House which Ministry in his Government has been given the responsibility to design, cost and oversee all matters, including construction, of the proposed fisherman dock to be built in Carrot Bay?

14

viii) The Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House: a)

what is the overall cost expended by his Ministry and/or Government for works done since taking office in November 2011 and to date, on the Senior Citizen Project including all roads, walls and earth works at Spooner’s and neighbouring areas inclusive of all cost: material, technical expertise, and all soft and hard costs to date?

b)

if the project was tendered?

c)

the amount of each contract and Purchase Order issued by the Government for the said project along with the respective contractor/company?

d)

which Head and Subhead each payment was made from along with the respective Ministry that each payment originated? and

e)

if the methodology used to do this project could be considered to be contract splitting as defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House of the total cost expended to date on the construction of the new Peebles Hospital since his 2007 Government signed to construct the project with Carimex inclusive of all costs: technical/experts fees, etc.?

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House what percentage of the public debt to date is attributed to the funding for the total Hospital project since his 2007 Government signed to construct the project with Carimex?

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House of the total of all outstanding unpaid claims to date for the Peebles Hospital Construction Project since his 2007 Government signed to construct the new Peebles Hospital Project with Carimex?

15

Question 5 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House whether or not any company or institution is or was contracted by the Government of the Virgin Islands to formulate the National Health Insurance scheme? If “yes”, please disclose the name(s) of the company or institution and the date(s) of each contract(s)?

Question 6 Madam Speaker, if the answer to Question 5 is in the affirmative, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House if the tender process or any other form of competitive bidding was sought by the Government of the Virgin Islands as part of the process in the selection of the current or former contractor(s)/consultant(s) who is or was undertaking the formulation of the National Health Insurance Scheme?

Question 7 Madam Speaker, if the answer to Question 5 is in the affirmative, could the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Development please tell this Honourable House what is the total money expended to date to the said contractor(s)/consultant(s) by the Government of the Virgin Islands since the commencement of this project; The National Health Insurance Scheme?

Question 8 Madam Speaker, given that there exist plans for the construction of a new Capoon’s Bay Clinic, could the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Development please inform this Honourable House if his Government will be moving forward with this project and if so, when will the project commence? ix)

The Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House: a)

of works done since taking office in 2011 to date on the parking lot project across the road from the Peebles Hospital inclusive of all costs: material, technical expertise, and all soft and hard cost to date?

b)

if the project was tendered?

16

c)

the amount of each contract and Purchase Order issued by the Government for the said project along with the respective contractor/company?

d)

which Head and Subhead each payment was made from along with the respective Ministry that each payment originated? and

e)

if the methodology used to do this project, thus far, could be considered as contract splitting as defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House: a)

what is the overall cost expended by his Ministry/Government, to date, on works done since taking office in 2011 on the Craft Alive Project inclusive of all costs: material, technical expertise, and all soft and hard costs to date?

b)

if the project was tendered?

c)

the amount of each contract and Purchase Order issued by the Government for the said project along with the respective contractor/company?

d)

which Head and Subhead each payment was made from along with the respective Ministry that each payment originated? and

e)

if the methodology used to do this project, thus far, could be considered as contract splitting as defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 3 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House:

a)

what is the overall cost expended by his Ministry/Government of works done to date, since taking office in 2011 on the Manse Road now named the Paul P. Wattley Road inclusive of all costs: material, technical expertise, and all soft and hard costs to date?

b)

if the project was tendered?

17

c)

the amount of each contract and Purchase Order issued by the Government for the said project along with the respective contractor/company?

d)

which Head and Subhead each payment was made from along with the respective Ministry that each payment originated?

e)

if there exists any pending land issues and clearly list them and state how the Government is working towards resolving them and include all potential/projected costs to the Government of the Virgin Islands in order to clear all of the land issues? and

f)

if the methodology used to do this project, thus far, could be considered as contract splitting as defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 4 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House: a)

what is the overall cost expended by his Government on works done to date since taking office in 2011 on the Georgie Hill/George Hill Road Project in Greenland, inclusive of all costs: material, technical expertise, and all soft and hard costs to date?

b)

the budgeted or Cabinet’s approved value of the said projected?

c)

if the project was tendered or if any competitive bids were sought?

d)

the amount of each contract and Purchase Order issued by the Government to date for the said project along with the respective contractor/company/supplier(s)?

e)

which Head and Subhead each payment was made from along with the respective Ministry that each payment originated?

f)

if this project was budgeted for, and if “yes”, when and where? and

g)

if this project was approved by Cabinet, and if “yes”, what date was it approved and for what amount?

18

Question 5 Madam Speaker, from the Designs and Bill of Quantities, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House: a)

what is the total cost of the Georgie Hill/George Hill Road Project in Greenland?

b)

given the amount of money spent on this project to date, if his Ministry intends to request approval for any additional funding for this project this year, or otherwise?

c)

if “yes”, please itemize what the additional funding will be expected to cover?

d)

if to date the project has exceeded the budgeted amount?

e)

the date that the works commenced on this project and list all persons/Government agencies used to oversee this project to date?

f)

the total of all remaining unpaid expenses to date for this project and the reasons why they have not been paid as well as furnish this Honourable House with a listing of the aforementioned;

g)

what entity, private or public, supervised or is currently supervising this project and their locations? and

h)

if the methodology used to do this project could be considered as contract splitting as is defined in the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2005 and/or the PWC report?

Question 6 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please confirm for this Honourable House whether or not there exist any pending land issues on the Georgie Hill/George Hill Road Project in Greenland? And if so, please list them and clearly state how his Government is working towards resolving them and include all potential/projected cost to the Government of the Virgin Islands in order to clear all land issues?

Question 7 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please confirm for this Honourable House whether or not the pumps for the Capoon’s Bay Drainage Project in the First District are currently in the possession of his Ministry?

19

a)

if “yes”, please tell this Honourable House when will the pumps be installed seeing that the rainy season is upon us?

b)

please tell this Honourable House from what date was the pumps in the possession of the Ministry/received by his Ministry? and

c)

other than the installation of the pumps please tell this Honourable House what other works will make up this phase of the project and when will the works commence?

Question 8 Madam Speaker, can the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House:

a)

when will the public meeting to discuss the new Sopher’s Hole Jetty/facilities design be held in the First District?

b)

what is the proposed cost of the project? and

c)

what is the scheduled commencement time for the project?

Question 9 Madam Speaker given that the Frenchman’s Cay Bridge is currently in need of urgent attention, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House when this matter will be addressed by his Ministry?

Question 10 Madam Speaker given that all of the bridges on the main road of Carrot Bay are currently in need of urgent attention, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House when this matter will be addressed by his Ministry?

Question 11 Madam Speaker, given that the roads in the First District are in extremely bad shape and in dire need of urgent attention, could the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works please tell this Honourable House when these matters will be addressed including the patching of the many huge holes in the roads in the First District?

20

x)

The Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture the following questions: Question 1 Madam Speaker, given the proven importance during the last three years of the Power School technology in the real time monitoring of students’ academic performance, among others, at the secondary school level of our public schools by parents and education officials; could the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture please tell this Honourable House when will the same technology be extended to all the public primary schools whereby parents, among other education officials can monitor students’ academic performance, among other performances, at the primary level?

Question 2 Madam Speaker, could the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture please inform this Honourable House:

a)

if a consultant is currently engaged by his Ministry or any other Ministry to work along with the Ministry of Education and Culture on the implementation of the Power School technology in all of the public primary schools as well as to work on/assist on all other Power School related matters?

b)

if the answer is in the affirmative, the name of the company, the contracted amount and the duration of the contract?

c)

which Ministry is the contract being charged to as well as the Head and Subhead from which the contracted amount is being charged? and

d)

given that the Honourable Minister previously informed this Honourable House of the total money his Ministry has spent on consultancy since taking office in November 2011, could he please confirm for this Honourable House if the contracted amount for the consultant in question was included in the previously stated total expended by his Ministry in consultancy work?

Question 3 Madam Speaker seeing that we all seek to implement what is best for our education system in order to maintain a high standard in education especially in the area of discipline, could the Honourable Minister for Education please inform this Honourable House if it is now a policy of the Ministry and Department of Education that the suspension of a student by school authorities during examination time, no matter the offence by the student, is now totally forbidden?

21

9)

Public Business 1)

Government Business Second and Third Readings

(i)

The Premier and Minister of Finance to move a motion for the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled, “Arbitration Act, 2013”.

(ii)

The Minister for Health and Social Development to move a motion for the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled, “Public Assistance Act, 2013”.

(iii) The Attorney General to move a motion for the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled, “Interpretation (Amendment) Act, 2013”; and (iv) The Attorney General to move a motion for the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled, “Law Revision Act, 2013”. (v)

The Premier and Minister of Finance to move the following motion: WHEREAS the Appropriation Act in respect of the 2014 financial year may not come into operation by the beginning of the financial year; AND WHEREAS section 105 of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, (U.K.S.I. 2007 No. 1678) gives power to the House of Assembly by resolution to empower the Minister of Finance to authorise the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of monies necessary to carry on the services of the Government after the start of the new financial year, and the use of those funds for up to four months or the coming into operation of the Appropriation Act, whichever is the earlier; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands approves (a)

the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of i. an amount of ninety-nine million, five hundred and seventysix thousand, three hundred and thirty-three dollars ($99,576,333) in respect of the Recurrent Budget of the Territory for part of fiscal year 2014; ii. an amount of seven million, one hundred and forty-three thousand, six hundred dollars ($7,143,600) to fund approved capital projects, the cost of which is to be met from local resources; 22

iii. an amount of four million dollars ($4,000,000) to fund the Reserve Fund; (b) the continuance of expenditure on approved capital projects financed from external sources and like projects which may be approved not later than 30th April, 2014.

2)

Private Members Business

10)

Other Business

11)

Adjournment

23