The British Virgin Islands government has spent $6,293,580.62 on a disaster management building that remains incomplete, more than three years beyond its original January 2023 deadline, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley told the House of Assembly.
Of that total, $5,687,325.06 went to construction work and $606,255.66 to project management. The three-level reinforced concrete structure will eventually house the Department of Disaster Management and National Emergency Operations Centre, along with mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
The government awarded a $9,803,215.53 contract in January 2021 to a joint venture pairing Tandem Development Limited and D&B Heavy Equipment Services Limited. Officials later approved changes that raised the contract value to $10,185,488.19 and moved the completion target to November 2023. The government ended the contract on November 4, 2024.
Premier Wheatley attributed the contractor's failure chiefly to cash flow difficulties. Material scarcity, rising construction and shipping costs, and fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID-19 pandemic also delayed progress.
On June 17, 2026, the Caribbean Development Bank approved a new bidding process. Tender documents went out on June 29, with bids due by September 8. Three proposals came in and remain under review.
The project manager estimates 14 more months are needed to finish the building. Premier Wheatley cautioned that a realistic schedule depends on appointing a contractor and finalising a work plan. He said the remaining cost would become clear only after the Cabinet approves the winning bidder.
For the next contract, the government will tighten financial vetting of bidders, requiring proof they can sustain three months of operating costs. A fixed-price contract will replace the previous arrangement where payments adjusted based on actual measurements, with future payments now tied to completion of specific building sections.
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