NDP Challenges VIP's $81M Building Plan as Unrealistic Before July 2027 Vote

The opposition National Democratic Party has cast doubt on the Virgin Islands Party administration's $559.1 million budget, warning that ambitious construction plans will leave voters with half-finished projects when they go to the polls.

Melvin 'Mitch' Turnbull, NDP Deputy Chairman and Second District Representative, aired the criticism during the party's radio broadcast on Wednesday, October 28. He focused on the government's commitment to spend roughly $81 million on capital works, arguing the timeline and the administration's past performance do not align.

Turnbull cited the government's recent history of struggling to complete infrastructure spending in the $27 million to $30 million range. The capital programme includes four school buildings, a detention facility, finishing the administration complex and the Department of Disaster Management headquarters, plus road and water upgrades. With elections set for mid-July 2027, Turnbull said the scale of work cannot realistically be done in the six to eight months remaining.

"So now you have committed $81 million in capital projects for this fiscal year when you know in fact that you only have just about six or eight months before you have to call election. So it's not realistic, it's not practical," Turnbull stated.

He predicted the incoming NDP would inherit unfinished construction sites and be forced to complete what the current government starts.

Turnbull also questioned the budget's financial underpinnings. The government projects revenue of $457.8 million but faces current spending of $460.4 million, leaving a shortfall of about $2.6 million. Beyond the cost of building itself, he raised concerns about how the territory would pay for staff, repairs and daily operation of new facilities without finding fresh money.

Even if all construction were completed on schedule, Turnbull warned, the ongoing costs could strain the territory's finances severely. He called for the government to explain the economic research supporting the plans and how it intends to keep the new infrastructure running while meeting residents' needs.