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Miami Office To Be Re-established Following BVI Ports Authority LLC Controversial End

by pltm
Nov 02, 2022
9

(PLTM) - The Government is hoping for a clean new start as it seeks to reestablish an Office in Miami.

Hon. Kye Rymer, Minister for Communications and Works in a recent statement in the House of Assembly explained that his Ministry has held discussions with the BVI Tourist Board and BVI Shipping Registry regarding the viability of the office in Miami.

"They both agree that having a physical presence in Miami is a good idea as Miami is the Hub for international business; as such, it enhances the opportunity for air and seaport relationships with international airlines and the cruise industry of Florida," he explained.

The minister went on to state that it is also envisioned that the re-establishment of a Civil Aviation Department means that the territory can also target high-net-worth individuals who may own private airplanes.

"Therefore, the collaboration of these agencies means that the territory can now offer a "one-stop shop" experience to guests."

The deputy Premier further noted that the matter of an office in Miami is now being put before Cabinet for a formal decision before it can be re-established if Cabinet so decides.

The matter of an office in Miami faced controversy following the Miami arrest of former Premier Andrew Fahie and Director of BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) Oleanvine Maynard on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Maynard along with Roxane Sylvester, a former Deputy Chair of the BVIPA Board and Kenesha Sprauve, a former member of the BVIPA Board and Chair of the BVI Tourist Board were directors to the Miami company.

Minister Rymer in his recent statement in the HOA, provided background to the issue where he said that the Ports Authority by board resolution in November of 2019, decided to register a company in Miami, Florida.

He said, the purpose of that company, named the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) LLC, was to enable the BVI Ports Authority to rent office space in the Miami area to provide an outreach location for its cruise business. In addition, it was decided that the office space could also host the BVI Tourist Board and the BVI Shipping Registry.

"The office space in Miami was intended to be a multi-agency office for marketing and promoting tourism and ship registration. It was also envisioned to serve as a support and resource base where BVI nationals and residents who are students and conducting business require assistance while abroad."

He continued, "The office is strategically situated near the Miami airport. The company was registered not to engage in any revenue-generating business."

To establish the company, the minister said, a minimum of three Directors were required. The Directors named were Roxane Sylvester, Deputy Chair of the BVIPA Board at the time; Kenesha Sprauve Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board at the time; and Maynard, the Managing Director of the BVIPA.

However, the company, BVI Ports Authority LLC, has since been dissolved.

"The documents were filed on 12 August, 2022, and a copy of the dissolution was received on 23 September, 2022. At this juncture, the office was dissolved mainly because of the ownership structure," the minister outlined.

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Reader Opinion

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Same chupedness...

This is why the BVI is going down! The BVI has a fraction of the ppl and does 10% the tourism that the neighboring USVI, yet they have all these overseas offices for Port and Tourism?!! It's blatant corruption and misuse of the territory's limited financial resources. The USVI and PR doesn't have any such offices. Why? If you want to do business with them, you call USVI or PR directly! It's not rocket science. To this day, there has never been 1 metric to indicate the usefulness of any of these offices.

Seahawk

@ Same Chupedness...I agree BVI is going down and it because of people with your mindset.

Let's get rid of the Puerto Rico Office, New York, and California office if that is the case. Then again it is best we do everything from home. We don't need no marketing to get the owners of Jets and Mega Yachts or those with major successful business to do business in BVI. Let's just call them.

We really have a set of ------ in this place. Once it is not them making it happen it is bad for the country.

Office space vs. Infrastructure

Please fix the broken stuff here in the BVI before spending money on office space in Miami.

How do these thoughts come into you head!? Look around. The roads. The schools. The hospitals. The youth.

We need new blood in government. We can not keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results.

Elizabeth

@Trevor no need to be sorry. You are entitled to your opinion but I just feel that government was elected by the people to make the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands much better and the initiative is a great idea that is needed even more than the other offices they have. I understand that there is also an office in New York and California. I have traveled to Miami many times to do business and always wondered why we don't have a presence there for Virgin Islanders do business. I also believe that if an investment was already made and the government has someone already stationed in Miami for the BVI Tourist Board base on what I read working from home, it does not represents the way of doing business. Obviously you will not want to host anyone at your home to do high end business for registration of vessels etc. Why hire and agency when you can do it yourself Trevor? Create jobs for your people. I do disagree with the notion that we must hire people to do the jobs that we can do ourselves. Empower your people Mr. Trevor. Give them opportunities to work on the international stage.

Why?

What's the purpose. What's the benefits? It's already being branded as a criminal meeting location. ? We needed to leave that alone, move on from that...Not good for us,

And..

Furthermore who meets in person these days? With tech. most meetings are done virtually or there is also the open of renting shared office spaces. Just like renting a hotel room you can rent an office space

Trevor

The cart way out in front the horse.
An excuse to keep taxpayer funded premises for those entitled few.

Trevor

@elizabeth sorry, but this initiative is a huge waste of monies.
How can having premises/offices help us in a market we are already saturated in?
The cruise industry well know of us, having an office does nothing to promote BVI.
That is what an ad agency does, much better investment I’m sure you will agree.

Elizabeth

Mr. Trevor,

Can you take a break from blogging negatively on everything government make an effort to implement for the country.

We are already in a hostile climate and the country needs every international investment possible.

Let’s show some support man! Not all is lost nor bad. Keep of the entitlement and focus on the greater good for the country. It could be you or a family member benefitting from this effort but it is more about country than self.

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