Over $200M needed to upgrade, rehabilitate BVI’s infrastructure

Works Minister Kye Rymer said estimates indicate that the cost to repair, upgrade and rehabilitate the BVI’s infrastructure will likely exceed more than $200 million.

Rymer shared those estimates during a press conference late last week to update residents on the state of various projects within his ministry.

Among the projects he outlined as being under various stages of completion were the Road Town improvement programme; the East End/Long Look sewerage project; the Frenchman’s Cay Bridge; the Cane Garden Bay sewerage project; the Carrot Bay sea defence project; the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex rehabilitation and the Road Town market square.

Several of these projects, Rymer explained, were due to be completed before the end of the year.

Addressing the issue of funding, Minister Rymer explained that the funds received for capital projects are usually the surplus of the recurrent expenditure in the budget estimates and the territory’s revenue collection.

This surplus, he said, is also shared between all ministries, which usually have competing priorities.

Rymer, who serves as the Fifth District Representative, shared that many requests for assistance for undermining roads, walls and other needs throughout the districts are usually received by his ministry, whether they are made through district representatives or from residents directly.