TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands BVI Airways..

Just announced that a criminal investigation has been launched into the BVI Airways fiasco and the $7 million plus of taxpayers money that went nowhere ( except, maybe, into a few pockets).This should be interesting.

Imagine 7 million invested in a great ferry system!

Bingo George..and one TTOLer , Glenn Ashmore,sent the Gov a detailed outline on how the ferry service could become amazingly efficient and turn a big profit for all in involved..they are going to remodel STT airport and all we need is dedicated taxis running to the ferry dock with modern, catamaran ferries running every couple of hours.. Have a BVI Tourist Board member greeting deplaners with a rum punch and send then on their, uncomplicated and comfortable, way to the BVI's

Having financed several small airline companies in the past I warned people that it was financially untenable from the moment they started talking about the plan.

On top of those modern ferries place BVI customs on board to preclear passengers or even better put KIOSKS for customs clearance onboard the ferries or at the STT ferry terminal to preclear. If I can clear Customs in many places in the world by Kiosks or a smart phone app the BVI should be able to figure it out. The cost savings would be huge with the personnel reductions. If I can waltz into Israel without speaking to a customs agent I think the BVI can make it work.

Ummm... I don't think personnel reductions and cost savings are desirable to BVI government.

^^^Exactly. The airport has been closed for months. How many workers do you think have been furloughed? The government is the preferred employer of Belongers, read: voters.

The BVI is getting squeezed from several directions. Tax revenue is still down due to Irmamaria. Crackdowns on offshore banking and corporate formations have hit really hard. Covid is the straw that will break the camels back. The UK Govt is not iin a position to bail out the BVI. T.hey can’t afford their own bills. Generations of snotty attitudes by Belongers towards tourists that have funded the economy are going to come home to roost. Maybe the children of privileged government officials will need to get jobs are servers and housekeepers in order to get by as the government goes broke.

I think Glenn should email this proposal to them once a week, every week for the foreseeable future...

Agree Laura!

Glenn..where are you?