The government has waived the tender process to allow for six companies to receive in excess of $1.3 million for the provisioning of security, temporary lodging and meals for detained illegal immigrants.
This was confirmed in the latest Cabinet Decisions statement dated February 9, which revealed the total cost to $1,368,700.00.
The document listed the six beneficiaries of the waiver as: Hotel Castle Maria, Top Priority Security Services Limited, Top Brass Security Services, Triple A Security Inc., Bobby’s MarketPlace and Freedom Book Café.
According to the government, the waiving of the contracts for the aforementioned businesses was “unavoidable” due to the fluid nature of illegal immigrants entering the BVI.
“Requesting a waiver of the tender process in these instances is unavoidable as they occur spontaneously and are therefore unforeseeable and unplanned,” Cabinet stated.
The funding from the government’s purse will be provided via the Supplementary Appropriations.
The territory has been experiencing a wave of illegal immigrants entering through the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport as of recent.
Just last week it was reported that over a two-day period 7 persons of Haitian and Venezuelan decent escaped a local Immigration detention center.
Presently 5 escaped detainees remain at large in the BVI.