What we still need to know about Heritage Wharf project

Recently much fanfare was made that the OBA has spent $23.5 million to fix and extend a dock to accommodate larger class mega ships.

Nothing wrong with extending a dock, but the emphasis was on the claim that the previous dock was “crumbling due to shoddy workmanship”. More importantly, that it could not safely accommodate the NCL Breakaway.

As anyone who has been up to Dockyard in recent weeks can attest, the NCL Breakaway, when she pays a visit, is indeed securely tied to the dock at Heritage Wharf. Not the dock built for $23.5 million under the OBA — but the dock built under the PLP. So the question remains: what exactly are we paying $23.5 million for?

Further it has been stated, by more than one source, that whatever “extensions” that were needed should cost at most $7 million. It is also a fact that the same equipment that we are being charged to be brought in to do some of the work, namely a specialized barge, is actually on island. But, it seems, the OBA wish to boycott a Bermudian contractor.

It seems someone has a “bee in a Bonnet” and would rather export our tax dollars and hire “foreign experts” instead of giving Bermudians employment. When asked how many Bermudians would be employed at this job, Minister Trevor Moniz stated “75 per cent of the workers will be Bermudian”. 

Subsequent questions asked of the numbers of Bermudians hired, had the ministry stating they have no idea how many Bermudians are working there. Nor do they have any idea how many foreign workers are there. Help me out here, would it not be easy to just drive up to Dockyard and count?

Here are some questions that must be answered by the Minister:

• How many Bermudians are employed on this job?

• How many Guest workers are employed on this job?

• Is one of the contractors the brother of an OBA executive?

• Who is paying for the guest workers’ accommodations?

• Why was the tried and proven method of galvanized reinforcement axed in favour of black reinforcement?

• When is the due completion of this dock?

If the Breakaway is safely tethered to the existing dock, what exactly is the $23.5 million being spent on?

In seaman terms, “this is sheer -Dockery”. 

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