TO:

Meade Malone, BVI Investment Club president

Eric Huber, Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour manager

Keith Thomas: VGYH boatyard manager

Dear Sirs:

It is now almost five months since Hurricane Irma and only four months until the next hurricane season begins. My boat was righted and secured on Dec. 4, but many of the other boats in the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour boatyard remain on their sides, sustaining further damage and deterioration with each passing day.

Many of these boat owners have been coming to this boatyard for many years, and some for more than a decade. As a group, we care deeply about the Virgin Islands, about VG and about the marina operation as a whole. At this time we are very concerned about the situation in the boatyard and the time it has taken for VGYH management to right boats in a timely and orderly fashion. This will no doubt jeopardise both the future of our boats and the future of the boatyard as a viable business.

Crane issues

We were told that a large crane was due to arrive at VGYH to assist with the lifting of boats in early November. It never arrived until early December. There was little, if any, communication with boat owners with an explanation for the delayed arrival from VGYH management. After the large crane arrived, we were then advised that the crane was returning to Tortola and the crew to Trinidad for the Christmas/New Year holidays and it would return on Jan. 8. This crane did not return to VG until Jan. 15 — and VGYH management only told boat owners the large crane had been delayed with no specific date for its return. Once again, with little communication from any of the VGYH owners or managers, boat owners were desperately trying to get some information through any source that they could.

Questions

Now that the large crane is back in the boatyard, and in order to maintain a good faith relationship between management and the boat stakeholders, we respectfully request answers to the following questions.

  • Now that the large crane is back in the boatyard, will it remain until the lifting of all boats has been completed?
  • Can you please explain how charges for righting boats are being calculated? Owners are receiving bills with a lump total only, with no breakdown for what we are being charged for. Despite the request of boat owners for a breakdown of their bill, they are not given this. Why?
  • Why are boat owners being charged for broken “jack stands” at $200 each when that is not their responsibility? These “jack stands” are the property of VGYH.
  • How are storage charges being calculated, knowing that most people are not being provided the service they would expect and are not able to leave until service is restored?
  • What is the plan and timing for restoring power and water throughout the boatyard? It is important for both of these services to be available for owners to clean out and repair or have someone repair their boats.

Response requested

Most boat owners cannot be on VG for an unending period of time. It would be minimally expected and a courtesy that the owners or management of VGYH would advise boat owners of a pending timeframe in which their boats would be righted.

A written response with answers to our questions is kindly requested. We understand and empathise with the challenges of recovering from natural disasters such as hurricanes Irma and Maria. We hope to be able to work together in support of both the boating community and the island economy.