Iwer wants to buy grounded water taxis

SOCA star and businessman Neil Iwer George has given the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco) until the end of May to execute a sale agreement for the decommissioned water taxis HSC Milancia, HSC Olivia and HSC Katia.

In a letter to Nidco’s chairman Herbert George, the businessman’s attorney, Annabelle Davis, said her client wanted to enforce the performance clause arising out of George’s company Trinibashment’s sole bid on the vessels.

“You are hereby requested to prepare and execute the sale agreement to transfer the said vessel to my client,” she said in a pre-action protocol letter, warning of legal action against Nidco.

Davis said George, of Trinibashment Ltd, bid for the vessels on December 29, 2022, in response to a bid notice published by the Port Authority (PATT) on behalf of Nidco on October 21, 2022.

She said in a letter to her client on December 30, 2022, he was told Trinibashment was the only bidder when the tender was opened the day before.

The PATT advised George of the process after the tender opening. It said an evaluation committee, established to review the bid submissions received, would report to the authority’s tenders committee, whose decision would be submitted to the commissioners for deliberation.

George was told once a final decision was made, a letter of final award, of regret or of cancellation could be issued to the respective bidders.

However, Davis said since then her client has received no further correspondence about his bid.

On May 3, he wrote to Nidco advising of its obligations under the bid notice, in particular, the clause which says a sale agreement will be entered into by the successful respondent and Nidco.

Davis said George knows of no reason nor has he been informed by PATT or Nidco that the sole respondent was not, in fact, successful in his bid to buy the three vessels.

In October 2022, Nidco advertised the three vessels for sale, including a fourth, the MV Su.

The four vessels never sailed and have been moored for years. The three which George is seeking were bought in 2008 for use as water taxis at $12 million each.