Walwyn prefers losing election than shelving pier and airport projects
BVI News staff reporter - Friday, December 21st, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Walwyn said: “…I would feel better to be sent home for the right thing, for doing something that I know will benefit the country…”
Education Minister Myron Walwyn said the government should not fear paying the ultimate political price for the proposed expansion of the cruise ship pier and the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.
The two projects which are expected to get off the ground in the new year continue to attract much criticism from different quarters including the Opposition Virgin Islands Party.
Walwyn issued a strong message to critics during his budget presentation in the House of Assembly Tuesday, adding that Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith should press on with the projects though such move may be unpopular.
“Sometimes you have to make a decision, Madam Speaker, in the best interest of the country and move on and let the chips fall where they may sometimes. And that is what I spoke about, Madam Speaker, of being leaders that are more concerned, Madam Speaker, about doing the job than keeping the job. At some point – at some point – if you love your country, you will be confronted with that decision. Do I do what is popular versus what is in the best interest of the country? And sometimes you will get licks for doing what is in the best interest,” Walwyn said.
He continued: “But I would feel better to be sent home for the right thing, for doing something that I know will benefit the country years down the road than to sit down here and do things for self-preservation, because later down the road history would record what you did and so we must get this cruise ship pier Madam Speaker going…. We need to get the airport. I know there are some persons who do not support it fully. I am concerned about the cost. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
The minister told the House of Assembly that both the pier and airport expansion are needed. The government has received plans from bidders in relation to the projects but it is yet to publicly disclose who has been selected to undertake the works.
In relation to the pier expansion, news has surfaced that the locally based Tortola Pier Parks has been chosen over Royal Caribbean. The former had started that project which was halted by Premier Smith to facilitate public bidding.
Despite the stance about taking unpopular decisions, and while not definitively stating who has been selected to undertake the pier expansion, Walwyn disclosed that certain controversial aspects of the initial Tortola Pier plan have been changed.
“I didn’t like the 49 years. I didn’t like it. It’s too long, so we get that fix. I wanted to see, Madam Speaker, local participation. I want to see that. And I believe it will happen that our local people will be able to participate in the development of the cruise ship pier. The ferris wheel gone – thank God! The people didn’t like the ferris wheel, so we took it out… So all the things that the people didn’t like about the project, Madam Speaker, even the ferris wheel, we took care of those things because we understand that we must get this cruise ship project going. And you have the naysayers Madam Speaker {saying} ‘we don’t need no cruise ship pier. We don’t need this. We don’t need that,” Walwyn further told the House.
To cement his earlier position on important unpopular decisions, the minister alluded to a decision to establish the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. “When H Lavity Stoutt was building the community college, they had a set of people up there creating trouble. The college now is the best thing out. Thank God for that college.”
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24 Comments
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Only reason for a politician to want a project to go through and lost an election, is because that project set them for life.
simple wha these things going cost, how you going make sure them stay within the expect cost and how you going make the money back. Show me a clear pic!!!! Sell you d>>> project please. Dont tell me its needed and can’t show me how u plan to make sure enough people visit to justify putting us in debt for generation upon generation…We aint the white boys who can afford to mess up cause they are in control of most of the funds that circulate. Print money as they so please. We can’t afford to mess up!!!!!!!!!!
I tried !! After 2days thinking about it, is this what you have come up with? Phew!!
I fully support the building of a global air facility to meld the BVI with the global village and fully so. If the BVI possesses a global product: yachting, sailing, diving, and so on and so forth. How do you expect clients and customers from all over the world to get access to that product? Through St Thomas? You don’t think the USVI not will siphon off business and customers for themselves? Come on wake up people. Open your eyes. Get your heads out the sand. I find that opposition to the airport project has become simply a battle of wills and egos. I am neutral politically. But on the airport project and the cruise ship pier I am 150% behind these projects. I pray that by the time the next election comes most projects are near completion, if not fully completed completed.
Thank you for your public endorsement of the airport and cruise ship dock projects.
You are a absolutely correct that the projects have become simply, ‘a battle of wills and egos’, and commonsense has retreated from the picture.
More surprisingly, it is being used as a barometer for testing their ability to significantly influence public opinion, as a
precursor to launching their own political vehicle or candidate in the future. Stone Age Politicians will not survive, unless they are decisive and resolute where it matters.
The higher a monkey climbs, the more he shows he self. These guys are showing their prejudices more each day.
Mr. Walwyn is willing to sacrifice his political capital in favor of the runway expansion and cruise ship pier expansion but West End terminal remains dilapidated and continues without the much needed improvements.
The Pier at West End is the same old pier that had been erected from before the days of Joan of Ark.
The T. B. Lettsome Airport needed an upgrade, done; zero for West End
Deep water pier at Port Porcell, done; zero for West End
Cruise Ship Pier, done; zero for West End
Road Town Customs upgrade, done; zero for West End
Now, Airport runway extension, work in progress; zero for West End
Cruise Ship Pier extension, work in progress; zero for West End
“Disney Land” project, moving forward less Ferris wheel; zero for West End
This type of governance stinks.
I for one, just what to know what they are going to do about the man with the donkey, who stands inches away from his decorated donkey and IN THE PRESENCE OF TOURISTS on cruiseship day, simply got up turn eastward, took his private part (supposedly) out of his pants and stood right there and urinated (no attempt to hide behind a vehicle). A couple of tourists were there waiting… needless to say they simply handed him the $ and went their way. I couldn’t believe my eyes!!
These so called politician never cease to amaze me with their politricks. They already know the key to an economical rich country is to have an educated nation. Yet they are still promoting an economic solution based on and uneducated labor force to support their fairy tales. 90% of the jobs required to support tourism does not need any formal education. reliance on such an economical structure will ultimately lead to an uneducated nation. Why am i even worrying about this, whan all these misleaders are doing is filling up their cup till it runs overm when they eating steak on the mountain top the poor uneducated majority will be eating the crums that fall from their table. nuff said get off you soap box RASTA.
@ respect
[Sarcasm] While you are at it, maybe we should throw farming out the door too since you don’t need a grand education for that.
You obviously missed the bigger picture @ Wonders. From service based industry to one that raises the standard of living for all….we cannot/will not all be servants – forever!
I support you Walwyn. Keep on doing a good job.
What is the good job?
Unfortunately, I believe many of you may get your wish.
It seems to be a habit of the NDP that once in power, what the people want and what we think becomes totally unimportant to the sitting ministers.
Kindly remember that your opinion counts ~ but no more than mine and all other voters. You and your fellow ministers are there to represent US. You were NOT elected to go against the majority opinion and ram things down our throats.
“Do I do what is popular versus what is in the best interest of the country?”
The arrogance of that statement is amazing! Who are you to say what is in the best interest of our country? Are we children, incapable of forming our own opinions and who must be led by the nose to eat our vegetables?
The sheer arrogance! You are there to represent the voters. Full stop. The NDP has learned absolutely NOTHING since the last time!
The bulldozer “done deal” mentality permeates the house once again! I for one am already sick of these ministers pinching our collective noses and force feeding us what THEY think we need!
Confucius
The last time we removed NDP from office for petty issues, what happened? The same things they were pushing for, we found out in the end were needed. IF we had some of those things in place the recession wouldn’t have hit us this hard. $1billion later and water is worst, electricity is worst, education is worst, schools are worst, roads are worst, everything down the drain. where was that money spent? At least they learned their lesson from last time, the same people kicking up and stopping everything will be first in line to say they did nothing. Nobody on Fraser case for messing up sea cows bay harbour and proposing an illegal project on people’s lands. But kill the government for trying to develop town and build and airport.
And Nonsense where is the NDP setting the wrongs right? Why has the stamp duty fiasco nto been resolved? Why has not Fraser (although investigated by the CC) been chided or brought to some judicial review into his actions/inactions? More of the same if you ask me….Picko and Fraser are BFF’s!
Minister Walwyn: I agree with you. As a leader, you have to make decisions for the betterment of the country. That’s what you were elected to do. Don’t be like the man in the bible who is constantly being driven by the wind and tossed. The NDP has the support of the people for being objective and progress!! Continue to do a good job!!
I guess I need someone to explain to me how something unpopular is in the best interest of the country.
The College (HLSCC) at Paraquita Bay. Do some research and come back to me. Also, Palm Grove Park and alternate road. When NDP put that forward they 9 out of 10 people kicked up and cried high and low about how it will destroy town etc. Now look, it made traffic flow easier in that area and it’s beautiful. People play politics too much. I agree we need more information on these major projects but just opposing for the sake of it does nothing for the country. The same people seeking transparency are the same ones upset that we signed the protocols with UK. You should be happy. It means the Airport and Cruise Pier not going anywhere fast until they put out the financial information to us as well as the UK. These things have ways to go, let’s have meaningful discourse and not political rambling. When VIP was pushing the same airport and cruise pier I supported it. It seems it was good for some then, but all of a sudden it’s not.
I’m not a Fraser fan, but he gets props for where he has brought the Airport planning. Fraser was pushing for that while he was in there those last 4yrs, but people acting as if it’s something new being shoved down our throats. Him along with his last Cabinet were also looking into the cruise pier, again, it’s nothing new. Get with the program or get left behind, simple.
People, NONSENSE talking SENSE for True!
It was the VIP government that initiated this
Airport and Cruise ship dock expansion during their last administration.
Why? Because it was something that was needed for the long term survival of the Tourism industry. Do you recall NDP or the Community in general ( apart from the Trellis Bay/Camanoe Community) voicing strident opposition to the projects then?
The answer is no.
There is a particular segment of the community that is anti-development and more so against the Cruise Ship Dock, and anything to do with Beef Is. period. So, both Mark and Kedrick can expect some heat.
Now everybody can see, why the Premier did not let these two major projects remain in the Ministry of Communication and Works. Simply too much on the plate for any single minister, but those two he has are fit for the task.
COMPLAINING is a transplanted characteristic that has become regrettably, an exaggerated feature on this society.
Meanwhile, our regional competitors in St.
Thomas, ST.Martin, Antigua, St.Kitts, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Is. Puerto Rico are all implementing major infrastructural improvements to their Airports and Seaports.
What did ‘NONSENSE’ say ? ” Get with the program or get left behind “. We live in an age where we have to fight even its the right thing to do. Get prepared now, to present the case in a factual and persuasive
manner the public. If UK says no, they will rejoice; if UK says yes, their grumble will only be face-saving and short lived.
The problem is, if the UK is at variance with you on grounds that are non commercial, but rather preferential.
Oh please ….get serious… tell us the population comparison of the Islands you list to the total population of the BVI.
The issue is not the population of the respective islands. I am really surprised by your analysis.
The issue is the actual and potential airline passenger flow through the airport. In the BVI the passenger flow was 600,000 per annum, before the global recession. Another 300,000 come through the Ferry boat services.
BVI is substantially a tourism based economy,
which accounts for those numbers. Do you get the picture ?
I have spared the time to clarify the issue, as many others may be labouring under the same misconceptions; it is tourism that is driving airport and seaport expansion…..
not population growth.
goodbye my friend. Represent the people’s interest
Simple question: once more, how much will the airport cost????? It is cynical to discuss it at a budget meeting and not give us the figures. Why is this hidden?
Because the numbers will drive fear into any intelligent persons mind.
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