BVI News

$1.7M to get CGB, Brewers Bay tourist-ready in 4 weeks

Abandoned houses in Cane Garden Bay will be beautified this weekend.

The Cane Garden and Brewer’s Bay communities are expected to be tourist-ready within a month.

Approximately $1.7 million has been earmarked for a number of projects in the two areas.

These projects include cleanups, painting abandoned houses, repairs on the burial ground and dinghy dock in Cane Garden Bay, and constructing vending stalls and restroom facilities.

Erecting safety signs, reconstructing the BVI Tourist Board’s booth, painting a cultural mural on the Ballast Bay hill are other initiatives that will be done as part of the project.

The newly-formed Cane Garden Bay Development and Restoration Group, as well as All Hands and Hearts, will be assisting with giving the community a facelift tomorrow, May 5.

Meanwhile, restoration efforts at the Cane Garden Bay cemetery began on Monday.

The September 2017 hurricanes had the undermined graveyard. But, authorities are building a perimeter wall to rectify the problem.  

Work on the Cane Garden Bay burial ground has started.

Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull said funds will also be allocated for maintenance and landscaping in the two communities.

He announced the plans at a meeting with community business owners on Thursday, May 3.

“It is absolutely essential because, for what we are doing here in Cane Garden Bay and Brewers Bay, this is the hub of the cruise/tourist industry and we must do what is necessary to rebuild it,” he said.

“We have four weeks to get a lot of stuff done because we cannot afford to miss out on another tourist season.”

According to Turnbull, representatives from major cruise lines will be visiting the territory to see what progress has been made since hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Melvin ‘Mitch Turnbull

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33 Comments

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  1. Funny says:

    The guy that voted against recovery funds based on principle need recovery funds ASAP to fix his districts which are tourist hubs on Tortola. This is rather interesting and makes you wonder.

    • Reality says:

      Funny – I thought exactly the same!!! so much for his much lauded principles eh….but he’s young and has so much to learn so I’ll cut him some slack…he’s right to accept the money and encourage recovery – its just all a bit late and this tourist season can just be written off I think, don’t rush the repairs do them properly so they last this time….It’ll take much longer than 4 weeks….

      • Smh says:

        Some of y’all got so much time posting and going back to reply to y’all same post. Just to try to point out anything you think is at fault with Mitch. We still voting for him next election so keep trying! Reply to this one too!

        • oh be quiet says:

          Dont vote blindly, vote for someone who’s mind and intentions are stable, humble and not corrupt.

    • SMH says:

      These monies have nothing to do with the Recovery Fund.

    • Long Look says:

      you dumb

    • Wrong says:

      He didn’t vote against receiving recovery funds. He voted against it due to lack of transparency. It was always his underlying principle.

      • Reality says:

        Wrong you are wrong the main theme of the agency was to ensure transparency and clearly M wanted to keep things secret which I must admit I was surprised with – wherever the money comes from — failed the district — represents as its too little too late…

    • @Funny says:

      Yeah but Tourism isn’t just a district thing… It’s a Territory thing. Whether he voted for or against the way the government is going about getting recovery funds, Those tourist areas still need to be fixed and will be fixed because Tourism is not about one man.

  2. Really!!!! says:

    HUMMMM!!!! Brewers Bay? ok, we shall wait and see.

  3. Money principle says:

    On principle he shouldn’t take the money! Smh. This young man is seems soo co—–. I’m sure he is being led by the other C—–.

  4. Anonymous says:

    @ Funny.

    As one VIP candidate recently pointed out on media, “all before me were in it for themselves, so i in it for me too.”

    In today’s political economic arena, that is what it is, the concentration on acquiring and amassing great wealth for self.

    Greed for green paper has become their master and whom they now serve, not the people nor country.

    Sadly, people and country have become mere pawns on the board.

    The notion of the “for the people and country” politician is a by gone personality and era.

  5. Concerned says:

    “Painting abandoned houses”? interesting…are they livable, and are the ones that people live in going to be painted too?

    • Online Now says:

      What a waste of money, painting abandoned houses. It’s no wonder why so much money was wasted when you look at our “decision makers”.

    • My thoughts says:

      No these abandoned houses are not livable. Some of the owners are already dead, they are just there unoccupied, making the place look unattractive.

    • Oh My says:

      if the truth be told all those houses need demolished.. the owners should be ashamed some of themsevles sitting there for years …not livable only for rats ect.

  6. Hello says:

    When and where was Cane Garden Bay Development and Restoration Group formed. I’m a resident and never heard of this group. It’s a great effort just need to ensure there is a balance.

    • hmm2 says:

      Im appalled myself. My understanding is that its all the C—– on this group which was not formed out of a district meeting but persons telephoned about the matter.They should be ashamed of themselves instead of we trying to correct the wrong we continue to accept whatever because of the love of money. And besides what about the other villages in this district …!

  7. Joe Dlow says:

    Why would you paint abandoned houses ? Take them down.

  8. Hmmm says:

    This guy is an op————

  9. Curved Walls says:

    We need to look into building sea barriers like these

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQaHCYCPSmk

    even if we dont use the mechanical part the curved wall is the best way to go

  10. waste of money says:

    Paint abandoned house! Compulsory purchase and sort out the road, another example of papering over the cracks.

  11. Rubber Duck says:

    We at the BVI Space Agency have decided that we will launch a communications satellite in 4 weeks if the government will give us $1.7 million too.

  12. My thoughts says:

    2nd District Rep. don’t waste my tax money on painting abandoned buildings, breaking them down.

  13. Uhmm says:

    Can you just break down people’s buildings, abandoned or otherwise without their permission?

  14. Hmm says:

    He has launched a cruel policy of not clearing roads off of the main road. When in fact after the hurricane passed and no Government workers were around clearing. The people of the district worked on their faces to get the public roads cleared using machetes and hard labor.

    Open your eyes Hon Turnbull you are following the advice of people who want to use you as a tool to bring hardship on those who they have grudges for while fulling their pockets.

  15. Hmmm says:

    4 weeks?? Irma came 8 months ago and now your fixing in 4 weeks, after the season is over? What is the rush? Cruise ships? Well if the roads aren’t fixed they are not coming. Get real!

  16. Huuricane Ready? says:

    The fact Government is finally spending money towards fixing an area heavily visited by tourists is a good thing but would be good to see some transparency and how the money is actually allocated. Wondering if ‘tourist ready in 4 weeks’ was supposed to read ‘hurricane ready in 4 weeks’? Securing the area seems more important than painting houses right now, especially since the season is predicted to be just as bad as last years.

  17. Reality says:

    After 8 months this is all you’ve got to? Inept and sad….why not fix the state of the sewers,sewage,roads and drainage rather than this token effort that will cream money into people’s pockets with little to show for it – lets just hope M isn’t up to what many have done before him in accepting “facilitation fees” for work/business – I don’t think he will – lets just see if he suddenly gets new cars! ….

  18. Windy says:

    Forgot about Sopers Hole and Frenchman’s I guess

  19. Excited? says:

    It is a daily comedy/pitiful show here when you read the news.. So 1.7 to clean, fix and fancy up Cane and Brewers. How are they going to get the cruisers from the shop to these destinations/////Teleport them? Really, they sill got to get off the boat in town, smell the sewer, see the devastated state of the capitol..then over the roads to cane and Brewer’s. You better put that 1.7 to clean up the sewer hazzards near and far that have been ongoing for donkeys years. Then fix the roads then fix the villages…ALL VILLAGES.. not just the chosen one to try to impress the cruise ship companies. Cater just a bit to the land based tourist who really spend $$ and want to come back. It is going to take a major effort and $$ to get tourist back to the island. All I am seeing is one minister seriously talking about this. Others are into Financial Services, one is wanting Liberal Arts and Sports Tourism and not a word about what we have already or had… Why not concentrate on the quickest way to succeed. Not start new endeavors that will take years and years to build. I am not against any of these ideas or even the airport BUT fix the problems first then move on to the next thing.

    Of course they can take down abandoned building. Abandoned building are just that, uninhabitable, eyesores. take them down. You are not taking the land just cleaning up the mess the owner left behind.

    It is all so infuriating.. Where is the vision, where is the getting this done… 8 months and we still look like a war zone for the most part. Not enough workers to do the work at hand because Labor dept. allowed to run it with their personal beliefs instead of what is needed and what will help us out of this mess. Even if you don’t or didn’t have $$ try the humane way to get things done. Be kind, compassionate, understanding. You catch a lot more flies with sugar that vinegar.

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