Accident waiting to happen | Floating docks in danger of collapsing major radio tower
These floating docks threaten the stability of ZBVI’s radio tower in Baughers Bay on Tortola. (Photo by Esther Durand/BVI News) These floating docks threaten the stability of ZBVI’s radio tower in Baughers Bay on Tortola. (Photo by Esther Durand/BVI News) These floating docks threaten the stability of ZBVI’s radio tower in Baughers Bay on Tortola. (Photo by Esther Durand/BVI News) These floating docks threaten the stability of ZBVI’s radio tower in Baughers Bay on Tortola. (Photo by Esther Durand/BVI News)
Two concrete floating docks in Baugher’s Bay, Tortola have become a hazard and are now dangerously close to potentially collapsing a tower belonging to one of the territory’s main radio stations, ZBVI.
The said docks — which belongs to a local businessman — are non-functional, loose, and could collapse the tower if a strong enough force causes them to crash into the concrete stabilizers anchoring the radio tower.
The radio station is now concerned that this will massively disrupt operations of the five-decade-old broadcast company.
“It’s just an accident waiting to happen. The closest one is a few feet away from the concrete stabilizers that are holding up the wires and every day they are moving,” Operations Manager at ZBVI Radio, Sandra Potter, told BVI News on Monday.
Potter said concerns are heightened because the hurricanes of 2017 had already caused one of the stabilizers to topple and become compromised.
“That is something that needs to be fixed,” she noted. “Now we are very concerned that these floating docks are very close. And with the hurricane season literally days away, any weather system could cause them to shift into position and cause a similar situation to what happened in 2012 where the tower collapsed.”
Costly to replace
Referring to the 2012 incident where a vehicle caused the tower to flop, Potter said rectifying the problem was a considerably expensive undertaking.
“To actually get back to the position that we were in with full coverage of the territory and the US Virgin Islands, it came close to half-a-million dollars to get that new tower put back up for the tower and the workmanship that went into it.”
The Operations Manager said the insurance did not cover the entire bill.
“We do not want to have to go through that again,” she said. “And if one of these floating docks would have to hit one of those wires, we are facing a similar situation.”
Potter said ZBVI has written letters to the owners of the defunct docks and to the relevant authorities. However, the danger remains.
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So much issues but yet Premier focusing on belongers, smh!!
That is not a Government issue. These floating docks belongs to a private individual. ZBVI is also a privately owned radio station. Why does every single problem have to be targeted at our Premier and the Govt of the Virgin Islands. Use common sense in your comments or don’t comment at all
Port Authority is a Government Body which controls the ports and seaways.
it is a government issue. Ports Authority and Natural Resources for the seabed.
It says that they belong to a private businessman and they are not by any port, so why is Government or the BVIPA responsible for them. The owner is responsible. Solid waste could tag and remove them though, since they move people’s vehicles from their private property.
So SMH,the Premier have time to study Two little old floating dock which belong to a “business man” that can be moved by the said business man and doesn’t need Government intervention.
There’s another travesty waiting to happen at the pier park as well. That area has heavy boating traffic and the damaged floating docks are just swinging wildly when the water is rough. It seems as if nothing around here is handled properly until something horrible happens.
this is the height of carelessness
what do you expect when there’s a love for money and vanity. who cares? This money plantation called the bvi where lawlessness is the order of the day.
Money plantation HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA do you think honestly the BVI is a money plantation????
YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY FIRST LOL STRUPES
government is responsible for everything in the bvi,thats why they were elected by the people.
The Owner should be ashamed of himself if he is aware of this issue. The 6th District Representative…what does she has to say? Hmmm
She on face book blogging stupidness but Mr — and old car trunk real sk#$t
It need relocation any way. It killing people in the area. Cooking them from inside out. 10000 watts constantly . It was there when the place was empty now it has thousands of people. It need to go on a hill.
Be sure to wrap your head in aluminum foil so you can protect yourself HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA do people on these comments get past third grade or nah? Lol gee what’s the problem in BVI?? LACK OF COMMON SENSE AND EDUCATION??? HAHAHAHA this is better entertainment than movies
The radio station needs to contact Solid Waste Department. They can remove them.
This is a danger to shipping forget stupid radio Ariel . Remover the debris and charge the owner and take them to court if they refuse .
If the so called ‘Stupid radio Ariel’ comes down it gonna cost a pretty penny to put is back up, as it did when the pathfinder drove up the guide wire.
Please contact the owner or the business man if he pretends not to know about it b4 the mishap.
The owner was contacted about it several times and he has done nothing.
@ E Scott…I don’t know why but your comment brought back memories of the mules going up Joe’s Hill on a Saturday with lumber from O’neal Hardware store.The transmission tower is not an Ariel please try and get out of the stone age.Lord send help.