Attorney running as independent! Proposes Urban Renewal Board
Local attorney-at-law Daniel Fligelstone-Davies announced himself this week as an independent Territorial At-Large candidate in the upcoming general elections and has put forward proposals to address everyday problems facing Virgin Islanders.
One of the problems the political newcomer has identified is the number of buildings such as residential homes that remain damaged from the 2017 floods and hurricanes because property owners cannot afford to fix them.
As a proposed fix, Fligelstone-Davies said the territory could implement an urban renewal initiative through the creation of a statutory board.
“The Urban Renewal Board would ensure that the less fortunate in our population will be able to repair and renovate their homes. This will not operate to put cash into homeowners’ hands, but rather the scheme will work through the Board; directly contracting the repair/renovation work,” Fligelstone-Davies explained.
He said this body could also operate to assist the less fortunate to obtain soft loans to conduct these repairs. The attorney also noted that means testing to assess an applicant’s true financial situation would be a critical component of the initiative.
BVI needs food reserves for disasters
While on the subject of homes affected by the August floods and hurricanes Irma and Maria, Fligelstone-Davies underscored that it is imperative for the BVI to bolster its disaster preparedness efforts considering that the territory is situated in an active hurricane zone.
“One of the programmes that ought to be implemented is the government building up healthy reserves of food, sanitisations items, and other emergency supplies that could be readily distributed in times of national crisis,” Fligelstone-Davies stated.
“Naturally, agriculture and fishing will have to form a part of this initiative. Although agriculture and fishing generally produce perishable items, we must leverage technologies such as vacuum sealing and freeze drying which extend foods’ shelf life and ensures our society’s resilience against this increasingly dangerous threat,” he added.
Fligelstone-Davies said he has more ideas to help advance the territory but emphasised that he does not have all the solutions to the problems the BVI is facing.
He said this is why he looks forward to getting public feedback and hearing ideas others may have.
Fligelstone-Davies was one of the attorneys that represented former Speaker Julian Willock and other members of the House of Assembly during last year’s Commission of Inquiry.
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Already, lack of vision. Why create new agencies when the existing ones can be repurposed. Ideas and ideas. Everybody has ideas. What these independents need to understand is that if the country lacked ideas, then maybe an independent with ideas could make sense, a 20% chance. But it is lack of ability to negotiate internationally as a team, formulate plans as a team and implement plans as a team that is lacking. And for this you are required to become a part of a team. So keep your ideas to yourself. There is no lack of it in the virgin islands. No disrespect or anything to all the independents.
He’s giving solutions to problems. All I am hearing from most of the politrickers are who is at fault, personal dirty laundry, and promises to problems without a solution.
If he does not win, at least consider his ideas.
What a visionary! Lets unpack this: more social spending on private homes, but this time under the Boards control (uh?). Government spending on disaster preparedness to include such things as freeze drying fish en-masse. Daniel has more ideas, apparently, but admits to not having all the answers. When did I wake up in Disney Land?
Isn’t the proposed urban renewal commitee’s purpose extremely similar to what the existing housing recovery programme was doing from 2018 to present? Perhaps he shoulve done a little research before bringing this forward….
i will vote for him.
the face of the changing of the gaurd [the Black local gaurd] has finally shown up. The 50-100 year plan of local political displacement is now in progress/movement.
Keep an eye on those who are openly advocating for closer ties with UK and our colonizers also. As, throughout history,our own has been used up front to disenfranchise and take away every thing valuable that we owned. To date, that M.MO. is still in practice. Be ware BVI people!
We know what the resposes to this comment will be, as they will not accept the truth. They are not ones who accept truth. So, carry on Johnson.
I voting for he, the man speaks with sense. Not this shallow malay talk about who steal and who lie.
All i wanted to know is what can you do for the Territory?
Roads fix, swage system fix, water availability fix, electricity fix, price control on food, agriculture production. Man what is wrong with the BVI politicians?
I voting for he because he is different and he is thinking different. Not these nonsense these F–ls are bashing each other without vision.
I voting for he.
well at least he should support gay marriage
This guy is one Andrew Fahie’s ***. Finglestone and his law firm was fighting hard to try and stop the COI. They trying to stop rosan for being a journalist. He always defending Fahie and his crooked regime. He is fake, not smart and no good for the Virgin Islands.
Mad as a march hare.
Dat white boy aint be trusted. He play cricket …
If U has vision , you would have still been our speak her instead of being reduced to blogging propergander artist
We don’t need any new Boards and why should people who paid to insure their houses and then fix them after Irma subsidize those who couldn’t be bothered to do so?