BVI News

BVI should look better considering the $1.6B given to each gov’t

Bishop John Cline was the keynote speaker at yesterday’s 1949 Great March and Restoration Day event.

Local businessman and outspoken clergyman, Bishop John Cline, has insisted that the territory must look better, given the vast sums of money that have been collected by each successive administration.

Bishop Cline, the keynote speaker at the 1949 Great March and Restoration Day commemorative event yesterday, zeroed in on the monies announced in BVI’s annual budget and the amount of wealth at the territory’s disposal.

“We spend [$400 million] every year. That means every administration; we give them $1.6 billion [for each term they serve in office]. We should look better, we should feel better, the standard of living for this territory should be better and the quality of life for all Virgin Islanders should be better,“ the Bishop said.

“[Roughly] $1.6 billion every four years, and this is what we get. We ought to move forward with greater determination and courage and we the people must hold any elected government responsible for how they spend our money. This is not a joke.“

“There was no allegiance to political parties, and the party bond that now seeks to divide us,” the clergyman said of the 1949 era.

Blind party allegiance stunting BVI’s growth

The bishop reasoned that, along with self-interest, this ‘party bond’ has stunted the growth of the BVI and retarded its progress.

Bishop Cline further questioned what progress has actually been made by residents since the BVI freed itself from the hand of its colonial masters.

“We have become materially wealthy in these Virgin Islands but it seems like 72 late years later, we seem to be mentally bound to our colonial past,” said the bishop, who rallied hundreds of residents for the Decision March — another historic protest against the UK that happened back in May 2018.

In honour of those that marched over seven decades ago, the Bishop said that today’s residents must commit to following the path of greater autonomy and independence.

Leaders must lead or get out of the way, he insisted.

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18 Comments

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  1. Resident says:

    Don’t forget the opportunities to build a really good public education system that have been squandered since 1984.

    The BVI could have had the best educated and professionally trained population in the region; but decided to let the money seep away instead.

    Oh well….there’s always some bush cutting to be done…

    Like 23
  2. says:

    He is the last to speak remember he was chair of the hospital board and h**p himself

    Like 16
    Dislike 2
    • SMH says:

      Lol, you people cannot be helped. If he was left there you would have seen what they were trying to do there. Has it gotten any better since? Cline is a visionary. We never respect these kinds of people until they are not with us.

      Like 1
      Dislike 2
  3. lol says:

    Fully agreed. Our infrastructure should be in much better condition

    Like 11
    • SMH says:

      But at the same time, greedy people like JC just draining the Government for every penny they could get. Only when it’s beneficial to certain persons you going to hear them mouth.

      Like 11
      Dislike 1
      • @SMH says:

        Bishop Cline is a business man. He provides services to the Government, who don’t pay him on time by the way (just like they do everybody else). There is absolutely nothing from with fair game. May be you can find another provider who they can trust from and don’t pay for ages and see if that business can survive. Truth has no sides. Think up.

  4. lol says:

    once he get some {.6} he is okay

    Like 7
    Dislike 2
  5. Hmmm.. Sowande huge disappointment says:

    Greater atanomy, independence, With these greedy, heartless, sdlfish, noncompassionate People we elect. We will be in Trouble,, Thznk God ee have Britain to look over us, to keep an Eye on us…Men and women of today are not of good morals and character like those of yesterday….Sowande was suppose to be the light of honesty and the voice of compassion…He has become another person..

  6. @ BISHOP says:

    SO YOU FINALLY CAME OUT THE WOODWORKS ,AND AS USUAL , TRYING TO BE RELEVANT L8KE CSsee D WIGGLER ?

  7. Voter says:

    I will never vote for John or ms h

  8. True dat says:

    I don’t like Cline as a person but truth is truth and the fact is for the amount of money over the years, the state of education and infrastructure, sanitation etc should be much better.

  9. FACT says:

    It should definitely be looking much better with much better infrastructure in place. But the governments had no vision. Each of them goes into office with no plan to engage in a systematic development of the infrastructure. look at Botswana in Africa, 70 years ago it was the 2nd poorest country in the world with fewer than 20 university graduates and less than 10% of the population with high school education. Today it is the fastest growing developing country in the world.

  10. Why says:

    WHY DOES 95% OF THE MONEY GO DIRECTLY TO RUN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, PENSIONS, RENT, LOANS…

    A MERE BOTTOM OF THE COOKIE JAR CRUMBS ARE LEFT FOR ACTUALLY FIXING OUR EDUCATION, HEALTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

    Sorry all caps before, but “really!!!!!!

  11. poor infrastructure says:

    look at the roads……poorly done… pot holes all over the place….year in …year out….. they got no pride in their country. pieces of nonsense all leaders.

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