Economic hardship can be as deadly as COVID
Amid the government’s decision to further delay the reopening of local seaports until all resources are in place to protect against COVID-19, former legislator Myron Walwyn has posited that economic hardship can be as deadly as COVID-19.
Last week, The BVI Ports Authority announced that the seaports — the main entry points for BVI’s tourists — will remain closed until April 15.
The authorities said the main objective of the extended closure is to protect the health and safety of employees, port users, and the community.
However, in a Facebook post, Walwyn said the people’s inability to provide for their families can cause sickness as well.
“As has been said numerous times, we have to learn to live with COVID. Our fear, lack of proper planning and execution will usher in a host of other issues for our people. Many non-communicable diseases are brought on by stress. COVID is not the only ailment that can kill. A person’s inability to properly provide for his or her family strips them of their dignity as well,” the former education minister said.
On March 1, the BVI celebrated H.L Stoutt holiday and Walwyn urged the territory to remember that the late stalwart “was a champion for the economic empowerment of the people of the BVI.”
“This is why he placed so much emphasis on developing our tourism industry and our financial services sector. He had a plan and he executed that plan. One of the greatest sources of pride for us is the pivotal role that we play in our own local economy. If we do not start to get serious and get down to doing some real work to save this economy we will lose what we have always been so proud of. The people with real money are just waiting patiently to benefit from our misfortunes and they have the time and the resources,” Walwyn’s post said.
The government has extended the opening of the seaports three times since the reopening of the tourism industry on December 1, 2020.
The move has been met with much criticism from some sections of the public, as many question whether the government has a proper plan in place to save the ailing economy.
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You are extremely right with this Myron. The haters will come out this morning but you are speaking the truth. The poor handling of the economy will cause a lot more problems than covid. St. Thomas is booming with tourism and we are here on life support with the place bram shut. No plans for nothing. We can’t even open Road Town ports for almost 6 months now.
It is as deadly.
No jobs, no money, no food, no rent, no home. No life.
We die
And yet the strip clubs are packed most every night.
Why are we all sets of hypocrites.
We are suffering in Jost Van Dyke. The place is like a ghost town and on the days when we could make a little money here comes the task force handing out tickets and charging us. How are we to survive?
Andrew doesn’t care about the bvi ppl
He is trying to destroy the bvi using coronavirus
He does not know who’s to run a country
Starvation, water & electricity bills, struggling to pay those greedy landlords rent, school fee etc etc those stuff will kill ppl faster than the virus
Then again there is the idiot Andrew Fahie who doesn’t give a f**k
Coronavirus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon
The bvi ppl need to tell there premier that
This is whole truth and nothing but the truth. Continue to speak out Myron. Just speak on the issues like you are doing now.
Ordinary hard working people are having a hard time paying the bills. No money is circulating. It is really rough out here. Thanks for speaking out Myron
We need a plan for reopening the tourism industry. Get all the sectors involved and let them help to put the plan together. We have millions of dollars of assets laying dormant and people with unemployment rising, debt talking over people and St. Thomas taking our business away. All the whike the government arguing with the UK about crap.
Boy Myron they like your Facebook page but keep talking bro. We needed someone like you right about now.
Andrew and his friend last getting sort out daily so he don’t care about the rest of the BVI people. Plain and simple.
You see that last line “ the petiole with real money are waiting patiently to benefit from our misfortunes”. That is a serious statement. It is a truthful statement. This is no joke BVI people. We see all these businesses closing? Look at people house going up for sale. We selling our land just to get by. It is a whole domino effect and the people we elected to repress us are fast asleep.
I believe you are exactly right. Fahies plan is to bankrupt businesses so that he, the government or his cronies can take them over. He needs the UK out of the picture to make this happen. If workers starve in the meantime tough luck.
Pretty much the same plan as Mugabe in Zimbabwe where the elite live like emperors and the people starve.
You may find this theory incredible but check out the new business act that gives the government power to take over businesses and to remove trade licenses from anyone they feel like.
@ “Serious Times”, that last statement right there is a powerful and truthful one indeed. I may not be a fan of everything that the former Minister of Education says, but he does have some valid points from time to time, and that statement right there needs to be read, re-read- re-re-read several times in one’s head until it sinks in.
The problem is that the government doesn’t have a clue what to do and do not have the humility to ask for help from people who know what to do. They rather that we sink our tourism industry. They continue to fleece off the government while the rest of us have to fend for ourselves.
You hit the nail on the head! This is EXACTLY the problem! They have NO CLUE what they’re doing and it appears as though it’s a one man show. The other ministers seem not to have a voice or if they decide to speak, it must be approved by the Premier first. At this point, we need all hands on deck (government, opposition, hospitality industry, past politicians, citizens etc). We can’t continue to blame COVID while people are literally starving in this place. There must be a way for us to get up off the ground and start running again!
@ May comments….I have always say that is the problem. Hon. Fahie may mean well but sad to say he has surrounded himself with a bunch who care only about lining their pockets. Just check out the various Boards… its a shame… the members have not a clue about the subject matter. They are clueless when it comes to the job they are placed to do. May God help us all.
Any body read the papers lately to see how many house are up for foreclosure. Have we seen how many property owners are looking for tenants? Do we know how many tenants cannot pay their rent right now? Do we know know how many people cannot pay their mortgage right now? Do we know how many people do not have money to buy groceries?
You all think the government live in the BVI?
Yet we investing in housing development!
Dear Government,
Please listen to Myron Walwyn. He is talking common sense.
Signed: Voter next election
The sister islands must be feeling brunt of this. At least Tortola has financial services but the sister islands depend on tourism for survival. It must be tough for them right now.
I am not a fan of Walwyn but I have to side with him on this one. Andrew Fahie is killing the BVI.
Well I lobe him and I endorse what he said. I also commend you SMI for being objective about the issues even though you said you are not a fan of Walwyn.
You and mr *** myron take your …
OH, note that the wall can’t keep out Covid-19.
You don’t have to be a fan to vote common sense and wisely either. do right for country next time around. No, i am not Mr. Walwyn, but come on man! Every dead blind man could see that that man is a genuine leader, and a smart and capable one who iis stipp apparently still dedicated to serving the VIs.
ha ha so he post on fb then come here and do his own blogging SMH he think the voters of this bvi will every be fooled again
NEVER NEVER NEVER again are we going back to the dark and black days of him killing the education system, victimization and the politics of division
We have move past that!!!!
I for one tired of hearing the wall the wall the wall. What about the wall? Say what you think Myron did. You all sound real stupid with the same recitation but cannot say what it is that Myron did. I am waiting to hear somebody say what he did. Five years of talking and no one can say yet what exactly the man did! Shut the f**k up if you can’t give no details.
It looks as if we truly forget that we cancer, heart disease, hypertension and may other diseases beside the coronavirus that people are dying from. In an effort to prevent the virus from spreading we bring on money stress on people and we believe that we are doing good.
We need MYRON BACK IN OFFICE. I AM SO TIRED OF THIS INEPT BUNCH THAT IS RUNNING THE COUNTRY. NOT ONE OF THEM HAVE ANY KIND OF SIMPLE COMMON SENSE WHAT SO EVER. FAT ALBERT DESTROY THE BVI ECONOMY.
I am glad that you have made your voice heard on this situation Myron. We need more voices so that the government could pay attention.
When u put him in u thing u wa here u thinkhhe eill giv u a job he will go st lucia gov some one yjete a job
You need hooked on phonics. Try get it together before you try to post anything. I’m ashamed for you
It was hooked on eubonics. Or crack
We Want Election Now..All the Money going in Couple Cronies put and leaving the Voters to Die.Look at 2 year track record..Thank God NDP had gotten that 65million else the Country would be like Haiti today..Vip Should Bow out Gracefully before the Hammer Falls…
We need people in government who can manage. This bunch that we have is totally hopeless. I shame of them.
I think he was making sure the little man got food on their table to eat ~ but those two faced snakes did a number on him – anyway stand firm – now you know who they are
BIG FACTS! Premier get your act together or you will be a one termer.
This Government has no plan, naada, all we getting are excuses,,, Blaming Covid for their failures. All of them disappointing, No practical economic plan, no forward moving vision or balance,,. We in trouble
I think he was making sure the little man got food on their table to eat ~ but those two faced snakes did a number on him – anyway stand firm – now you know who they are
How could you not have a plan and managing the pandemic better than most countries? Are you serious?
Myron I see you dude. Appreciate you speaking out on issues even though you were not re-elected. It shows me that you genuinely care about the people and the country. I really respect this. You were one of the best representatives we had in a long time. Your party broke up because you were elected leader which was really sad but keeping pushing through.
Myron will be re-elected because we the BVI have seen the error in our ways. This is the best Education Minister we’ve had and our children would have been in school by now. I’m so sick of and ashamed of Sowande. Myron will be an excellent premier.
@@SMI, People need to show their true feelings if you think that someone is right about something they said you give them a Tums up no matter how you may feel about them.
myeon shut up people wprk with yoy amd they know the trth
Dont forget how a snake operate please….it look good sound good at first …hmmmm. it knows wat to say in his own conveyance but not other ….lord thank god we witness ur changing a of skin already…wat a sit that was cant be taught I peace without a s**tty a**
Strong points raised here. A much more balanced approach is needed. The stress is real out here.
Myron keeping it real always. This man has the good mix of steeet smarts and intelligence. I always learn something when we meet up and chatting. Continue to keep it real big dawg
We the people of the BVI need to demand that this island be opened up to Tourism. We are losing our country, the raving wolves are here trying to buy up all our properties at low low prices. Be suspicious of the tax free purchase program for Belongers. Is this just another way for foreigners to sneak in and buy up and control our assets?
Time to protest. If you could protest for BLM, you probably should seriously consider protesting to OPEN the BVI to TOURISM. Sickening that the BVI Spring Regatta has been cancelled. How many millions did that cost the BVI?
Let’s roll, people!