Fishing industry left for dead by NDP after 2017 hurricanes — Fahie
Premier Andrew Fahie has hit back at accusations by Opposition Leader Marlon Penn that his Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government does not care about the agriculture industry and has left the fishing industry for dead.
Penn said the VIP government has turned the former fishing complex, which was destroyed by hurricanes in 2017, into a parking lot.
However, Premier Fahie refuted those claims while speaking in the House of Assembly (HOA) recently, insisting instead that it was the former governing National Democratic Party (NDP) that left both industries ‘for dead’.
While acknowledging that the fishing complex was knocked down by his administration, Fahie said this was in order to have a proper fishing complex built in its place.
“No one should be telling the people that we knocked it down and this is the case; it was left for dead. Nothing was happening, everything there was left for dead,” the Premier said.
He continued: “Even when Irma came and there were fish inside [the complex], before they [NDP] get them out to the people, they left them there to spoil. I know because I was there trying to get some of the fish. I was in the Opposition trying to feed my people.”
Fahie said the former government never looked back to offer the fish that was left at the complex to the people after the 2017 hurricanes hit.
“So, the clothes spoiled, the concrete spoiled, the wood spoiled, the cement spoiled, and by God the fish spoiled,” the Premier said.
Meanwhile, the Premier also denied that there was no money for the agriculture and fishing industries.
He related that his government was pursuing a fisherman’s wharf in the East End community as well and accused the former government of having no dedication to fishing even in that area, which is the constituency of the Opposition Leader.
The Premier further questioned the NDP’s commitment to agriculture during their time in office and asked why homes were built at the Paraquita Bay farmlands, forcing the VIP government to move around the structures.
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It is true.. he speak no lie.
But who said elect us an we will fix it and make it the next economic pillar?
And the VIP pulled the plug and killed it….Finally
Hear to this 5th grader that we have for a Premier again. You have had more time in office to date than what the NDP had in office after the hurricanes of 2017. What have you done? If it was dead in 2017 then You and Natalio cremated it.
The worse leader in the history of the virgin island brain need to be reprogram
VIP are in power going on 4 years and all we hear now is NDP NDP NDP, COVID COVID COVID, COI COI COI. These guys have NO SHAME AT ALL!
Shameless bunch!
I think if the VIP is going to continue calling NDP they need to be fair about it. If you are going to speak about NDP, also mention the fact that it’s because of NDP’s negotiations and planning with CDB we have $65 million being spent on all the projects via RDA and elsewhere that VIP continue to brag about. Why isn’t NDP’s name being called with the projects that are completed and ongoing? The ESHS campus was able to be executed because of the planning and ground works that were done by the previous Government making it easy for VIP to simply execute. This Government is childish and need to be voted out in the best interests of the Territory. If you going to call NDP name, call it across the board not when it suits you. If NDP didn’t have those plans and funding in place we would not have one project completed during this VIP term. I dare anybody, ANYBODY to name ONE PROJECT, ONE SINGLE PROJECT that VIP has planned from scratch and executed in the last 3 years. NAME ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
So nobody can name one project the VIP has done from scratch in 3 years?
Notice the ones they actually started from the ground can’t seem to move further than ground breaking. Market for example.
Keep reminding them of 8!years of backwardness ness under that wicked ndp
They did nothing for 8 years
Of course NDP did nothing for 8 years. The VIP are taking people for fools. Hurricane IrmaMaria was September 2017 and elections were Feb 2019. Less than 2 years but still the VIP was elected in 2019 and met plans and funding in place. How is that possible with a government that did nothing for 8 years? The facts are there and the NDP need to come out and defend themselves instead of having Marlon putting out these long winded speeches that nobody will read. Defend your time in power and stop letting the VIP set the narrative, the facts are there and are very clear. NDP needs a ground game and stop aiming for the sky. The people that will read speeches are already supporting you.
Lately the premier seems to be heavily downplaying hurricane Irma.
Why are you casting blame? That’s why you were elected …to fix what is broken..why are you soo childish? If you can’t handle the tasks..get out the way! your leadership is appalling!
Last week the VIP minister for fishing was worried about overfishing in the EE zone and now the Premier is blaming NDP for killing the fishing industry. You VIP guys need to get your stories straight before speaking in public.
But Mr. Minister that is why we elected you. We thought u had solutions.. We are still waiting…We are not interested in what NDP left to dead. We need to hear what you are doing to revive them…
we all know the VIP Government ain’t going nowhere, they have put all measures in place to date to make sure they remain in office.
they gave 1500 people belongership, give them 100% on first-time home/land ownership bank loans and the list goes on.
they outsmart the people of the BVI.
As any other government should do. List some extra ordinary stuff please. You speaking like it’s a favour they did. The ones who got Belongership earned it they don’t owe the VIP or any other P.
NDP just letting you know, we in the diaspora are watching the way our premier is being treated by your wasted NDP party who hardly done anything for the country will visit you on election day.