Fraser links COI to reservoir delay at Paraquita Bay
Deputy Premier Julian Fraser has suggested that the Commission of Inquiry (COI) process may have slowed the construction of the long-promised reservoir at Paraquita Bay, which aims to support local farmers and strengthen food security in the Virgin Islands.
Speaking during a recent government forum, Fraser acknowledged public concerns about the project’s timeline and stated that such infrastructure would previously take significantly less time to complete.
“While others can pretend that there was not a thing called COI, government doesn’t have that luxury,” Fraser said. “There was a time when building a reservoir would have taken six months, maybe less. Now it’s going to take nine months to 12 months to build the same reservoir, and it’s because that thing happened.”
Fraser’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the territory’s efforts to boost local agriculture. Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley recently announced that a contract has been signed for the design and construction management of the reservoir. He said the facility will be located on a hill in Paraquita Bay and serve the farming community there.
“This reservoir will be there for the use of the farmers,” Dr Wheatley explained. “We’re going to get all of the farmers to get some of those black tanks on their farms… At a certain day and a certain time, those tanks will be filled.”
The Premier noted that a proper agreement would be established between the government and each farmer, outlining their responsibility to use the land productively for commercial farming.
“We believe that the farmers should be able to get water within that 2.3 million gallons,” Dr Wheatley stated, referring to the daily supply provided by the water company under contract.
Some residents have expressed frustration over the timeline, with one caller pointing out that the reservoir was promised as far back as 2022. In response, Dr Wheatley said while some targets were missed, “we have a signed contract now, and contracts have stipulated timelines… I believe we can get that done.”
He added that the government would continue exploring interim solutions, including the use of existing wells and the installation of pumps.
The reservoir project is part of a broader push to reduce the territory’s dependence on imported food and improve agricultural resilience in the face of global uncertainties.
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“There was a time when building a reservoir would have taken six months, maybe less. Now it’s going to take nine months to 12 months to build the same reservoir, and it’s because that thing happened.”
Or alternatively – there was a time when building a reservoir would cost $100 million, maybe more. Now it’s going to cost $250 thousand and it’s because that thing happened.
What a f*wkin idiot. Part-Head need to sit down and retire
ISTHIS JOKER FOR REAL ? OR IS JUST READING FROM THE SCRIPT ? WE HAVE SEEN THAT BROKEN RECORD EXCUSE DO MANY TIMES , ( OH ITS THE UK THIS AND THE WHITE BOYZ
THAT ) AND HERE HE COMES WITH IT AGAIN , THATS LIKE ADDING INSULT TO INJURY / POWER IS DO DOMINANT IN THESE PRETENDERS MIND THAT THEY REFUSE TO BE TRUTHFUL / LET ME REFRESH YOUR RACIST MENTALITY / WHO BEGGED FOR YHE COI ? WHST EAS DISCOVERED BY THE SAME COI AND WHY IS YOUR MASTER TRYING TO CLEAN WHAT WAS FOUND ? ) NOW GO BACK ON THE STIK ON HORSE RACE TRACT , THE TRUSHIES MISSED THEIR LIMING SPOT
fraser stop talking nonsense, you all taking 6 months to do a road to east end, this 9 to 12 months time seems to be the new normal for government projects
For some reason the media in the BVI reports the words and opinions of various useless pastors and elected politicians. The public is well aware that these gentlemen and ladies stopped thinking decades ago so we don’t need weekly reminders of their incompetence by the media.
I believe that hair style is messing with his brain. You see why these old people need to go home. What nonsense is this 75 year old man talking?
It seems like his sense has been parted down the middle also.
Fraser time to retire! Period!!!!
Big surprise that he don’t got nothing good to say about the COI or the governor. Kinda getting tired of listening to these old boys complain about having to do things the proper way. If the sacrifice for proper checks and balances and accountability to happen is speed then so be it we will wait.
It’s because things worked so well before the CoI that we have world class infrastructure and a really well educated BVIslander population.
That’s whu we don’t need almost any skilled job done in the BVI by a foreigner.
Thanks Guys! You spent those billions wisely since 1990!
Got to blame someone else – always
Looks so ignorant- a white mustache and jet black hair on an older man
I heard the delay was because of the traffic lights on the roundabout. Set things back years.