Gov’t having public consultations on Sustainable Development Plan
The government will be having a series of public consultations on a National Sustainable Development Plan for the BVI.
In launching the consultations this month, Premier Andrew Fahie said his administration’s goal as it relates to the plan is to strengthen the resilience of the society to withstand future hurricanes, pandemics and any other crisis.
“We believe the best way to achieve this is to pursue the sustainable development of these islands we all love and call home,” Premier Fahie said.
“To do so, we must have a long-term plan. We have resolved that such a plan should position us to achieve the sustainable development goals that are the global standard for humanity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the consultations are being had through the government’s collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
The UN ECLAC’s role has been to provide support to the development of the plan through the addition of a lead consultant, Dr June Soomer — the former Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
“The 17 sustainable development goals have been adopted globally and it is very good that this country has stepped forward as an Associate Member of ECLAC to put its plan in place. The plan will come from the people, not from ECLAC. This means the process will require intensive consultations,” Soomer stated.
A media release from the Office of the Premier said Dr Soomer is supported by a local team including Recovery & Development Cooperation Specialist in the Premier’s Office, Patlian Johnson and Economist in the Minister of Finance, Emery Pemberton.
The government said it will soon publish a schedule for the consultations.
While the public awaits this schedule, government said consultations are presently taking place within the public sector and will then move on to other stakeholders including the House of Assembly.
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Does this mean they will stop pumping raw sewage out of Road Town into the ocean?
HELLO BVI, TIME TO GET FAMILIAR WITH UNITED NATIONS AGENDA 21 !!
Does this mean they will stop burning trash on the hillside like Haiti?
I thought Patlian working for RDA? How she got time for both jobs?
The VI must develop and implement a national development plan (NDP). Though the VI has had some growth and development progress, it could have been farther down the road developmentally if it had had an NDP. The scatter shot approach to development that was left up to the government in power falls short of fully meeting the VI growth and development needs. The NDP should be put to a referendum for approval by a majority of voters, ie, equal to or greater than 60%. NDP approved, substantial proposed changes to NDP must be taken back to the people for approval.
Moreover, the VI should have two budgets. First, an annual Operations and Maintenance budget. And second, a multi-year Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget. Each voter/resident must be assessed and be wiling to make fair and reasonable contributions to birthing and sustaining the NDP. Additionally, government must embark on an aggressive initiative to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, unnecessary duplication……..etc.
Further, it must work with feverish haste to reduce the cost and improve the level and quality of services delivered. Government must strongly, unflinchingly and unabashedly promote responsibility and accountability both in the private and public sector. There is a fierce urgency to get the NDP( or whatever other alphabet soup of letters are preferred) to get done. Piss poor planning promote poor performance. Lets geh ah dun!
@E. Leonard, NDP! My brother, you may be a little bit out of tune with current BVI politics. There are 23 other letters in the alphabet that could have been used. You lived in US too long, resulting in your losing touch. What is used in the US cannot be adopted wholesale in the BVI and other small locations. For example, many municipalities in America have a two budget process. The Capital budget being one of the two; operations and maintenance the other. Agree though that the BVI needs a development plan. Concur also with the other suggestions, ie, waste, fraud and abuse; service quality, and responsibility and accountability.
Citizens/voters have the true power, not politicians. Voters have the false perception that politicians have the true power. Well, not so. If a development plan is passed, citizens have the power and should insist that it be executed. And if politicians holds the people’s wishes hostage, the ballot box should be used to kick them out of office.
A plan means does not that politicians have to follow it and ditch their agendas. This will collect dust on the shelf.
Citizens/voters have the true power, not politicians. Voters have the false perception that politicians have the true power. Well, not so. If a development plan is passed, citizens have the power and should insist that it be executed. And if politicians holds the people’s wishes hostage, the ballot box should be used to kick them out of office.