Gov’t to spend extra $1M to establish and run Rescue Coordination Centre
Government has decided to inject more than one million taxpayer dollars into the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry’s 2021 recurrent budget and the Premier’s Office’s 2021 Capital Vote.
This is according to a post-Cabinet statement published on February 11, 2021 — the first of its kind made accessible to the public since February 2020.
According to the publication, this latest decision on the Shipping Registry and the Premier’s office stems from a January 27 Cabinet Meeting which confirmed that the government had decided to increase the overall purse of the aforementioned institutions to assist with the development of a new centre.
The statement said: “[Cabinet] approved the establishment of a Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) under the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR) and decided to increase the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry’s 2021 recurrent budget by $595,000 in the requisite sub-heads to cover RCC’s costs [and] to increase the Premier’s Office’s 2021 Capital Vote by $425,000 to cover the establishment and outfitting works for the RCC.”
The funds which total $1,020,000 must now be approved in the House of Assembly via a Schedule of Additional Provision, which Cabinet has decided to introduce at the next available sitting.
Additionally, Cabinet decided to re-assign the state-owned vessel, Vigilant II to the Shipping Registry to lead in search and rescue operations as well as support additional maritime functions.
Some of these functions include marine fire responses, safety patrol and monitoring of territorial waters, maintenance of navigational aids, and marine ambulatory transport between the sister islands and Tortola in conjunction with BVI Health Services Authority.
To ensure these decisions do not conflict with any existing laws governing search and rescue in the BVI, the government also decided to allow for the Premier’s Office to instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to review any existing policy agreements or arrangements to prevent any legal trouble.
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I wonder when all the expats leave where this i+++t will get millions of tax money from
He living lavishly with the expats money and want the the ppl here he only want the tax money
And still ppl agree it’s his nonsense
Bvi islanders ayo wake up this man will run ayo island to nothing
This is how a Dictatorship is. The Dictator has everything. Lavish home, big cars, 5 meals a day. The people eat from the dumpsters. Can you say Papa Doc?
The silence is deafening on this island, maybe the locals just don’t care anymore.
WTH is going on in the BVI? Who is running the island? People there are hard times ahead and the Government is soending money as if they have a money tree, are you people really that docile and gullible to what is hoing on?
VISAR a little pale for his taste?
Only 5 ?
We are woke alright and the ones who was asleep is waking up. HE IS TRYING TO SWING THE PEOPLES HEAD BECAUSE HE NOW SEE THE PEOPLE IS P**SED AND DISGUSTED WITH HIM AND HIS GOVERNMENT. IF HE WAS TRANSPARENT AS A TRUE LEADER TO THE PEOPLE OF THE BVI FROM DAY ONE IN OFFICE, WE WOULD NOT BE IN ALL THIS DRAMA THAT WE ARE IN.
IF THIS GOVERNMENT WAS TRANSPARENT FROM DAY ONE, THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE STOOD BEHIND THEM IN THEIR TIME OF TROUBLE. BUT NOOOOOO, THEY PLAYED THE PEOPLE FOR FOOLS AND THOUGHT THE PEOPLE WAS SLOW OR STUPID. DECISIONS WERE
MADE BEHIND THE PEOPLES BACK WITHOUT ALLOWING THE PEOPLE TO HAVE ANY SAY OR INPUT, CIVIL SERVANTS, STAND YOUR GOUND, DON’T GET LEAD TO THE SMOKEHOUSE, VISAR, STAND YOUR GROUND AND DON’T ALLOW THE PREMIER AND HIS GANG TO RUIN THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING AND IS APPRECIATED BY DANGLING A MILLION DOLLARS OVER YOUR HEADS
The Premier and a selected few is living luxurious of the backs of the Expats. The vanities that you seek on the backs of others will be taken away from you by order of the UNIVERSE. CONTINUE TO ENJOY YOUR BIG LUXARY HOMES, BUSINESSES, CARS, AND YOUR 5 COURSE MEALS. YOU WILL SOON BE LOOKING FOR A HAND OUT FROM THE SAME PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE FLEECING. EVERY MAN WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS VIA THE UNIVERSE. ALL THE VANITY AND MONEY
YOU ARE CHASING, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU.
If all EXPATRIATES pack and leave the BVI TODAY, the BVI will sink into the ABYSS.
TWO SMIRKING PEACOCKS ON FILM.
What’s the problem? Not satisfied with the FREE service the volunteers at VISAR provide? Or you just have this undeniable urge to run tings?
LET VISAR DO THEIR THING AND STOP TRYING TO INCERT YOURSELF AND CONTROL EVERYTHING. I SEE RIGHT THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU ARE ALREADY PREPPING THE CIVIL SERVANTS FOR A LEAP OFF THE ROCKY CLIFF. OKAYYYYY, I WOULD AGREE THAT THEY DO DESERVE A RAISE BUT NOT JUST YET. BUT, SOMETHING IS BREWING BEHIND THIS, THERE IS A CATCH SOME WHERE. IF I WAS A CIVIL SERVANT, I WOULD PREFER TO PASS ON THE DEAL TO INSURE THAT I WILL NOT BE ONE OF THE ONES ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. YEAHHHH, FAT IS GOING TO BE TRIM FROM THOSE JUSSY, MOUTH WATERING, TENDER HICKORY SMOKED BARBECUE RIBS OFF THE HOT GRILL.
I think the plan is to drain the honey pot so there is nothing left for the UK to spend when they take over. There is so much money being spent but in all the Wrong places.
Fix the Roads, Water, Electricity, Fix the infrastructure before you can think about adding any more government agencies
Never thought about that. I’m wide awake now. Very good point and something to think about.
Agreed, just put more support behind VISAR.
They already do a great job part timing/volunteering.
Shipping registry needs to concentrate on and build up what they where created to do.
WHERE IS ALL THIS MONEY COMING FROM? MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT HAVE A BUILT IN MONEY VAULT FULL OF MONEY LIKE RICHIE RICH, REMEMBER THAT CARTOON? THE WHOLE GLOBE IS GOING THROUGH A ECONOMIC CRISIS RIGHT NOW AND IS TRIMMING THE FAT. THIS GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING MIND GAMES ON THE PEOPLE TO SHIFT THE PEOPLES MIND OFF THE COI. THE PEOPLE IS STILL NOT BUDGING. THE PEOPLE WANT YOU ALL TO STEP DOWN AND SIMPLY LEAVE US THE HECK ALONE. THE PEOPLE CAN’T SEE THEMSELVES BEING GOVERN BY THIS GOVERNMENT FOR TWO MORE YEARS. THE PEOPLE IS TIRED OF THE BS.
As a Firefighter I have worked alongside shipping Registry staff on board the same Vigilant II. How is it that the Vessel is now being assigned to Shipping Registry?That was the department that operated it from long time ago
COME ON MAN. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS GAME BEING PLAYED TO GET THE MASSES BACK ON YOUR
MIND OR WHAT. LIKE SERIOUSLY PREMIER? I’M KEEPING IT REAL, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS, ONCE THE TRUST LEVEL IS GONE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DOUBTS IN ONES MIND. A SHATTERED GLASS CAN NEVER BE PUT BACK TOGETHER. I AM ALWAYS INSTALLING THAT IN MY HUSBANDS HEAD. HE SAY I’M NAGGING, I SAY DON’T LET IT GET TO THAT POINT. ?
he pissed the UK gave VISAR $175,000.00 for a new boat and training, he wants everything!
They just spend 9.5 M with DDM, would this not just be a desk in DDM running this operation. They do understand that a Search and rescue operation is a 24/7 365 days a year. People need to me on the end of the phone to be able to run this. Normally the Police centre wold coordinate this operation as they are already manned for 24/7 365.
Something does not add up here.
Yes they would use an ambulance boat to service the clinic but this will cost more than $1 to run and operate, Plus a Fire boat which has sat in NC for the longest while.
This is a token gesture
Look at those two jokers. sowande is just glad to be there that he is drinking Andrew’s poisonous kool aid and enjoying it. Neither of these two have any business experience and we have them in charge at the most difficult time for businesses ever. Poor us! Everything for them is spend spend spend. And all there numbers are in the millions. I have not seen any revenue generating ideas come to fruition. The answer is not marijuana and gambling. Time to get rid of these c***ns and put people who could lead.
A smoke screen is used as a distraction to inhibit sight of movement and other. It is tactic used to accomplish actions not wanting to be seen for fear of adverse consequences.
The BVI voting populace is being smoked screened by the appearance of excessive spending, while the notion of “those before me did it so i am going in to do the same” to is in full progress.
Who with any kind of commonsense will be spending millions and millions when the intake has been critically curtailed with no signs of an opening economy anytime soon?.
Hence, without transparency and accountability, it is difficult to know what is real and what is a smoke screen, especially from individuals who it is known is self enrichment centered and not people or country oriented.
I voted for the VIP. I did not like going on with the NDP and the PVIM. Rather than not voting I reluctantly voted VIP. It was best that I stayed home to be honest. Look at those two leaders in the picture. Not one can help the other. No experience in anything and now our fate is in their hands. Andrew could not run a small superette … Wheatley was a lecturer at the college … The other members of the government have no experience to help us through this difficult time. No skills to plan anything. They could not even plan the proper roll out of the vaccines. No sensitization of the vaccine to the public before it arrived.
I am feeling very hopeless right now.
Some of these comments are so dumb and ignorant it is not funny :-/. I am pretty sure that this is being done due to an international obligation. VISAR provids a free service run by volunteers because there was nothing in place otherwise. One would expect that service VISAR provides will continue. However, that does mean that given the BVI’s Category One Shipping status, the BVI should not have a properly funded entity which is subject international codes and guidelines.
This is fantastic news for one of his buddies. Another million dollars to spend on his friends. And he had the nerve to make a statement about it as if it benefits the people as a whole. The COI is watching!
SOWANDE IS LOOKING UP AT THE PREMIER LIKE YES BIG PAPA I GOT YOUR BACK.
Many silly comments. no facts all talk hater talk
Improving infrastructure is a sin. Talk about spin
Bad enough some fake idiot comments on every post about island people to work up black people. When will we realize some of these views are fake and constructed.
THAT MILLION DOLLARS COULD BE USED TO BUY DESKS AND AND FIX THE EMBARRASSING HOLE IN THE GIRLS BATHROOM, FIX THE ROADS THE PROPER WAY, I AGREE, THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE A UNDERGROUND MONEY VAULT OR BUNKER SOMEWHERE HIDDEN. WHERE IS ALL THIS EXTRA MONEY COMING FROM?
I am fully convinced that when the Finance Minister is told that the Treasury is dry, he is going to be shocked and ask them if they are sure about that. Somehow our Premier and the other representatives are of the opinion that the Government’s bottom-less cash pit cannot dry up. We all know that we don’t print money around here and there is nothing coming in but a trickle.
So like our personal finances where you put in nothing but take out big bucks, well, dark days are on the way, people. Store up what you can in your barn houses for trouble, big trouble is brewing. Now, in this COVID-19 season we have to pay civil servants what they are worth and in addition many other million dollar projects on the way that are not a priority? Hold on tight folks, for it seems we are in for a rough ride. Only God can help us now.
Fix water and sewerage and give the staff quarters fit for human beings and customers proper waiting facilities. Come on. This is 2021 and this department is treated like a 1900 department.
For God’s sake man please put that money into Education, use it to purchase desks, chairs, other equipment and hire more wardens to keep the schools and classrooms always sanitize and get our children back into the classrooms..They are the future of the BVI… God please help us.
The more the government fixes Shipping Registry the more revenue they can earn so good job Premier.
Heres an idea, give VISAR the $1mil on the condition they hire 15 belongers at $25k a year. The other $625k they can use for ugrade, training and op expenses. Result amazing rescue service with finally some gov funding, employment and youth trained to take over in the long run
Half of these comments are from morons. Which country doesn’t have a government run marine rescue team. VISAR does a wonderful job and should be highly commended for their years of service but we should never have to depend strictly on volunteers to do a vital service. It is government’s job to take care of, protect and provide aid to its citizens. Not having a marine rescue service is the equivalent of a government not having a fire and rescue team. The marine police should not be just for mainly crime prevention at sea they should provide all functions like the US coast guard including being on call for all marine rescue missions but I guess since the police is under the Governor some amendment will have to be made to incorporate rescue missions as a main function.