How will gov’t fund its promised road rehabilitation?
Works Minister Kye Rymer yesterday avoided questions about how the government plans to fund the rehabilitation of some 38 miles of roads that they’ve promised to upgrade on Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke.
At a press conference yesterday, a journalist asked the minister, “Do you have the money to have these roads done?”
Rymer accepted the question and responded: “Roads affect us all indeed and that’s why I made sure we have a section in this press conference about roads. I thank the Premier for making $1.8 million available so we can do some remedial work. In terms of the 38 miles of roads, I think the Finance Ministry is doing the assessment of tender right now and they’ll be working to secure the funding.”
But the journalist pressed: “What are the avenues we’re looking to get the money to do this? Is it from government coffers or do you have to seek financing?”
In response, Rymer threw the question to the Premier and Minister of Finance, saying he’s in a better position to respond to the question.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley then answered the question, saying there was a commitment to secure some $100 million to rebuild critical infrastructure. He said a Request for Proposal will be going out to banks in about three weeks, so they can tell the territory what their terms and conditions will be.
The journalist then asked the Premier where the territory gets funding for other things, including music festivals which many are against because they believe those funds should go towards infrastructural upgrades.
“How are we balancing and prioritizing?” the journalist asked.
Premier Wheatley responded by saying though those social events have caused quite a stir in the community, they “are an investment in the economy” that will help the territory generate funds needed for upgrades in health, education and the territory’s infrastructure.
Though the Premier has constantly said the music festivals will provide the revenue the government needs to improve the community. The upcoming music fest is expected to cost in the region of $670,000 and the government said it hoped to break even or possibly make a profit.
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Leave my pension alone
Oh they are touching it. They are defiling it as we speak.
Yes, Time for a new Ministry to be administered by the position of Minister for pot Holes.
No previous experience required. Salary $120.000.00 plus generous life time retirement benefits
it is necessary to protect and take care of the environment that we live in.
I’m guessing that Cindy was the journalist pressing those questions. Or could it be that other persons in the media are also growing balls.
In terms of making the government answerable, Cindy Rosan is the BVI’s best asset.
Yes Roger Burnett, truth. Cindy Rosan is the best BVI’s asset. We on the outside appreciates her and thank her for the job that she is doing. Also would like to thank Z.ROD radio. This is what was needed. I love her platform.
Secure $ 100 million for road repairs? That’s 25% of the Territory’s annual GDP. Where is this money coming from? Banks? How does the government propose to fund the pay back? BVI’s financial record is not exactly stellar, so there is the question of whether banks would want to take on the risk of lending $ 100 million. At 7% over 20 years, a $ 100 mill loan works out to about $ 775,000 per month.
And now, they’re releasing $ 1.8 million for repairs? What is that going to get? It’s about what the govt spent on vendor shacks at Pier Park, including the weather proofing add-on. So, how exactly many feet of road repair is the $1.8 million covering?
Party money is actually 75% of that road money, so party takes precedent over roads, go slowande gyrate! Gyrate! Jam.
Yet we have music festivals and hire more and more “consultants”. Where are our priorities?
Isn’t Anegada a part of the Virgin Islands? When will these clowns stop playing poli-tricks and give attention to Anegada roads? The road from Cow Wreck to Keel Point is in DIRE need of paving. Is this government going to wait until a tourist dies in an accident on that road?
Mr.Bean we did not elect the banks so why should we wait for banks to.tell us s**t.
BVI your roads are in a deplorable condition. The level of degradation is embarrasing. Especially for a country that has enjoyed a “fairly high” standard of living the last 30 years.
Part of the reason is because the contracts for road works go to cronies who lack expertise over and over again. Please hire a competent company, pay them the money and get the roads done right to last the next thirty years.
BVI may have the worse conditioned roads in the Caribbean right now. Fix it!
“Premier Wheatley responded by saying though those social events ….. will help the territory generate funds needed for upgrades in health, education and the territory’s infrastructure.
…..The upcoming music fest is expected to cost in the region of $670,000 and the government said it hoped to break even or possibly make a profit.”
SO…on the one hand, it’s going to generate funds for upgrades, and on the other hand it’s going to break even or “possibly” make a profit? Don’t count on upgrades is what I’m reading here.
I often wonder who these people think they are talking to. Music Fest will make money to do health, etc., projects. On the other hand it might break even or even make a profit. If it’s a break even situation there will be no projects done. These guys just think they can say anything and we won’t know what they are saying because we don’t have a basic knowledge of standard english.
I am so tired of dropping in the pot holes and craters that is getting worse and worse by the minute. When it is not my muffler it is front end damage and I have to pay a mechanic to fix my damages. My poor vehicle is crying out help me please. Perhaps I should start sending my mechanic bills to KYE’s office for reimbursement for the money I have to pay the mechanic.
Hard to know what we can afford if the Governement never audit accounts. Please don’t rob from SS again.
This could have all been done years agao if we had used he UK offer of backing to get a cheap loan. Guess that is why you are now all bitching about bank interest rates.
The Billions over the years shoudl have been paying for this and not going to your families and friends. I am sure that is where half of this money is likley to go.
So every year the government has a certain amount of money to spend and every year they decide not to spend that money on reliable road repair. Then they ask where will the money come from? The government should have been had its own construction company that only does road repairs. This would create jobs but also fix this problem that seems to be a ongoing thing.
Its called the Public Works Dept. Uptp the 80s it was run by expats and had competent engineers. But once the politicians started meddling and giving jobs to contractor friends thing went downhill.
Bring a reputable company that is known for paving designing/building runways and major highways instead of f**king around every 4 years doing the same bulls**t. When Mark was there they borrowed $16 million to put asphalt on dirt and sand. Stop doing f**kry and get real. We need professionals here to properly design/build our road network so they could stand up a few years. It seems as if we elect a set of idiots over and over and it’s really sad.
They need to stop mixing sand, black clothes dye and Elmer’s glue to patch the roads.
This is one of the first sensible comments about road building I’ve seen in years. It makes no sense to rebuild these patch work roads if Public Works is going to do it. The roads are done the way they are done because we have to provide employment to the people at PWD who are sent out to patch roads. They are just laborers, they have no idea what they are doing aside from throwing cold asphalt into holds and raking it off. Asphalt needs to be hot when it is used whether to lay a road or patch a hole. You can’t transport hot asphalt from wherever the plant is to say East End or Pockwood Pond. By the time it gets there its cooling. By the time all the other prep work is done the asphalt is no longer hot enough and is therefore a waste of time and money. If it rains a couple days later the same holes are washed out. We aren’t doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. They know what the outcome is, but they have people they have to put to work, so that’s how road building/patching is going to stay in the BVI.
Textured concrete roads with drainage initial costs are higher but with no frost damage, suitable for steep inclines long lasting and few high speed areas road noise isn’t an issue, stop wasting unsuitable asphalt badly laid on too steep inclines.
Don’t wait much longer Hon. Minister, or there won’t be anything left of the old roads! You and your predecessors have put it off for so very long that you’ll have to start fresh.
Stop paying unqualified contractors to do the work!
people are using a lot of tactics. every tactic that they can think of to commit terrorism towards other innocent people. people everyday are walking around to commit terrorism to hurt innocent people in their pathway. how in the world did the bvi became a country filled with so much crime? it has to be the news media and social media fueling this problem in the bvi. the news media and social media has a lot to be blamed for all of these problems in the bvi.
walwin made that mistake , and these jokers are still giving the wannabe contractors work INSTEAD OF SUEING THEM FOR THE UNFINISHED WORK THAT THEY WERE PAID FOR , we know who they are / that’s taxpayers money , amthat cand help to folix the road , and yhat will b hush the trap of blondie the king of the yello site , who is always trying to make walwin ~ Cindy and the UK look bad , that’s a real subterfuge dude , with a mental disorder as the want 2 B premier (SKELIE) has said about what the COI is causing
$47,368.42 per mile for road repair.
When a response like this occurs “ In response, Rymer threw the question to the Premier and Minister of Finance, saying he’s in a better position to respond to the question.” there is no plan.
If there was a plan, the minister for communications would know these things
1. Securing finance from which entity . Plan A Caribbean development bank. Plan B “ Local banks”
2 Time to start “ one year , six month, etc
3who is involved: local contractors or foreign entities
When these questions cannot be answered there is no plan.
Stop tricking the people.
Why the financial minister answering, the minister for communications was or should be in the same meeting taking note of who, where, when and how the plans are happening.
The other Caribbean Countries that they are always bashing have much nicer roads than Tortola. May as well go back to the original dirt roads.
The jam gonna pay for it ayo don’t listen.