BVI News

Legislator complains about HOA’s old furniture, says facility resembles ‘cattle shed’

Inside the House of Assembly.

Describing it as something that now resembles an animal barn, senior legislator in the House of Assembly, Julian Fraser, is bemoaning that the House has had the same furniture for the last two decades, despite the territory’s growing annual budget.

The Third District Representative made the remarks during a recent debate in the Road Town-based facility.

He said: “Look at the furniture we have in here. I met them here. These same seats I met here … Come on, what are we doing in a place like this? It looks like a cattle shed.”

“When I came in here, the budget was $120 million or something … and now look at where we are. The budget is growing, but our people are not coming along. This country is no better off,” Fraser added.

Make the House a landmark

The legislator then called on the Andrew Fahie-led government to make the building a landmark in the British Virgin Islands.

“I have a lot of respect for the place. It has a historical context. I want to see it become a landmark. But not for members of the House of Assembly to be sitting here all the time still. And, what bothers me is it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Everyone seems to be so content. Am I crazy or something? Something’s wrong,” Fraser said.

This year’s budget surpassed $400 million.

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26 Comments

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  1. son of the soil says:

    We deserve better and better we must get

    Like 4
    Dislike 18
    • Biltmore says:

      Let’s fix the schools first. Then the roads. Then the utilities. Then we can talk about spending money to renovate this building. But let’s be sure to introduce a new level of transparency into the renovations. The people have a right to keep an eye on our elected officials. Every meeting should be streamed live and saved for further public review. All documents should be made available for us to review.

      Like 10
  2. Bossman says:

    Cattle shed for moo moo

    Like 25
  3. ok NOW says:

    Its in dire need of a face-lift yes

    Like 1
    Dislike 14
  4. Really? says:

    The People of the BVI have more pressing issues than the interior decor of the House of Assembly! Everything is still functional right? Don’t like the inside? don’t run for a seat then. This is embarrassing!!!! how many sittings are there in a year? it is not even used on a full time basis affecting wear and tear.

    Like 48
    Dislike 3
    • Retired says:

      I agree that furniture replacement should not even be on the agenda for any self-respecting elected official. However the ground floor furniture gets plenty of use because is is also the civil court room for one of the full time judges. The second floor is the court room for the criminal cases because it has the raised jury seating and the defendant’s ‘dock’.

      Like 11
      Dislike 1
  5. Frazer at it again.. says:

    why don’t you fix the Irma mess in Seacows Bay first before complaining where you sit in your nice air-conditioned offices..

    Like 33
    Dislike 2
  6. Well says:

    Fix the Government Complex and all the schools and stop talking piddle

    Like 45
    Dislike 1
  7. VI gyal says:

    When the renovations took place after hurricane what all did that entail? If the chairs were so bad why were they not replaced. Sometimes there are things more of a priority. We need our HS. Point blank!

    Like 26
  8. Time to move on says:

    Julian Fraser in my opinion has passed his shelf life in the House of assembly. He is doing everything possible to hold on for his personal ambition but I honestly cannot see what he has left to offer the people of the Virgin Islands. He might as well join the government because he has now turned into an a** l**ker.

    Like 23
    Dislike 4
    • ungrateful son of a gun you are says:

      frazer saved you from the jaws of the greedy…i a certain that you can now afford a cellphone because of him

      Like 5
      Dislike 4
      • Gandalf says:

        Yes – and for that he got his cut with his partners from down west too. The original Mr. 10%’s family themselves! He don’t do anything unless he gets a cut of the pie. Don’t be fooled. Look at the registers if you want to know who has a piece of what! Greedy, greedy, greedy.

        Like 2
        Dislike 1
  9. Hog city says:

    Well I am sure if the esteemed speaker had the funds he will get it fixed

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  10. TurtleDove says:

    And you just thought about that today? where were you for 20 years? What does that have to do with making it better for the people? Stop the mess.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  11. Shorty says:

    The HOA needs to be relocated or the High Court needs to be relocated. Its like no one has any forward thinking in governments past and present. All our courts are too small and I personally don’t see why the HOA needs to be in the same yard, space and building as the supreme court. They need their own space separate from the supreme court building.

    Like 6
    Dislike 3
  12. The show must go on says:

    I agree, remodel as a cinemax, sell tickets, include Popcorn, HOA is the best reality series since House of Cards….

  13. Brandspankingnew says:

    Time for a new House of Assembly Building, period. That building there before the time they had Mr. Commissioner as a jack-of-all positions in the BVI. If it was fitting 50 years ago, it cannot be fitting today. Since H.L. died, not a decent upgrade in Government buildings. If you want to see a decent Parliament building, go to Grenada and remodel that one here. Come on, people, let us see some progress in this place. No sense buying new furniture and you are in need of a building itself. Who said it has to be in town? Start thinking out the box and build the building on the outskirts of town. I’m sure you can find adequate space.

    Like 2
    Dislike 3
  14. Simplicity to survive says:

    The schools that thousands of our youths need, the roads that about 30 thousand used everyday can’t be fix, but a place that these so call politition use for about 4 days or so out of a whole month need replacing, for will luck to mess up our money to pay reckless bill avoiding us from getting our increment, no way, it’s about time you guys start looking after the people of these virgin islands

  15. Quiet Warrior says:

    Of all the serious issues facing the territory, the Liberator is waxing about furnishing in the HOA. The focus should be on eduction, health, economy, social services, environment..etc Well mai boi!

  16. MM says:

    We need regular water supply in seacows please.

  17. Jeremene Corbine says:

    Since we are “rich”, I’m surprised he did not call for a dedicated HOA building with its own furniture.

    This is what I call complaining with an agenda. He knows what he is doing. And he thinks we do not know that he knows. But we know what we know.

  18. SMH says:

    If some Officials acting like barn animals, then this is so befitting. Imagine how Government Employees feel working in worst conditions.

  19. They Know! says:

    It is because the Assembly is sensitive to the fact that there are many more pressing needs in the Territory they have not tried in the past to put forward any serious proposal for a new building, despite the sincere need for one.

  20. hmmm says:

    I think we should leave it as it is that way no one gets to comfortable. they came to work not play or relax. just as the kids are not comfortable it should be no different for them. a reminder on what’s important, been comfortable on our money way to long.

  21. Todd says:

    This makes zero sense. It’s not Andrew fault the state of the furniture. They were there all the time. Why complain now. Argument has no substance. Sea Cows Bay look like a darn dump. Fix that.

  22. Jokes says:

    Well and animal barn is the perfect place to keep a bunch of tired old livestock who doing nothing but chew the cud all day.
    And how much time do you actually have to spend there anyway?
    Someone is suffering serious delusions of grandeur!

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