Minister scolded for overgrown bushes! Blames staffing issues
Third District Representative Julian Fraser was recently in a no-nonsense mood regarding the glaring dereliction shown for bush-cutting in his constituency.
Fraser said he was not accepting any excuses after the Minister for Social Development, Carvin Malone responded to a question about the status of the landscaping work being done.
Malone said while the government has not abandoned the grass-cutting programme it normally undertakes, it has encountered significant challenges due to staffing issues.
He said these staffing issues have affected several areas of the Solid Waste Department.
Among the challenges Malone listed were staff members not being replaced after they had left the department, members producing medical certificates excusing them from that type of work, and members of the street cleaning crew regularly reporting sick.
Malone said the department was in the process of resolving the staffing issues and was hoping to have the grass cutting duties completed by the end of the summer.
Go cut the overgrown bushes instead of arguing
Fraser pressed the minister for more answers but Malone said he was “at the mercy of the written answer” he provided. But the Third District Representative found that response from the minister unsatisfactory.
“A minister could come to this Honourable House and tell me he is only subjected to the written answer or is limited to the answer that he is given? That thing you should not bring here,” Fraser then said.
The Third District Representative then began to read from a complaint sent from a constituent which detailed that they couldn’t go for a walk because the sidewalk was overgrown with bushes.
When objections were made about how he was phrasing his follow-up question, Fraser responded: “I think you ought to go cut the bush off the sidewalk instead of arguing with me.”
Bushes knowingly left uncut for months
He reminded the House that the questions put to Malone were submitted in May for a June 17 sitting this year, yet the landscaping remained undone several months after the Minister had seen the questions.
“Now the sidewalks are completely covered,” Fraser said.
Malone accepted that the bush cutting issue needed to be addressed and said it was an island-wide concern.
“There is no need to prance upon this, it has to be done, period,” he further told an apparently unhappy Fraser.
Not satisfied with this response, Fraser again rose to admonish the minister about his excuse for not getting the job done. He said some gentle persuasion was needed to resolve the issue and again asked for the Malone to commit to a date when the area would be cleared.
Malone in response said: “I am guilty as charged. Yes, it will be persuaded. Yes, it has been asked. Yes, you have made the request. Yes, this has not been done. Yes, it should be done. And yes, we’ll try to get it done as soon as practical.”
He added: “Yesterday was the deadline, today is late, and tomorrow we’re way behind.”
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As you drive around this territory, it hurts to see the sides of the road. Not just in the third but all over. Several times you have to stop to allow a vehicle to pass because of the overgrown bushes on the side of the road. In this little 2 by 4 island we cant pay to have road gangs to clean the sides – simple bush cutting. You all are ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder if you all fly by helicopter to work. Come on man we can do better.
Nobody got more overgrown bush than my woman.
Hi Husband. I hear you will be away for a few days.. I’ll mow the lawn and trim the bush while you’re away but your woman says she doesn’t want me digging the back yard again.
You’re welcome.
Do we have any working machines for bush cutting ,hedge trimming and so on ? I can’t recall seeing any working of recent times.
Or are we sending guys out with machetes.?
They’re called goats. Use them. They work for free.
Maybe expats can do it? Oh I forgot, no work permits for that.
Sigh
I heard the growth is part of the agriculture stimulus package. Farmers are growing plants all over the island. It’s a nature thing.
Well done. Mission accomplished
I does really want to know if they do fly from east end. It is sickening how badly the bush has overgrown from CSY straight Beef Island. Imagine that with two ministers in those areas. Stupidness!
Who can’t even organise bush cutting..makes you wonder what they can organise?
@ Incompetent government
That`s why they need the Political advisors.
One would think that a landowner whose property bounds a public road would take pride in cutting the overgrown grass, bushes etc on his property and to extend that cutting outside of his property to the public road. We all have to take pride on our communities’ everything should not be left the government.
Government does not cut the bush in Long Bay West End, we take pride in our village and do it ourselves. We understand keeping the village pristine adds to the value of our homes, enhances our tourism product and soothes us psychologically.
Who lives in the 3rd district?
People with average incomes. Who work hard and marginally buy food, provide a decent education for their children and pay rent after tax is deducted from their salary.
This answers makes no sense. What does that have to do what keeping your property clean and bus cut? You must take pride in your place even if you have to cut the bush and clean your place yourself. It is your inherent duty has a property owner. Otherwise organize a community clean up. This is not a government issue. The people of this territory desperately needs to take responsibility for self. Everything is not the government. If you cannot afford to own and upkeep a property then don’t. Property ownership is not meant for everyone. Harsh truth but this territory needs a harsh reality check.
That was the same thought I had. Why the member for the 3rd dont organize a district clean up and get out there. We have become so handicap, depending on government to do everything.
It would be a nice get together for the district folk.
Well ayo talk to that person who have that bush growing over the edge of their property into the road going down into Long Bay basically making the road a one way when its actually wide enough for two cars to pass. #fellowlongbayresident
What happen to your mouth?
Tried that, I was told to stop immediately because I was taking a job away from someone. Truth!!
Typical VIP, always blaming somebody
please post a link to the vaccines or do you mind out sourcing the jobs to young Virgin Islanders on a monthly basis?
So talk to labour dept and stop getting rid of the expendables that “don’t belong”!!!
I just want to personally let this VIP government understand that our memory long like twine. These draconian traveling fees and restriction for the unvaccinated will not be forgotten. We will remember election time and way me not be able to do anything in the West because those people a special brand but the rest of VIP? Out of here we sick of the crap!
I hope your memory is sharp enough to also remember the other country also instituting policies to protect their citizens. What are you going to travel to their country as well and talk about your memory is long like twine and never travel to these countries again? I wish the Lord blesses you with at least one ounce of common sense whoever you are.
Has a ready made work force who we the taxpayers are already paying for their 3 square.
They already are known for coming and going as they like. Why not utilize the inmates? Or would that take them too far away from their comfort zone?
The problem is micromanagement
I HAVE AN IDEA , with all those wanna be gansters up BALO on vacation should be doing HARD LABOUR , but they are ENTITLED and their family would not allow them to cut any BUSH ( it will only hurt their IMAGE to see a man with 5 gold stains around his neck , cutting bush/ are you crazy
I agree with you, I recall as a young boy growing up in Tortola the few prisoners that were in jail, worked on the roads, filling potholes etc. whitewashing and cleaning government buildings. They need to reintroduce the hard labor system to the sentencing guidelines.
Dear Carvin, All you need is one of them $99,999 contracts and you don’t need to tender. Give the unemployed men of each district $100.00 to cut the bushes in their district.
Can’t understand why government is responsible for grass cutting of people’s land? Where is their responsibility to keep their property clean and in order? The government needs to hold property owners responsible and institute fines for not keeping their properties clean and bush well cut!!
Here’s some free consultancy …
When you send out a team of 6 workers, have more than 2 of them cut the bush and less than 4 supervising on their phones. That way, you will be able to achieve more in a day.
You’re welcome.
Why the prisoners cant do it?
As for the 1st district we down here playing hide and seek every full moon night in the Bush, it so thick!!
Put the jail man them to work like any other country an stop having them eating tax payers money for free if they had work to do in first place jail might been empty
Not a government issue. The people of the territory who owns these properties must do their part and keep their property clean. Cut your grass!
Instead of having to cut bushes on a regular basis. Why don’t you clean up th the side of the roads and plants decorating plants and ground covering plants that would be a beautiful place and easier to maintain. I’ve seen it before in my travels, we can do it also
This site is so limey it is more sour than lime and acid combined.
Why you think they not local?