No plan! Walwyn criticises government’s tourism efforts
The government has faced criticism for attempting to advance the BVI’s tourism sector without a clear plan and for its lack of competitiveness in the region.
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn told lawmakers that he questioned technocrats during the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) phase of budget deliberations and said no one could give him answers about a tourism plan.
“It seems as if the [tourism] company has not been engaged, or there’s some sort of litigation… Everybody in the room — when I asked the question — was so frightened. They didn’t know what to tell me,” Walwyn said.
He added: “You should have seen, Premier. You weren’t there, you were somewhere across the world shaking hands with the upper echelon.”
“Your competitors are continuously, continuously, continuously upgrading themselves, and you are there dilly-dallying. Dilly-dallying, spending money on other things that are not important. But the things that are important to the economy, nothing is happening with them,” he asserted.
Tourists in bushes
Walwyn questioned the government over its level of investment in the territory’s tourism product and about whether any training is being done to improve the current state of affairs. The lawmaker also lambasted the government over the territory’s inadequate tourism facilities.
“You go on the beaches knowing you can’t find a restroom. We have tourists going through the bushes to relieve themselves in what we call a luxury destination,” Walwyn said as he pressed the government about its efforts.
The lawmaker ridiculed the government for expecting $401 million to be dumped into the economy in 2024 without any tourism plan and said matters were compounded further by a $10 million grant given to the Tourist Board.
Walwyn said when he questioned officials from the Tourist Board about the operating expenses to achieve the over $400 million mark, he was told that it was roughly $8 million.
Walwyn contended that just $1.5 million was designated for marketing to achieve the government’s tourism goal. “How are you going to get $401 million pumped into the economy on an investment of $1.5 million?” Walwyn asked. “How does that make sense to anybody who understands numbers and understands business?”
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He knows what he is talking about. We are falling behind new comers. We should have been way ahead. Soon we will be at the bottom if we don’t get our act together. Nothing for tourist to do or see but beach. Bumpy roads,hang over trees have tourist ducking, Rude taxi drivers..on and on
to some visitors that is the whole point, to experience a different culture, region, food, nature. If they wanted beach chairs and fancy roads and shops, they can get that anywhere.
The tourism plan is top secret ayo deaf!? lol
Ayo keep he hands off that tourism money! His eyes on that now because he knows there is minimal accountability where his pana the former tourist board director allegedly squandered and the former chair allegedly scam out for his apartments up in the Bahamas etc.
Release the audit report on the former director. We need to clean this place up and keep Walwyn far from the treasury.
We must not forget he already charged with breach of trust.
SO, WHAT DID HE DO WHEN HE WAS IN POWER? I WILL NEVER TRUST THAT MAN. HE IS A DIVIDER- BUT HE ENDED UP DIVIDING HIMSELF LOL
Who wants to hear from a criminal arrested and charged for government funds over a wall?
BVI tourism is trapped.
Our people just want money money by building concrete structures and reclaiming land for money business.
Tourists want nature protected and respected. They ASSUME we protect and respect nature. When we tell them how little we give a s*&t about it, they don’t understand what’s wrong with us.
All we ever think of for tourism plans is building more buildings and marinas and hotels and stupid attractions you can get everywhere in the world.
And what do those do? Destroy our God-given nature.
Pray for our leaders’ eyes to be opened.
You better put beach chairs on them beaches snack bars or food court and TOILETS on them beaches. You also need beach umbrella and fresh running water. Picnic tables hammocks and security guards. Rented towels lifeguard floating devices. You need to improve the roads and drainage in the territory.