Opposition decries $100K grant to select 7th District businesses
Opposition member Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull has accused the government of unfairly giving $100,000 in public funds to a small number of businesses in the Seventh District, while offering far less territory-wide for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Speaking at an Opposition press conference, Turnbull said the money went to four businesses between the H Lavity Stoutt Community College and a local restaurant in Fat Hogs Bay, as compensation for the inconvenience caused by roadworks.
“In the SAP, we learned, we uncovered and discovered some information… a $100,000 grant was given to them. So it worked out to be about… 20-something thousand dollars to each of those businesses that were inconvenienced,” Turnbull told the media yesterday.
He pointed out that this was only distributed to businesses in the Premier’s district and contrasted this with the $127,000 budgeted for the entire Small Business Development Bureau to support entrepreneurs and small businesses across the Virgin Islands.
Turnbull questioned why grants were issued without proof of losses, saying such funding decisions highlight a lack of transparency in government spending.
“I could guarantee… there has been no production of evidence on the books of what these businesses would have earned or been able to earn if they were not inconvenienced,” he added.
He said Opposition members had to press for details, which were not apparent in the original budget breakdown.
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn also criticised the disparity, noting that small businesses across the territory face difficult conditions and deserve fairer access to support.
“You place $127,000 to be shared among almost 3,000 small businesses throughout the entire territory… but here, because those businesses are in your district, you arbitrarily put $100,000 with no stipulations attached to it,” Walwyn argued.
Walwyn accused the Premier of attempting to secure votes ahead of the next elections by appeasing residents after his government’s negligence.
“Why it taking almost a year for a little piece of road like that to be completed?” he asked. “And then you turn around now after the inconvenience to the people of the country, you end up and take up more of their money, $100,000. Arbitrarily, just because it’s your district and you looking votes and you give out to businesses like that while other businesses throughout the territory are suffering.”
Turnbull said the Opposition would continue to challenge spending practices they believe do not serve the wider public interest. “If we don’t probe and we don’t continue to ask, we won’t know the answers to it,” he stated.
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I had high hopes for The Alliance but they are lost I am afraid
Click the “thumbs up” button if you KNOW Mitch or Myron would give government money to businesses in the their district if a project inconvenienced their voters
Disclaimer: this is not about right or wrong, this is about the pot calling the kettle black
To be fair there’s a legitimate case for compensating businesses disrupted by public works especially when the disruption is prolonged or poorly managed. But without clear criteria, documentation, or a transparent framework, such decisions risk appearing arbitrary and erode public trust.
If disruption earns dollars, show the receipts. Otherwise, it’s not compensation, it’s constituency coddling.
You can’t serve four businesses a full plate and leave thousands with crumbs, then call it equitable. If disruption earns dollars, show the recipe, not just the leftovers
I suggest that you read the article above. If you did and you are a reasonable thinker there is no way you could come to your conclusions. 127k was allocated to be divided for over 3,000 businesses in the BVI with a laundry list of qualifications. The Premier allotted 100k for 3 businesses in his district without any qualifications and without accessing their loss if any.
And you are seeking to justify that nonsense? You cannot be serious.
Whoever that person is, they are as serious as a heart attack.
There is reading and then there is comprehension. I would suggest that you re-read the comments that you seem to have difficulty understanding.
Oh the politricks, Approaching erection time.
Another Farmers & Fishers Grant fiasco! When will the LEGAL system put an end to these misappropriations of PUBLIC funds?!?!?
No criteria, no proof of losses. The disparities Natalie’s government creates is mind-boggling! Not even the At-Large reps get the amount of funding that this Government has fritted away in shady ways this year alone!
I’m not from the 7th but a small business owner as well and am happy that they were compensated for the inconvenience, its hard out here as it is. If “that guy” wants to sit on his a$$ and not fight for his people then that’s on him. At the end of the day, we are ONE BVI. #STOPIT!
Are you talking about the illegally constructed bars along the side of the road????? These businesses shouldn’t be bailed out. They should be shut down and the eye sore structures and surrounding junk removed.
A move out Andrew play book good one Natalio the coach taught you well just enchance the seventh build a drain from the park long the garage so we dont have to see the water on the not like what was done over by the commuinity center which is foolishness we will be good next election.
You know if we fixed the roads properly and one at a time, we would not be in this sad state we are now.