Penn ashamed at absence of Trellis Bay visitor centre
Government legislator and Eighth District Representative, Marlon Penn has once again called for urgent attention to be given to the Trellis Bay area on Beef Island which is often the first port of entry for hundreds of visitors each year.
While noting the government’s restrictions in the area of procurement, Penn said Trellis Bay has been the hub for tourism in the territory and for the many people from the sister islands that commute through there daily.
But the Eighth District Representative said its current state was unbecoming for a territory like the Virgin Islands that is boasting such large budgets.
“I see them [commuters] when they come down on the port, I feel so ashamed sometimes, most times when [it] is raining and they have to battle [and] navigate in the rain and get into the car or get into a taxi,” Penn said.
The Health Minister reiterated that he worked with someone previously to conceptualise a visitor centre, but lamented the fact that the project remains languishing since that time.
“I worked with a local designer to come up with a basic design, just for us to get something in place to get persons in a secure environment [with] proper lighting on the dock and so forth,” Penn said. “It’s with the [BVI] Tourist Board. It’s been with the Tourist Board now for several years and we have to move that, Premier,” said Penn in a statement seemingly directed at Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley who is also the Minister of Finance.
Penn argued that this is the time the territory experiences an influx of visitors from the United States and Europe; many of whom traverse the Trellis Bay area to proceed to Virgin Gorda, which he pointed out was recently listed in Forbes Magazine as the eighth best place to visit for 2023.
He also called on his colleague, the Minister of Communication and Works, Kye Rymer, to beautify the parking lots and docks in that area.
“We want to welcome tourists … that’s not what we want to present to our people and we have to do better about that,” Penn stated.
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Trellis Bay = parking lot.
What is Marlon doing for his district? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!….Look around to all that filth in the district, garbage everywhere…parham town the worst
This government is useless. They don’t care about this country. It’s about securing a job and salary for themselves. They enjoy riding around like kids in the government vehicles while they wait for the loot that they will get from the Greedy Bill that they passed for their own benefit. They seem to be reversing all the things that they claim Fahie did but they have not reverse the Greedy Bill because it puts a load of money in their pockets when they leave the government. They have no interest in the country and the people. What excuse could they have for not putting a structure at Trellis Bay for the VG residents and the tourist? How much could that really cost compared to all the crap they have done with money over the last 4 years?
The problem in the BVI most times is that we are afraid to be real and truthful about what is happening in the Territory. The BVI Tourist Board in its current form is a COMPLETE WASTE OF F–KING TIME AND RESOURCES!!!! There is absolutely no reason why a district rep or minister need to get involved in such a trivial issue. How hard would it be to erect a simple stand with a roof and benches to accommodate about 50/75 people, along with bathroom stall 1 each male/female? It can be built in 3 weeks right in the corner just off the dock for 30-40K but why hasn’t it been done? I can tell you why, there is no photo-op and long speech involved in that so they do not care. We continue to blame the white man and expat for all our issues while simple shit like running water, comfortable ports etc. which are in our hands are non-existent. We continue to support and promote people in certain positions because they are local and they get comfortable with the ‘nothingness’ that’s why we are here in the shit we are in.
his family business is right there
Facts
Oh dear !
The mooring field has been destroyed by a large marked marine channel – (with more buoys than Road Harbor !)installed after a cor–t agreement between the previous minister and the owner of the Loose Mongoose. This damage to our, once peaceful, tourist attraction anchorage, has been compounded by the Noise Pollution from ‘big men’ playing/gambling with Toy speed boats in the flat waters of the bay….The tourists – not surprisingly- don’t want to visit Trellis anymore.
Is there any support from Govt or Tourist Board for the residents and businesses to resolve this situation? None….we live with the consequences of the selfish elites behavior.
Oh dear ….
Get the Litter Warden Programme back onto action and legal support system with teeth. Actively reach out to Bermuda to look at their successful strategies. I visited there in 2009 for 6 weeks and spoke to senior officers in their administration about their strategies. Their streets were immaculate or very clean. We can take a page from them.
What about some of the sh.t under your ministry portfolio you all only looking after self.
We can build it just like the West End visitor centre!
I ashamed of those who have been voted to lead us. Utter disappointment!
There is a fantastic visitor center. Loose Mongoose is up and running! It is a place to eat, drink, take a ferry. Great music and staff.
Stop trying to have the government build stuff! You are TERRIBLE at managing construction (and you tend to steal money from the construction budget).
We need roads, schools, and a hospital.
All this guy does for his whole political career is blame others and take responsibility for nothing. I will never vote for him again.
Marlon is use-*+** and a big disappointment
Bring back our $8mill for those planes that never fly and our money gone. Also those thousands for that Georgie Hill project. Will stop there for now because we have not forgotten. Selling us out will not save you.
You are 100% correct. To add will be that he speaks as if he just got into politics and forgets that we know it is years he is in politics and was in the government for years and never addressed any of these issues. Now come here speaking as if he is brand new or as if he is a brand new second hand car. We will not vote for him again. The last few times was enough.
I disagree with you. First I must say that I am not a party supporter nor agree with everything this government has done. But they must get some credit and be cut some slack. Having to deal with the worse pandemic in the last 100yrs is not an easy task. Although we do not agree with all that happened the government still handled the pandemic fairly well especially when you compare them to most countries whether big or small. Too many times we criticize the government forgetting this factor. Getting the new High School buildings is good. Getting direct flights from Miami is good. Getting the new school building for the JVD school is good. Keeping the economy afloat during COVID and saving many lives with their decisions is good along with a few other areas. Note I am not saying all is well but to say nothing has been done for the people is a far stretch.
So Trellis Bay Man you want them to go back to the BVI Beach “Jewel in the Crown” Brandywine Bay and make their noise there? Then we’ll hear from Brandywine Bay Man. Best they go and play up in Oil Nut. Can’t see there would be any restrictions there.
Tell Andrew put back the 40 million he took from out Social Security money . Stop slinging stones and look at the issues . That does not help .Trellis Bay is a tourist hub . Your ignorance and shorted .
Family hate to see each other’s grow . Don’t hide behind the blog . The community loves Marlon. He shows compassion to local, expatriates, and visitors … Is a bug of jealous family doing the downgrading mud slinging
Since you think Marlon is jammin and the district doing good, fine, you vote for him…The rest of us who see and think different will vote him out….Majority rule!
There is perfect calm harbor in Fish Bay these days … they can play there. Near to home to.
Take a look at the basket court it become a parking lot in the even
Marlon Penn should also be ashamed of the fact that there is no seniors’ home in Spooner’s after all these years, and have people actually residing at the hospital.
He should also be ashamed of NHI, a bankrupt entity by now with a serious cash flow problem.
Now, a lot of people are ashamed of Marlon (myself included). When he was with the Opposition, I used to enjoy hearing him hitting the issues head on, trying to hold Head Coach to account. But since he’s with the Unity Gov’t, it seems like he’s lost a few of his marbles.
Get it together Marlon or next election you’ll be hanging your head in shame.
The plans have been with Tourist Board for years? Does Tourist Board build projects? I’m confused, doesn’t they market the destination? Why is Tourist Board task with building this centre?
Trellis Bay needs development, it’s a place with great potential, I agree with Penn. NDP failed. It needs a nice shopping center inclusive of a ferry terminal and a nice affordable guest house of $60 – 80 per night. Keep the fight Penn
Will he be honest and say that because he only want he people to work on the place and get the work that is why the project stall out. Everything was done set but when he realize other contractors had send in quotes, he half it to try get 8 district on the job.
Shut to h**l up the whole island nasty and filthy every district what you want Marlon do go clean the bvi when Mr mouth Albert was fooling all you y you did not tell him go clean up the mess. He had the monies then these guys ain’t got no money. He cause the whole mess in the place