Penn blasts government for sidelining East End

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has accused the government of neglecting the East End, Long Look community, while prioritising infrastructure projects in other parts of the territory.

Speaking during the recent House of Assembly debate on the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Penn said residents and contractors in his district are being unfairly overlooked despite making significant contributions to the territory’s tax base. He said that’s why he supports reforms to the RDA because the agency should be focused on equitable development across the BVI rather than political considerations.

“This is beyond politics,” Penn said. “The RDA is about the overall development of the nation. We have to ensure that we develop a nation that all of us will be proud of, one that speaks to value for money and quality projects.”

Penn reserved some of his strongest criticism for the condition of Ridge Road in East End, particularly the ongoing works at Little Dix Hill. He said a project that should have taken only a few weeks has dragged on for months, creating hazards and inconveniencing motorists.

“I drive that road on a regular basis,” he said. “Something that should have taken three weeks tops has been going on for two or three months.”

Penn questioned why Public Works crews were handling projects in East End when government had borrowed more than $100 million through CIBC for infrastructure improvements. He argued that qualified local contractors should be receiving more opportunities to carry out the work.

“Our district is being sidelined. Our contractors are being sidelined,” Penn said, adding that East End and Long Look residents pay taxes and will also be responsible for repaying the infrastructure loan.

He further complained that government continues to rely on what he described as a “hodge-podge” approach for projects in the district instead of engaging contractors from the community, whom he said also need work to sustain their businesses.

Penn also expressed frustration that East End continues to lag behind despite having several influential figures with roots in the district. He noted that Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, Attorney General Dawn Smith, Fourth District Representative Luce Hodge-Smith and At-Large Representative Ronnie Skelton all have family ties to Nottingham Estate, yet he said the community continues to be overlooked.

“We have to get it together. We need a more comprehensive approach to infrastructure development. I am hopeful that once this agency is established the right way, and the right tenets are in place, it could be that such an agency — that holistic development — that doesn’t see the political lines,” Penn stated.