Persons homeless in BVI while refugees get hotels
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn has shed light on the plight of some residents who, he says, have been forced to live in their cars while refugees in the Virgin Islands are being accommodated in hotels at the taxpayers’ expense.
“This is the stark reality of what is happening in the BVI—people are homeless,” Walwyn emphasised during his address to lawmakers in the House of Assembly this week.
Walwyn highlighted a growing phenomenon in his district where individuals are resorting to living out of their cars.
“I had a lady the other day come to me and she put it good. She put it to me properly. She said to me, ‘Myron, I am losing my apartment, but people who are refugees coming in could afford to go [hotel named] and stay down there. The government could pay for them and feed them and I have nowhere’,” he recounted.
Walwyn noted that lawmakers have been inundated with pleas from residents who are struggling to pay their rent. He argued that this issue is intricately linked to the state of the economy and the escalating insurance premiums.
According to Walwyn, when insurance companies increase their rates, the burden is ultimately shifted to homeowners, and subsequently, to tenants, who suddenly find themselves in precarious situations without any corresponding improvements in their living conditions.
In light of these stark realities, Walwyn stressed that the territory faces urgent challenges, with housing being a top priority. He urged lawmakers to take concerted action to ensure the availability of affordable housing for both the young and the elderly in the country.
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While I am not a fan of the government we must be fair to them & bring balance. We must admit this government has built close to a hundred social homes for people who are either homeless, or their homes were destroyed by Irma, or because of other hardship. Also there exist an International law for which all countries must adhere to on how to deal with refugees. So please do not let this man mislead you nor play with your emotions trying to gain support for power as if he really cares. He knows people are hurting and he is using this as a political weapon because he had our children in a refugee camp for years after Irma and built a million dollar wall rather than a school. This same government he is criticizing is who finally built the school and rescued our teachers and students. He needs to stop playing with the people’s emotions.
Well said. I could like your post a million times.
Possibly because expats who find themselves homeless do in fact have a country to which they may return. Their country is where they are entitled to be fed and housed. Not returning to their country is a personal choice they make and mistakenly or bad mindedly and selfishly expects that they are to be gifted handouts from this Lil place. This kind of thinking and outlook is why they are without basic necessities and an unnecessary burden to humanity disliked and resented. GO HOME to your NIPPLE !!!
He will have a cell at the ghut soon not to worry them uk officers got new evidence as Steve flipped on funny man
I hate when politicians willfully mislead the public. Refugees are a subject under the Governor & not the elected officials. The Governor is the one who cares more for the refugees who entered the country illegally than the people in the BVI who are catching hell. He needs to call out the Governor & not the elected officials.
This is your contribution to a problem that is plaguing the BVI. I pity people like you who are consumed with hatred and whatever else. I wish that what you are hoping to happen to Hon. Walwyn happens to you and your family. You people here are evil and wicked. Quite frankly many of you are sick. I have never seen people who hate each other more than in this place.
Reading is fundamental. Hon Walwyn is relaying what was told to him by someone losing their apartment because they cannot pay the rent. The issue that he is pushing is affordable housing. Take time to read.
I hate when big people don’t take the time to read and understand things before they post. The time you took to make this foolish post you could have taken to actually read the article to see what Hon. Walwyn was saying. The man was relaying how a resident saw the situation through their eyes. The point that he is pushing for is affordable housing which is needed.
@ Hold on. Wall, wall wall. All you ain’t tired? The wall was there before Irma. Do you have a brain freeze?
What kills me dead is alot of the things this man rants about were there happening when his government was in. That wall could have housed many homeless persons
I want the UK go with the whole country. Reading these post so you how stupid we are. And look at the personal attacks we resort to instead of the issue of lack of affordable housing in the country.
A m** m** really had to come on to talk f**t.
We don’t want projects here. Are these individuals in your district belongers? I highly doubt it. How bout yall stop letting in every Tom, Dick & Harry that don’t have a nickle to their name to be a burden on the rest of us and raise the crime rate. They have a home country to beg from.
They complain about the same in England.
appears to be the purpose of this mis-guided article
Some of the people that are homeless here have family that pass them everyday like strangers wouldn’t help try to help pretend to help nothing! Helloo!!!!
Myron need to go back to Antigua I hope after he served he time in jail they deport he
People hate Myron Walwyn sooooo much that they just lay waiting to pounce. The man clearly stated that this is what someone told him. Do you think a person losing their home cares about all those nuances? The point is the point! Persons living, working, struggling here cant live well while the Government houses refugees and feed them 3 squares. It’s the optics and principle that is WRONG! So refugees are subject to international law and citizens are what? Dogs? Rats? I think the Minister’s point is the fact that we have become so caught up in COI reports that we have forgotten the people. Believe it or not, BVI is nowhere near recovered from Irma or COVID, do not fool yourselves. We have some really serious issues here and all we continue to do is play political fuckry.
What a wicked set of people, The Man Was Born Here. MW keep blazing the fire on their backside.
Keep the fire blazing MW
No man, we are now disenfranchising our own.
This is unacceptable.
Time to take a look at ourselves.
Homes needed for whom? It’s time the.BVI stop with this humanitarian effort to non-documented residents, refugees that came in as illegal immigrants, expired work permit holders, and people who came to visit but still in the community 6mths and over. I don’t give a rats ear who vexed. BVI is only so big! Goodness Gracious, let the citizens and legal residents catch themselves before leaving the flood gates open.
People don’t hate Myron. It is actually the opposite. This man has the record for the highest number of votes at large ever and he beat a three term politician almost 2 to 1. That ain’t somebody that people hate. The people who hate Myron are the jealous and envious ones that hate the fact that people love Myron. That is what I see. The VIP didn’t want Myron back in government at all because they know he would bring the pressure on them. Look the pressure on them tail now. Blows them Myron!
Myron born right here and that is why he was able to easily run in his home district and win by a landslide. He is doing a magnificent job not just for our district but for the country.
I truly believe that something is wrong with you. This must be the person who get fired from being Speaker, fired from being a PS and who went to jail themselves. That ugly, wig wearing fool.
THIS MAN IS OUT OF TOUCH A LONG TIME NOW. JUST SHUT UP, LISTEN AND BE MORE PRO ACTIVE.
You mean to tell me it have a lot of Humpty Dumpty in this place. Put some sponge around the wall.
Send this man to bolsom Ghutt!
Governor do your job!
This is not good I was told about this belonger on the street wow what is the premier doing that boy won’t listen Sir! It need to have a snap election before they destroy this place. Or the uk will step in the boy went uk turn the bvi other
Close to 100 homes? Maybe 10 max
The site blocked me from liking uour post. Clearly trying to create a narrative. As much as want to help them, the reality is we cannot prioritize homeless expired work permit holders, overstay illegals over those BVI residents. Most countries prioritize their own people Some of them can’t stand Bvislanders , insult us , hate the BVI and still want to stay. You cannot curse your place of blessing and expect to be blessed