Potholes & bush! BVI not ready for tourist season
With the winter tourist season just around the corner, political commentator Cindy Rosan and tourism advocate Sharon Flax-Brutus have bemoaned the aesthetics of the community, saying the BVI isn’t prepared to start receiving tourists.
During a discussion on the Morning Braff radio show yesterday, Rosan as well as callers who joined the show, bemoaned the potholes on several roads and the overgrown grass which decorates many sidewalks in the territory.
“The Premier came on this show a few weeks ago and he said we should watch him work. He’s the Minister for Tourism. At the bare minimum, [he could] cut the grass and the bush so at least we could see you working. Prepare for the tourism season,” Rosan said.
She also called out Director of Tourism Clive McCoy, who she said isn’t doing much to get the territory ready for the important season.
“We could also say what the director of tourism is doing. I have never seen a bigger waste in my life. I don’t understand the way he’s managing that portfolio,” Rosan said.
Flax-Brutus, the Interim Executive Director of the BVI Yachting, Hotel & Tourism Association, also agreed that the territory isn’t prepared to accommodate visitors.
“From an infrastructure and service standpoint, we aren’t where we need to be. But it’s not for a lack of trying. I tend to be a thorn in the side of every minister and every government department as it relates to tourism. I’ve reached out to all and sundry to ask what is the plan to get us ready for the tourism season. There are potholes in Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. It’s just embarrassing. We seem unable to prioritize and follow through,” Flax-Brutus explained.
She said at this point, with the lack of interest from the government, businesses and residents may have to take matters in their own hands and carry out beautification works where they can.
“Some of us will have to do things ourselves. On Virgin Gorda, I was very happy to see the Lion’s Club taking charge and helping to line out the sidewalks and to paint — not the District Rep. There were people cutting bush as well and some of us will probably have to go and fill the potholes as well,” Flax-Brutus pointed out.
She also called on the government to utilize funds earned from the environmental levy that visitors pay, to carry out improvements needed for the tourism season.
Recently, Premier Wheatley stated that tourism will be one area that will drive the BVI economy, adding visitor arrivals are headed for a record-breaking year.
“This tourist season will probably be the second-best in history as it pertains to visitor arrivals. In 2016, we had 1.1 million visitors. We’ll see where we end up here but it most likely will be the second-best number we’ve ever had. So when persons make these statements (about economic slump), I’m not sure if they have the right information,” Premier Wheatley said recently.
At the same time, some tourism players continue to say the leader is out of touch as tourism isn’t doing as well as he believes. They say they’re still recovering from the pandemic and need more support and collaboration from the government to implement the measures that the industry needs.
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THE VIP IS A WASTE OF TIME…NOT SERIOUS
You get the government you deserve
But our accidental premier says everything is golden and fine here
It is very sad to note that only tourists for a certain season deserve to have fix road and bush cut down (clean BVI) and not the Citizens who lives here all year round.
@Sad.
My sentiment exactly.
It’s BVi ppl that throw the trash. Not
the tourists
Sl**one is the Minister for Tourism!
What has he ever done to help it?
At the moment half the charter boats are either laid up or potentially laid up because the government cannot process license renewal applications in any sensible timeframe
Improvements to our tourist offerings are mired in the bureaucratic nightmare this government has created. It takes months and months even for citizens to fight their way through the trade license fiasco.
Wait a minute, so the side walk painting on VG last weekend wasn’t the district rep initiative? It was the doing of the Lion’s club? So why he was posting pictures and inviting persons on facebook to come help like he was the one spare heading the project. He should be so ashamed.
Sharon fully well know in Virgin Gorda it was a District imitative spearheaded by the District Rep. Not because he is not in the front, like how she (Sharon) like to showboat don’t mean he isn’t working. It was his initiative to begin with and he requested the help of the community and all other non-profit organizations to chime in. Working together is what ‘WE’ do our best in VG and Sharon them can’t help but be in the spotlight. If they aren’t in charge nothing can be done or even done right. SMFH…. this morning with her pi**!
@Tell The Truth.. You could not have said it any better. 100
It is not so easy to pull the wool over Virgin Gordians , good to see citizens challenge these delibrate misstatement and obfuscations . instead of tearing Hon. V Wheatley down a better strategy would be to assist in uplifting VG and then her sister can run at Large again where she is better equipped. Whose idea was it for her to run as District rep in the first place ? Hopefully not taking advice from that individual anymore. She would be stting in this House of Assembly TODAY had she not followed this advice.
Both Vincent and Shereen are a waste of time. Next………….
We will never vote for another flax in vg so tell her to stop
SFB is one of the few people involved with tourism who has a brain and a vision. The politicians just love to travel in order to “promote” the Territory and then pose for photo ops.
Who are the board and members of this yachting hotel and tourism association? Who is she claiming to speak for?
CHUNE Daddeh!
Cho: Watch meh wuk baby watch me wuk!
Tek a sip of you cocktail and watch meh wuk!
Repeat cho:
https://www.betonasfalti.it/img_ins/files/Depliant_EN/BA_KaltAsphalt_Plus-EN.pdf
These people running our country have no clue of how to run a country..Tourism should be our Priority this industry put food and pay mills for the majority of us. So its just basic sense to ensure that they are happy and comfortable..
The country should not only be maintained for the enjoyment of tourists. attention should not be given to issues when its tourist season when it is that we the residents complain about these issues year in and year out! Our leaders need to remember it is the ppl of these islands that put them in their positions to act in OUR best interest, not just the interests of the visiting public. It seems that our cries will continue to fall on deaf ears because those ears, but then you wanna put make-up on the proverbial “PIG” to shine only in the eyes of tourists and only for a season.
It amazes me, that such a small country with such a high GDP, could be in such a state of disrepair. The blame falls squarely at the feet of the government for wanton mismanagement of the states resources. How can alllll the roads be bad. You have to think hard to find a good stretch of road in BVI. What is the point of having ministers and district representatives if they do absolutely nothing. Infrastructure is lacking, proper management is lacking.
And I see a lot of people, referring to making things nice for the tourists. That small minded thinking. So in the down season the country can be in a state of disrepair but paint it up nice for the tourists when they come? No!!!! BVI is for BVI citizens to enjoy and be comfortable first!! The CITIZENS need proper roads and proper infrastructure. The kids of Jost Van Dyke need a proper school (glad one is being built). The loc Clinics need to be better outfitted to take care of the citizens. Then we can share the beautiful strong communities that we have build and maintained with any visitors that come!
I am sitting at home reading the VI Consortium and saying to myself Lord, who wuk high science on BVI? Is it the Senagal Man or who? Every week the USVI breaking Ground for some new project. Wa gwaan in this place misson?
Oh stfu Sharon
are not the problem. No sidewalks on Virgin Gorda is the problem. If you walk or ride a bike anywhere in The Valley, you put yourself in danger. Pedestrians including school children are forced everyday to share the road with every oversized dump truck and safari bus on a road barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass.
Now that the bush is grown out on the road side people are forced to walk on the road.
Wow Sherlock ! Now you realize that ? You are so late,
The bushes are blocking so many nice views a what what does the government do ? Nothing. The pot holes are so big you can damage your vehicle easy, and the when it gets damage the government doesn’t pay for the mechanic cost even though it’s their fault they can’t fix the road, but one day someone will sue the government for millions
Maybe we can market the potholes as a tourist attraction..urban wetlands?
just buy a F150 problem solved
I have seen this problem for more than 40 years in occurrences,and everyone blame the government, they perhaps have the rights to do so, and the result is the same , Pure insanity!
Should we come to a point where we stop complaining and start a self help movement, these island will be beautify and actual working roads will be established.
Each district should have self help groups that the district pay to beautify the place and fix the potholes before they get go big, people would start planting trees in it.
Consistent attention to the district beautification project will allow both citizens and tourist to enjoy the island, this is also good for the mental mind. Plant flowers, paint the wall, create murals off the district culture or history and tell your stories through art. Stop complaining, mummering about government this and that, they need all to be a part of the doing in the next years, they cannot do everything, they need all hands on board.