Residents quality of life ‘remarkably improved’, says Premier
Premier Smith
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith has said the quality of life among residents has ‘remarkably improved’ since the hurricanes.
He made the statement this week while noting the degree of progress across the islands.
For starters, the Premier said only 36 persons were still in shelters at the start of February.
He also noted that 60 percent of insured residents have received payouts so far.
Utilities
As for water restoration on the island of Tortola, Dr Smith said 95 percent of potable water has been restored to the eastern zone and 100 percent to the central zone.
“The Capoons Bay plant has been brought online and residents should begin receiving water [in the western zone] shortly,” Dr Smith said. He did not mention progress on the sister islands.
“The sewerage network in Road Town is largely functional and backup generators are to be installed to supply power when there is a power outage,” he added.
The Premier also confirmed reports that electricity will be fully restored in the territory by March.
According to Dr Smith, 75 percent of overall telecommunications infrastructure has been repaired.
Healthcare, education, and beaches
While local clinics are being repaired, the Premier said the territory’s main medical facility, Peebles Hospital, is fully operational.
“All of our children are back in school, and we are at the design stage of the repair and rebuilding of our education infrastructure,” the Premier added.
He also said all local beaches are now restored and usable, adding that 70 percent of public spaces have been cleared of debris.
The Premier further noted that ‘vulnerable residents’ continue to receive housing and financial assistance from his government.
“While there are many persons still to receive some essential services, it is safe to say that the general quality of our lives has remarkably improved over the past six months,” the Premier said.
Copyright 2021 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Come stay by me for just a day. Keep fronting boss.
He clearly said improved, not normal. Nobody can sit here and say their way of living hasn’t improved since Irma and Maria. That would be a bold faced lie as we have come a long way despite having a longer way to go.
Either you willing to settle for less or you one of them benefiting from dollars. Was he in he jacuzzi when he made that remarkable statement?
WHO REALLY WRITES THIS MAN SPEECH, BCAUSE CLEARLY HE DONT KNOW WHATS GOING ON IS UTTER RUBBISH
@ Truth
I think that is the problem…The title should have been Quality of Life Improving more work to be done.
You do know that the Premier didn’t write the title for this news story or any other news story right? WTF? Read what the man said not what the headline says.
@ wow
Good point!
Doc, really! Tings may be improving from where they were on 07 Sep 2017 and 21 Sep 2017 but remarkedly improved? Let’s keep it real meh son. Do not p….s on us and tell us it is raining. Do not insult our intelligence by telling us that down is up or bad is good or a bad and improving quality of life is remarkably improved or a bad economy is robust.
Does Doc have boots on the ground at the 30’ level or he has them at 30,000’ level? Here is a news flash; people are still suffering and it will take time to get to some sense of normalcy, ie, where tings were on 07 Sep 2017. We have to see tings through the eyes of does that are suffering. Hurricane season is just around the corner. Are the territory and people ready? Have they fully recovered from the 2017 season? Whoever is advising Doc is ill-serving him? He deserves better.
An improvement from absolutely rock bottom? That’s about it
We as a people, despite our anger, frustrations and or disappointments with the current leadership, should exercise some public respect for our elected leaders, like them or their job performances or not.
Such will, in some small way, demonstrate to the world a semblance of unity being striven for, even if not an in house reality.
Some are tired of the personal bashing on the elected leaders.. It serves no purpose but to satisfy a few mal-minds.
tic tock tick tock
Instead of bathing in a bucket with no power, I can catch the rain water leaking through the multiple holes in my roof with the lights on so I can bathe and go down to the port and see if I can beg for my ordered material from December that still out there getting wet down, molded up and abused by port forklift operators who either fatigued or careless.
Baby steps. I’ll give you that one, Doc.
BOL
Next headline “Premiere remarkably out of touch with reality”
Ooops
It will be years before we get off rock bottom.
Why lie?