Road Town is not dirty — Hodge-Smith
Junior Minister for Tourism and Fourth District Representative Luce Hodge-Smith has firmly rejected claims that the BVI’s capital, Road Town, is unclean.
Her comments followed recent criticisms about the territory’s cleanliness, particularly in tourist areas.
Former Deputy Premier Lorna Smith expressed concerns in the House of Assembly about the state of the BVI, stating that visitors are encountering “a dirty, unkempt, untidy country.” Smith also highlighted areas, such as Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, that “leave a lot to be desired” in terms of cleanliness. Smith emphasised the need for immediate action to tidy up these areas, especially with the peak tourism season underway.
Speaking during the budget debate in the House of Assembly, Hodge-Smith challenged these claims and maintained that Road Town exhibits a satisfactory level of cleanliness.
“Despite the fact that it is dubbed one of the dirtiest areas, not only in the territory but in the world, I beg to differ,” she asserted. “It is no messier or no [more] unclean or dirtier than anywhere else. As a matter of fact, I would like to say that it is not dirty, as we want to make it feel like it is because there are efforts to clean it.”
Daily cleaning operations
The Junior Minister detailed the daily operations of two organisations tasked with maintaining the capital’s cleanliness. The City Manager’s Office conducts cleaning activities from 5 am to noon, while the Solid Waste Department follows with its team working from 6 am to 1 pm.
“Between these two organisations, efforts are being made to keep the capital clean,” she stated while acknowledging the need for additional improvements.
Hodge-Smith pointed to various recent initiatives aimed at improving the city’s environment. These include drain cleaning and bush-cutting projects carried out with the assistance of the Public Works Department. The Junior Minister noted that while some residents criticised the focus on bush-cutting, these activities were necessary to address public concerns.
A significant focus of the government’s strategy is the reactivation of the Beautification Committee, a previously dormant group tasked with overseeing long-term clean-up and beautification projects across the territory. The Junior Minister expressed optimism about its role in maintaining a more aesthetically pleasing Road Town.
Additional collaborative efforts were also highlighted, including a clean-up operation in late November involving the Department of Waste Management, students, and other volunteers.
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I believe Luce blind.
Start by prospect Reef, which is a an embarrassment, and head East. Raw sewage coming ip by Rite Way; sunken boats in the careening cove; road is terrible by the turn below Ft Burt; land where Smiths Ferry keep their boats is toxic; broken fence on Queen Elizabeth park; unfinished road in front of Romney houses; the land below gov’t house and extending towards the ferry dock is a dumping ground- old containers, construction waste, abandoned cars. Let’s now jump to Wickham’s Cay. Look at the land around Village Cay and then move towards their Festival ground. Old containers; old boats; abandoned cars; big potholes. Moving towards the round-about past Bobby’s, which is the supermarket version of Prospect reef; then past the round about to Fleming street. When I was a boy Fleming street was clean and nice. Now it’s dirty, smelly with vendors selling fish and coconuts under broken tents; Romney Pen building falling apart; go towards the court and unkept land, some dirty alternative to Kye Rhymer market. Court House & LEGCO building an embrassmnt with no landscaping a large chopped up tree. Turn right and look at Bobby’s Cinema (almost the prospect reef of entertainment(); old international motor complex. go further look at Nibbs on the left; turn right at tamarind tree and observe the police station which usually looks like a wrecking yard; go past an check out the mud pile that where Sir RB Hall was; then check the disgrace that the historical building has become and to your right look at the wasteland where people abandon cars amongst the muss and potholes of John’s hole. Now you are at the lights and you can gaze to wards Romney Penn’s abandoned piece of land full of more containers and junk and piles of dirt with tamarind and bugs growing. I can’t go on became when you East and get t Port Purcess and Baughers Bay its even worse, although Baughers Bay may get a pass because it’s not Town but instead the charming capital of the 3rd district. Bravo Myron!
this menu you have listed is all correct but from some of the promenient people you have called out this dosent sound like a Government problem this appears to be a cultural problem.
Who owns that dilapidated structure next to the CSY Dock? The territory is really in a deplorable state. The real concern is that every day our elected officials drive pass the mess in their Government issued SUV, with heavily tinted windows, and maybe that’s why they’re not going anything about it. They have turned a blind eye. But you know what, I blame we the people. We continue to elect none performers to get personal hangouts and them complain annamously on social media when our basic needs are not being met. The Government needs to be held accountable for our tax dollars. Why do we pay taxes again and what’s the status on the vote of no confidence?
I am a tourist to the BVI every other year our family visits until recently and we’ve observed the same. Tortola is definitely sliding backwards in what it has to offer. Cane Garden Bay is the gem of the island. Please listen and address these issues as some tourists are now swapping the BVI for Aruba and Barbados (thanks to the leadership of Mia Mottley). We certainly are, but we want to return to the BVI in 2025. Please give us a reason again and bring back the botanical gardens.
Don’t forget upper main street and longbush area
She’s right though, Road Town is not dirty, it’s a filthy s**t hole. It looks and smells dirty!
NO way she said that! Luce on the bad mix juju, cause ain’t no way she live on the same tortola that we live. The place is a filthy MESS; NASTY… not even the air is clean. The BVI is literally a dot on the map, way too small to be this DIRTY and you trying say otherwise. WE CAN SEE TOO THOUGH!!!!
Road Town is DIRTY!!
ROAD TOWN IS DIRTY, SMELLY, CRAPPY LOOKING AND BUSTED. MAY AS WELL CALL IT GHETTO VILLE AKA SANTO VILLE. LOOK AT THE WAY Y’ALL ALLOW THE SANTOS TO DESTROY ROAD TOWN WITH THEIR NASTY DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR/ANIMAL LISTIC BEHAVIOR. YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO CALL ROAD TOWN THE CAPITAL AND INVITE TOURIST AND VISITORS TO VISIT. ONE BIG SEWER SHIT DUMP. START WITH RESTORATION AND GIVE THE MAIN POST OFFICE A GOOD SPRAY WASHING AND A DECENT PAINT JOB.
Not to mention the bums and mentally ill that rush you outside of business establishments.
This lady need some damn bifocal or coke bottle glasses. Hate to say it but if someone is dirty, they will not see dirty. Road Town is dirty and smelly and is is need of a major clean up from top to bottom.
Wha ayo expect?
Stale drunk from the Quavaberry
To start cleaning up the dot sitting on the VOLCANO ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.
CHIILD YOU DIDN’T REALLY MEAN THAT ,
Clearly Luce Hodge-Smith has not been on the many trips overseas on the government trips. You can not see that this is a 3rd world country with politicians with Horse blinkers on. They clearly have zero interest in bettering the bvi to the place we all deserve to live. Its a tiny country one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but the infrastructure should be perfect. I needs a major plan to improve the entire island starting with the roads. All the electricity, Water, Sewage, Drainage and telicom are all under the roads with access to them through manhole covers level with the top of the road. There needs to be a major long term plan to rebuild this country before we can more forward. VG roads are superior to Tortola. The roads need to be built with correct safety measures. Not this random patchwork of things which may work. for example the roads are just getting higher and higher and the foundations are never being corrected. Look at this new drainage hump in seacows bay. Clearly there was no thought in this installation. No one cares about this at all so i feel my words will fall on deaf ears.
This site is filled with bitter NDP types- Luce is right- VIP all the way come 2027
Perhaps she should join the NDP PARTY. Whoever you are,you are nothing more than a freaking TOOL. also known as a s**pid person with no plucking sense. CHOP CHOP.
Learn to spell correctly before you fart
and also very anti BVI types mostly ex pats who want to see UK take over so they can get greater control. They have been very dissapointed that it has not happened.
Road Town not dirty to her because dirty people can’t see dirt. It’s all the wickedness and selfishness in the mind.
Not dirty … FILTHY!!
Don’t talk about Road Town from Creque Store to the foot of Joes Hill Road. One big GHETTO. How our current and former district reps could sit back and watch this turn into a back-a-wall low class DUMP in front of their eyes and in the middle of town is beyond me.
People even scared walking in that area which is an insult to the BVI.
Clean up badly needed.
I don’t mess or deal with that area. A bit toooooo shady for me.
It is not only dirty, it stinks
Road Town STINKS, DIRTY, SMELLS, THE AIR IS HOT AND MUSKY. Road Town is starting to look like the old Times Square in NYC or the Slums of India. Road Town is becoming a Seedy questionable area. I agree, you all allow the Santos to F up, take over and destroy Road Town with their nasty disgusting ways. You darn skippy, The new and approve Road Town AKA GHETTO CENTRAL.
What do you expect? She drives around in a brand new tinted black vehicle paid for by the taxpayers of the BVI. She doesn’t see what we see! Ridiculous that she would say this. The first step in fixing a problem is admitting there’s one.
look pun haters! Not one solution, only death they wishing for we/ Tortola
@lord The solutions are there: fix the sewers, clean the ghuts, paint the buildings, remove the junk cars, fix the fences, pour new sidewalks, rebuild Prospect Reef, clean out the derelict areas. People have offered lots of solutions. Not one of them involves a music fest or Vybz concert, but that’s what we got.
This is officially the RACIST SITE where they congregate – I am glad we have found them out
This not a result of this govermanet. While they are not addressing this issue, but neither d any previous government. Like the roads, garbage disposal, education & health- Gov’t nah give a ras.
WELL WHILE THE WIGGED SINGING HIS SLAVE MASTERS SONG TO CREATE DISTRACTION , THE SPANIARDS ARE CREATING GHETTOS , ANYWHERE ONE LIVE , IN A COUPLE WEEKS THEY START ADFING ON ROOMS AND ID A COUPLE OF MONTHS YOU WILL SEE MANY GOING IN AND COMING OUT , WHO AIN’T SELLI THEIR BODIES SELLING FOOD ( AND I FO E TELL AR-YO LESVE YHAT SPANISH FOOD ALONE , OR YOU WILL GET HOOKED , SOME MAN HAVE TO LEVE A PORTION OF THEIR SALARY WITH THEM BEFORE THE HO HOME TO THEIR WIFE OR WOMAN , AND THEN THATS WHRN THE PROBLEMS GOING TO START AKA BREAK UPS
Look by the police station perimeter fence full of bushes and up great mountain road garbage on the side of the road
As Fraser saying Sea Cows Bay is not dirty and filthy. Wonder if he not ashamed when the paying and staying guest have to drive through Sea Cows Bay on their way to Nanny Cay Hotel.
Them Solid waste men don’t do nothing like long time making the situation worse.
If a Leader of Government can open her mouth and proclaim “Road Town Is Not Dirty!” Then i would be appalled to measure her level of cleanliness.
Leaders must lead by example. What a statement to make. Look at behind OminFashion
Look at the unkept lawns , looke at garbage thrown behind fences , look at the dumpster sites , see in front of Bobby’s people have no way to sell produce because the rent for the dry weather Kisok is too expensive.
Do you travel out of the BVI ? Wow!!
Then you wonder why the BVI environment looks so unhealthy!! Wow! Wow!
The World Is A GHETTO. Any questions?
Well while we especially the WIGGED ONE only know how to cast the BLAME on the white slave master for EVERYTHING to get attention and create DRAMA the Spaniards are doing a number on US , who ain’t selling their BODIES is now operating as DRUG MULES , the drugs are now billing MANIFACTURED in Santo DISGUISED IN MANY WAYS and brought in the country in many waters, then there are those who rents an apartment and keeps adding on secret rooms and renting to others so as you said UPPER MAINSTREET IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY OPERATE , CHECK FOR YOURSELF, , THE IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS , SRE BEING USED , THEY NEED TO MONITOR THOSE WHO MAKING REGULAR VISITS TO SAMTO AND BACK AND DON’T EVEN HAVE AHOOD JOB , PLUS SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO IS WORKING IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING WITH THEM SO THEY ARE CLEARED AND COME THROUGH SMOOTHLY / THE LADY WHO THEY HAVE IN MIAMI IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE ALONG WITH THE NOTORIOUS DREW , WHO JUDGE WIGGIE KEEPS HOLLERING OUT , FREE THE DREW , SO SHE DON’T HAVE A CLUE OF WHATS REALLY GOING ON BEHIND IN OUR BACK YARD , SHE IS JUST FOLLO ORDERS AND ENJOYING THE BENIFITS , ( LOOK WE CAN’T EVEN GET OUR WELL DESERVED INCREMENTS , THE PERSON WHO WAS MAKING AN EFFORT , WAS FIRED , TRUMP STYLE , WHAT IS YHIS CHILD DOING .OR DID FOR IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OR COUNTRY ❓️, EXCEPT SAYING * YES * ? MASTER YOUR WISH IS
MY COMMAND .
The pavements are filthy, anyone with a small child or stumbles ends covered in nasty dirt. We bought a street cleaner but never used it. Shop owners used to hose down their bit of stoop, a prractice you don’t see anymore ( but mainly government needs street cleaning machines and fix all the broken pavement and sewerage.
So much broken sidewalks, planters, bits of masonry and blocks, shops storing their waste or stock on the street, broken cars, unlicensed car washes, boat trailers left for months, football pitch sized puddles when it rains, missing road signs, worn off road markings, piss stinking open sewers, streets never swept or pressure washed, feral parking, overflowing ghuts, trash everywhere.
This little island use to be clean back in the days its the people’s….where did the derillic vehicles come from..the people’s where did the garbage come from.. The people’s I’ve seen people pull up by a garbage bin and just toss their garbage on the ground by a empty bin…if you see people littering say something if you don’t your just as bad…. Lawless little island….
SHE MUST BE LIVING ON A OUTER CAY OR ISLAND SOMEWHERE AND ONLY COME FOR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ——-