Unemployment rates in D7 believed to be highest among all districts
Seventh District Representative Dr Natalio Wheatley.
Representative of the Seventh District Dr Natalio Wheatley has said he believes the unemployment rate within his constituency is the highest in comparison to the other districts in the British Virgin Islands.
Dr Wheatley made the statement during a community meeting on Thursday when he addressed a number of the growing concerns that have been plaguing his district.
He said: “We have suffered, I would say, from a lack of investment over the years. And as a result of that, we have a big problem with unemployment in our district. Our district needs more investment.”
“Out of all the districts in the Virgin Islands, I think the Seventh District is the one district most in need of jobs, and we are going to bring those jobs here,” he added.
Commercial spaces coming to Brandywine Bay
To help tackle the unemployment issue, Dr Wheatley said the government has been putting a number of measures in place to create more jobs within the community.
The most recent includes plans to create commercial spaces at Brandywine Bay to generate more revenue for the community.
“I have discussed with the community a project and the community, of course, have bought into this project of having commercial spaces on Brandywine Bay beach. So very shortly we are going to sign a contract for the commercial spaces on Brandywine Bay beach to be designed,” Dr Wheatley said.
He added: “We will build commercial properties on Brandywine Bay beach which we will lease to persons and certainly persons from the Brandywine community will have preference. We will rent spaces to persons right along the beach, and this Brandywine Bay will be an area that will draw persons away from places like Cane Garden Bay.”
The district representative said that once the commercial spaces have been established, a number of small business owners will be able to benefit from tourism activity.
“[I am] talking about persons who want to have their kayak businesses on the beach, persons who want to have their smoothie stands, persons who want to rent their beach chairs, persons who want to have restaurants on the beach,” he explained.
Other initiatives
Dr Wheatley, who is also the territory’s Agriculture Minister, further listed some of the other initiatives he believes will create more jobs within his district.
These include the $2 million economic stimuli for fishermen and farmers, the medical marijuana initiative which is expected to employ farmers and establish dispensaries across the district, a number of clean-up initiatives, and the establishing of a modern fishers and farmers market.
Unemployment register programme
Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley said a resident within his community has created a programme which is geared at recording the number of unemployed persons within the Seventh District.
By having this system in place, the minister said it will allow for better management of the unemployed, therefore assisting with the reduction of the current high levels.
“I have gotten one of the persons from the East, Mr Philip Fahie of Nature’s Way. He has developed some technology that will allow us to register the unemployed person within our district, and this registry will allow persons to register for different programmes that we are going to have in the community,” Dr Wheatley explained.
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Brandywine Bay is a mess !
The junk and old containers on the land side of the road are disgusting.
The Government is keeping the island closed causing high unemployment, people suffering so that they can ask for aid from the UK and the Caribbean. Then when the money arrives it will disappear in the pockets of the ruling few and their cronies. The people suffer and continue to suffer all for the benefit of King Foy. Demand that the Territory open so all can prosper once again. Don’t be kept in darkness.
That ain’t new news go sit down it must b the highest rate they only want to smoke out there lungs they never wants to work you just see that you late stop vex me. Eastend road what you driving on is the worst and biggest pot hole in history set a waste
REALLY, this is going to create jobs and feed hungry people now!
They prefer to sit and smoke all day
They will litter that place with bottles and cans just like they did to longbay beef island
Do you really think people live exactly where they work etc.
The BVI is great, it really is.
But it is absolutely too small to be discussing unemployment on a district level.
Bigger picture thinking please.
What the minister is proposing is indeed great and I hope that persons in the 7tht district can truly appreciate the good he is doing to help alleviate the social ills he has observed. That apart, I just want to comment on a few things
As it relates to unemployment : In tackling the unemployment issue, be mindful that if people can come from different islands and find work, then there must be work. It has to be that they do not want to work, or they do not want the work that is available to them, or perhaps its this entitlement mentality where they prefer to get beg for a hand out. And yes, you can give a hand out, but you must also give a hand up, or else it run the risk of creating a welfare state. The point I am making is, indeed, some persons may not be as educated as others and may not get the job they think they deserve, but if they truly want to work they will find work.
Next, commercial spaces are great, but what about residential spaces too – rent to own homes on the hill so one can wake up to the view.
Moreover, as it relates to fishing and farming the minister head is in the perfect place although I am yet to observe what is happening in those industries. With regards to the medical marijuana I shall remain mute out of deference.
Now all that the minister have suggested requires money, lots of it ; and considering what is going on perhaps it would have been prudent to identify only a few key projects ( and of course he could work on the others silently). And I say he should have identified only a few key projects instead of revealing his full deck of cards because if funding is obtained for some and not for all of the projects he mentioned , persons are not going to care about all the bureaucracies that are involved in getting many of these projects started and then they will start an uproar. The minister does not want to be accused of promising and not fulfilling his word.
That said, may the minister continue doing the great work he is doing , but be cognisant of the fact that one cannot help those who do not want to be helped so you can bring heaven to them and they are gonna just look at you and ask, what is dat because what the minister offers- a way to help oneself – may be be different from what they have grown used to expect.
In closing, God’s blessing be upon the minister as always. 7th power.
well said
the thumb us button not working – thumbs up to 7th power’s comment.
Is this about transferring govt money around? If you don’t have outside economic stimulus this’ll be a big waste of money. Invest in things needed to get the island open. Testing, ppe etc.
I vote in the 7th District and did not vote for Wheatley but will do so next time. He is a caring man and is not selling us out in District 7 orthe Territory.
Noting new about that ,too much lazy people on the street.
It has always been that way as persons living on that side of island doesn’t like to work. And even the young ones picking it up. They not even finishing school now.
Them smoke all day
Too many expatriates occupy our jobs you need to send them all home your too soft on them they are burdening our resources