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‘West End ferry dock designs reflect BVI people’, RDA boss contends

Anthony McMaster is the Acting CEO of the RDA.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA), Anthony McMaster said despite the concerns about the new West End Ferry Terminal design, the plans reflect who Virgin Islanders are as a people.

McMaster said when people think about the territory, they immediately think about the sea and beaches the territory possesses.

“We pride ourselves and we continue to say we are 60 islands and cays. But on the grand scheme of things, that is only 58 square miles. But that is not the BVI, because when we think about the BVI, the BVI is not a small land state. The BVI is in fact a large water state. We have over 200 square miles of sea that is available to us. So, when you think about it. The sea is the future of the BVI. There is no way we can try to develop new sources of revenue streams, new ways in which to enjoy our lives and not look at the sea.,” McMaster said.

The CEO said the ferry terminal design was deliberately done to replicate the waves of the Caribbean Sea that washes the territory’s shores.

“The wave of the sea tells you about the resilience of the BVI people; that regardless of how many times we are knocked down, we get up. We have proven it with Irma. Though we are a land base territory, we are a huge water base state. As such, this building was designed to depict who we are,” the CEO said.

“It’s not about whether or not we want to continue with the traditional type of building, it’s about us now as a people stepping forward boldly saying this is who we are. This is the way how we are going forward in the future. We are not afraid to take chances and to stand against the biggest and the best because we are a little giant,” he elaborated.

Over the past week, some Virgin Islanders have been expressing concerns with the aesthetics of the new ferry terminal; citing that it does not consider the identity of the territory.

At a public meeting hosted by the government on Tuesday, one resident questioned if any consideration for national identity was given when designing the structure. He described the existing designs as a ‘mimicry’ of modernism.

Locals express concerns over ‘lack of BVI identity’ in ferry dock designs

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30 Comments

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  1. Maria says:

    Mr. McMaster, no it does not. Why do people want to push this design down our throats? This is our country as well as if the majority is saying they are not in favor of the design what is wrong in going back to the drawing board?

    Like 40
    Dislike 2
    • @maria says:

      Yes it does you always want big things. When all you don’t get them all you still complain. All does want to wear fur coat and all when it hot. All you just wasting the German’s time. No wonder BVI is looked at as a joke.

      Like 7
      Dislike 13
    • him says:

      I like the guy in the background of the photo. He looks like he wouldn’t allow this piece a crap be built

  2. oh bwoy says:

    What a crock of horse sht

    Like 38
    • Rubber Duck says:

      It is. The design is some imagined modernist impractical fantasy redolent of the worst days of the USSR.

      And a man wearing a nasty green shirt has no business commenting on taste.

      Give us something that reflects BVI, not this hideous carbuncle on the face of Tortola.

  3. CHILD says:

    U NEED GLASSES ? OR U IN FANTASY LAND

    Like 16
  4. Glass buildings says:

    In a hurricane zone with category 7 monster storms should have buildings that are resilient. This building is some sort of European utopian design concept which simply does not work down here.

    Like 19
    • TurtleDove says:

      @ Glass buildings

      Agreed and they never heard of a hurricane……LOL My first thought was will it end up in the sea….Replacing a few windows is more sustainable

  5. WTF says:

    Mr. Napoleon Complex needs to STFU and stop talking p**s. Who is he to be deciding the imagery that should be associated with BVI. Who made him spokesman for the people in deciding that the people want to go forward boldly with thus bulls**t… lol.

    Like 14
    Dislike 2
  6. Me thinks says:

    If it represents a wave, it must be the wave in a toilet bowl when this turd ? of a plan dropped in.

    So where are the interior designs and an aerial overview of where this will be placed and the associated parking? Where is the cost? So far not enough information, especially for the price tag. Why am I thinking I’m a young lady on a Friday night date hearing, “come on baby, just the tip, that’s all”. We know how that goes.

    Everyone seems in a hot rush to seal the deal.

    Like 22
  7. ? says:

    Who does the derelict schools reflect?

    Like 12
  8. Voice says:

    Building a shore side structure in the Caribbean symbolically representing a Large Wave – could we be an evocation we live to regret. The Sea Spirits are watching our Folly….

    Like 12
  9. Hmmmmm says:

    And the RDA boss reflects the alternate name of a donkey!

  10. FFS says:

    The f**king thing looks like something out of a Jetsons episode! We cannot properly dispose of sewage, trash, no running water, schools are shit, roads are a mess, everything is falling apart but OH YEA, let us spend $50 mil on a f**king floating spaceship/submarine down in West End, this makes so much sense and reflects the BVI people. Thanks Mr. McMaster, such a bright and forward thinking man.

    Like 27
  11. hmm says:

    I like modern architecture but… I feel like government gonna run down this building in no time tbh. It look pretty but they not gonna maintain this properly.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  12. BS! says:

    This is some leftover design that the architect had which was rightly rejected in another country already.

    Like 16
    Dislike 1
  13. looks like a dead whale says:

    or possibly a white elephant..another overweaning vanity project.

  14. Nope... says:

    It does not reflect the Virgin Islands people! Do we build homes looking like that?
    God seems to have given many of those in all levels of authority over to folly!

  15. LOL says:

    looks a lot like the current airport. there is a rush on to get it through before Government changes again, wonder why?

  16. Madness says:

    The emperor has no clothes.

  17. Wosname says:

    Totally agree with FFS. I see this as corrupt. Give me 5k and I will give you an artists impression for approval. Another 40 k for details and 55k for full approved engineering drawing that all Virgin Islanders and tourists will be proud of.

  18. Citizen says:

    Now it make sense why he still acting.

  19. WTH says:

    I’m still trying to make sense of what I just read.

  20. Zoom says:

    Really have no idea how anyone could want this!

  21. FUTURE IN ADVANCE says:

    APPROVED,START BUILDING ACCEPTED .

  22. Me says:

    What an A** for making such a statement

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