Can anyone tell me where Queen Elizabeth Park I is? I thought we only had one (unfinished)? Surely the one we have should be called Queen Elizabeth II Park?
If so, perhaps the powers that be will change the existing sign before Her Majesty’s 90th birthday celebrations on April 21. It must irk the governor every time he drives home from the east.
Another notable birthday last week was that of Mrs. Joyce Westwood, who turned 100 on April 4. She is presently in the United Kingdom, where she had a big family party and received an official telegram from the Queen, delivered by a special post office messenger.
You may not know that her husband Neville was deeply involved in the Virgin Islands becoming an offshore financial centre. I wonder how he would feel about the present situation?
Budget debate
As the editor and I pointed out last week, we learned absolutely nothing about the budget in the budget debate. Since then, we have had piecemeal snippets from the minutes of meetings in which department heads told their tales of woe concerning poor facilities, short staffing and the need for more allocations, or hikes in fees and taxes. But we have no idea whether they will get more or less money, or whether we have to pay increased taxes, and, if so, how much. Reminder: We have, or project, an income of $330 million for 30,000 people (give or take a few extra thousand on the National Health Insurance register), and proposed expenditure of $264 million, and what exactly will we have to show for it?
Pier park
I checked out the Tortola Pier Park on Saturday, a “no ship day.” All the main entrances were closed, and the only way to get in was to drive across the “car park” and find a small gap in the wire fence. There were no more than a dozen cars parked, some of which must have belonged to the few shop owners that were open, and it was deathly quiet.
From next month there will be at least one ship one day a week until November — actually an average of seven per month.
The pier park is far from finished, and if government had to move $8 million from the East End sewer project to “complete” at the inflated $81 million price, then I fear it may never be properly completed. Just like the hospital, the greenhouses, sewerage, roads, water distribution and so on. Just where does the money go?
Reporter
That Canadian reporter who was turned away at the airport obviously did something wrong to upset the immigration official. The BBC film crew got in with a “waiver” and interviewed the premier. The reporter should take advice from the Martinique documentary filmmaker who arrived on a cruise ship and entered the VI with no problem to promote his film. He sent a local paper an e-mail — which was copied to the government’s communications director, the film commissioner, and other officials — asking someone to set up a press conference for him.Do all these preachers, singers, musicians, meeting goers and so on have to get work permits? I doubt it. We obviously have some double standards here, but that is nothing new.
The Governor’s Office seems to have dropped the ball as well. Nobody seems to have noticed that the reporter arranged the interview and tried to come here before the Panama Papers hit the headlines, so he can’t be accused of asking about the $100 million hospital being built with “dirty” money. It’s a good job none of the international media seemed to know about our pier park!
Passports
Regarding the VI passports, you can go online to get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. It only costs $14 and lasts for two years. Meanwhile, local merchants, especially the new highly acclaimed CTL Home Center, should do well if residents have to cut down on trips to St Thomas.
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