Wet Rollerz Painting Company worker Cedric Maduro spent his Saturday painting the East End Community Library as a part of the Rotary Club of Road Town’s “Project 1 BVI” day. Photo: KEN SILVA

In 1962, the Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman published the book Capitalism and Freedom, which argues that the only social responsibility of a business is to maximise its profits within the rules of a free-enterprise system.

That book would go on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies, and be cited by many business owners and entrepreneurs arguing that their only duty is to look out for the interests of their own enterprises.

Wet Rollerz Painting Company worker Cedric Maduro spent his Saturday painting the East End Community Library as a part of the Rotary Club of Road Town’s “Project 1 BVI” day. Photo: KEN SILVA
Many Virgin Islands residents clearly don’t buy Dr. Friedman’s argument, though, as evidenced by participation of workers from all walks of the private sector in the Rotary Club of Road Town’s “Project 1 BVI” day on Saturday.

That day, Rotarians and volunteers from local businesses participated in a variety of projects around Tortola.

Many of the projects entailed painting, with volunteers painting the East End Community Library, the benches at the Mount Healthy National Park, a classroom at the Enis Adams Primary School and a perimetre wall at the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School.

Other projects included planting palms in the parking lot across from Peebles Hospital, cleaning up the Road Town roundabout, and helping with food drives outside of One Mart.

Businesses represented included BDO, Harneys, Walkers Global, Road Town Wholesale, O’Neal Webster and Wet Rollerz Painting Company.

Giving back

Wet Rollerz owner Korville Maduro and two of his employees spent most of the day power washing the dirt off the East End library and then giving it a fresh coat of paint.

Mr. Maduro said he and his two employees felt it was important to do some pro bono work because the community has helped make their business a success.

“We started 10 years ago, and we’ve been growing slowly and slowly, so it’s time to give back because we’ve been doing great,” he said. “Doing the library was to help out for the kids.”

While Mr. Maduro was painting the outside of the library a peach colour with teal trim, Harneys Marketing Manager Shonda Leacock was moving back shelves and books in the newly painted interior.

Asked why she decided to participate even though – like Mr. Maduro – she’s not a part of the Rotary Club, Ms. Leacock echoed similar sentiments to those of the painter outside.

“I think it’s essential to give back to society,” she said, “because that what’s shapes our country.”

Non-Rotarians

People like Mr. Maduro and Ms. Leacock are exactly why the Rotary Club created the community service day, said Rotary Club of Road Town President Ryan Geluck, who is also a director at BDO.

“When I go around and speak to people, they say they can’t make the commitment to the weekly meetings and other events, but they want to work alongside us and do more,” he said.

At the end of the day, Rotary Club Public Image Director Lavina Liburd said volunteers didn’t accomplish quite as much as they wanted.

They did complete all seven of the projects started that day, she said, but in the near future they want to undertake activities such as soundproofing the after-school music room in Huntums Ghut and installing new blinds at the East End library.

The club also wants to fix up the Centennial Park by the Crafts Alive Village.

“That park was damaged during land reclamation, and it’s a lot worse than we expected,” she said. “We’re still assessing what needs to be done.”

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