On Monday fishermen were seen taking five turtles from Little Harbour, Peter Island. It may be open season, but that is pretty disgusting, especially as they may have been taking many more on other days. On the one hand, we protect turtles laying their eggs, while others are determined to eat them. There really is no need for residents to catch and eat turtles: There are plenty of fish in the sea.
Political promises
Aspiring politicians are promising so many goodies that it’s difficult to keep up with them. Not one idea is costed, so they are most likely not achievable. All of them would come in addition to the cost of keeping our basic infrastructure going, which we can barely afford now, and may have difficulty in funding in the future if the financial services show a decline. On that point, where is the annual budget, which is due about now?
Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton, the leader of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement, wants to open up 24-hour cruise ship visits so passengers can enjoy our nightlife and local restaurants. The pier would be open, but not the pier park. How will that work? Has he given it any thought at all? I can only think of two ports where cruise ships overnight: Bermuda and St. Petersburg, Russia. They do not even stay in their home ports overnight. Cruises have a pretty set pattern: day at sea, days in ports reachable overnight, day at sea, return, usually over one or two weeks.
They would not be able to keep to this programme if there were overnights. Furthermore, they all have casinos on board, which they have to shut when in port. They would not want to lose that revenue, and we are unlikely to change our gambling laws to accommodate. Having paid for all that wonderful food on board, why would they want to pay to eat in our establishments, and is the town safe at night for tourists wandering about?
‘Land banks’
First District Representative Andrew Fahie, who leads the Virgin Islands Pary, will provide “land banks” in each district, where Virgin Islanders can purchase land at favourable rates. If they can’t afford the payments, they can work for government to cover the payments. Doing what? Bush cutting? Sounds like a communist-style government to me.
And did I hear someone saying that “building” would become the third pillar of our economy? The mind boggles.
Another hopeful wants to make the murals at Fahie Hill more accessible by land reclamation (I think he means land acquisition) so that tour buses can park and passengers walk the length of the murals while a guide explains the history. That could be dangerous.
Employment
I want to know where are all these qualified Virgin Islanders sitting around (on island) waiting for the jobs being offered to expatriates? Get them to come forward and identify themselves.
Meanwhile, why is the BVI Ports Authority advertising for insurance companies to offer a very comprehensive health insurance, presumably for their staff? Do they have one already? Does the employer pay the premiums on behalf of staff, or will they be lumbered with yet another deduction from their pay? Don’t they know we have the National Health Insurance, or do they know something about its long-term viability that the rest of us don’t?
Airport meeting
The meeting to update the public on the environmental impact assessment for the proposed airport expansion was okay as far as it went, but the agenda was very restricted. Most of those present wanted to ask questions and voice opinions about the viability of the whole project, but the presenters were not equipped to discuss that aspect. This was the umpteenth of reports, which have cost millions, and we are no further forward.
Cruise ships
Three cruise ships in Road Town on Monday, and what a depressing sight our capital is, with “bombed out” buildings everywhere you look. Could that be the attraction? Long Bay, Beef Island is now being spoilt by hordes of cruise ship passengers, who also have to endure the appalling roads to East End.
On that note, we heard recently that the asphalt plant that government purchased has not really worked properly from the start: another waste of money.
Meanwhile, garbage continues to pile up until the incinerator is repaired and there are still wrecked cars all over the place, especially in Sea Cows Bay. Even if they are on private property, government should insist on removal.