In May 2024, the Virgin Islands — and Virgin Gorda in particular — suffered record flooding which caused overwhelming damage to Virgin Gorda Villa Rentals (VGVR) properties, particularly our beachfront properties. At that time, your government gave assurances that the drains and culverts leading from Gorda Peak — many of which have collapsed or long outlived their useful life — would be repaired/replaced and upgraded. Your team from the Public Works Department visited on several occasions, but to date no visible work can be seen. At that time, a section of the road was undermined, and the unreinforced concrete road surface was left suspended in space. We asked the responsible department to cone the road and provide signage as well as public announcements of the safety hazard. It was not done.
VGVR took the onus to cone the area off to protect motorists and recommended as well that heavy trucks do not traverse the area.
We are now in August 2025, and despite these commitments no meaningful work or maintenance has been carried out. The recent torrential rains once again overwhelmed the drainage system, causing major damage to our properties and threatening the viability of our operations.
The financial burden of recovery from these catastrophic events has fallen solely on homeowners as well as VGVR. With the changes in world weather and the far-reaching effects of global warming, each weather event not only brings new damage but also results in increased insurance premiums and reduced coverage, making the situation even more unsustainable.
Human cost
Beyond property damage, there is a human cost. Our employees and vendors are directly dependent on continued operations. Some of our staff have been with us for more than 25 years, and we hold a strong sense of commitment to protect their livelihoods, their families and the legacies they have built as part of this community.
There is still an even greater public safety issue as the unrepaired and undermined section of the road (which VGVR coned off) has been further undermined by the recent floods. We’ve again placed the cones to try to safeguard unsuspecting motorists. It’s been 15 months and the government still cannot execute a plan or allocate funds to remedy the situation.
‘Dangerous situation’
This inaction and neglect create a dangerous situation for motorists and residents. The danger is even more alarming when considered in the context of tourism: Should a tourist be injured, the damages to the VI’s reputation would be immeasurable. With the additional August rains, we fear a full road collapse is imminent. This would sever the only alternate access routes to the North Sound and Nail Bay areas, compounding the risks to safety, business and community life.
Further, we note the government’s revision of the climate change policy requires private developers to present drainage and flooding mitigation plans. Yet the government itself seems to bear no responsibility in this plan for public infrastructure. It is only reasonable that the government be held equally accountable for ensuring adequate drainage and flood-prevention measures to protect communities, roads and tourism investments.
We therefore insist that proper concrete culverts be installed at all drainage points from the footlands of Gorda Peak to the sea in order to protect both the public roads and the properties below.
It is disheartening to see that from the $100 million loan facility, little to no allocation has been made toward this critical project, which has now twice — in May 2024 and in August 2025 —resulted in catastrophic flooding. This signals a marked disregard and disrespect for protecting the public and for the safety of Virgin Gorda residents, homeowners, staff and guests.
Two-week ultimatum
Accordingly, we hereby issue a two-week ultimatum:
- Within 14 days of Aug. 20, we require a detailed plan of action from the government, inclusive of a start date, scope of works, and timeline for the repair and upgrading of the drainage system from Gorda Peak and the Mahoe Bay-Mango Bay road.
- Should this not be forthcoming, VGVR will have no alternative but to withhold hotel accommodation taxes payable to the government. These funds will instead be used directly to undertake the necessary remedial works, including culvert installation and road stabilisation, in order to safeguard our community, staff, guests and properties.
Plan of action
Our plan of action would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Closure of one section of the road at three locations in the first instance where the undermined area is located as well as in front of the villas Bella Mare and Villa del Sole. The undermined location, which is right next to a major transformer, is liable to collapse, and the other two areas are damaged culverts which are helping to cause the flooding.
- It is our intent to construct a rectangular concrete culvert similar to the one at Lee Road, with dimensions of four feet wide and three feet high. (These are inside dimensions). There would be removable covers designed to withstand heavy traffic.
- Once the first half of the road is complete, we will repeat on the second half of the road.
- A fourth culvert on the corner above the Mango Bay Resort has been blocked and collapsed as well. VGVR is willing to assist the current owner there if he wishes to replace it.
‘Moral responsibility’
VGVR believes we have a moral responsibility to the residents of Virgin Gorda, our homeowners, our staff and our guests to act where the government has not and seems unwilling to act.
Our intent is not confrontation but protection of livelihoods, safety and the preservation of vital tourism assets that contribute significantly to the VI economy. We have dialogued with the government repeatedly with little to no effect.
Our government has demonstrated little urgency or care, as evidenced by its lacklustre response to both the May 2024 and August 2025 floods. This has never been acceptable but is now untenable and disrespectful to our community.
We believe that when the government fails the people repeatedly and even causes life-threatening situations to exist for long periods of time, then the citizens are entitled to act.
Morally, we are left with no choice but to protect our community ourselves if action is not taken immediately. Our solution will also entail providing the government with detailed costs of the necessary materials and labour involved to complete these essential repairs.
We will also provide documentation of accommodation taxes withheld by VGVR to facilitate the project.
As a courtesy, we advise that this letter will be shared with all media houses in the VI. We urge you to respond with the seriousness this matter deserves.
