The territory can’t fight an “unconventional economic war with conventional methods,” said First District representative Andrew Fahie at his campaign launch Saturday night in Cappoons Bay. Instead, the minister of education and culture said his party plans to pursue new ways to generate revenue.

Mr. Fahie said medical tourism, a medical school, sportfishing, drag racing, sports tourism and performing arts are some of the potential sources of new revenue.

The performing arts industry “is going to mushroom in this territory,” and can be linked to the tourism industry, Mr. Fahie said.

To make sure these and other new projects take hold, the public service will have to be restructured, Mr. Fahie said.

“Currently, if you have an idea for how to increase revenue, you take it to the ministry that subject is under,” he said, but “no matter how determined the minister is to have it accomplished, there are usually factors that block or even kill the idea.”

New unit

According to Mr. Fahie, the solution to this problem is to create a new unit in the public service that is staffed by different government ministries and departments depending on the project they are working on.

“We will put the key components in the unit. After the task is completed they will be returned to their departments,” Mr. Fahie said, adding that the unit will be given set tasks to complete in a given timeframe.

“Rewards must be given if they perform and penalties applied if they don’t,” Mr. Fahie said.

He said that this plan is not a criticism of the territory’s public servants, who he called “some of the best public servants in the world,” but added that the VI can’t continue to rely on the same routines if it expects things to improve.

“My people, this is a simple solution that will get the territory moving in the right direction,” Mr. Fahie said, adding that the idea will help with “realising new revenues in a more timely manner.”

Mr. Fahie and the VIP’s at-large candidates said “team VIP” has worked on many initiatives to benefit the First District, citing contracts to clean ghuts, repair restrooms at Smugglers Cove, re-seal roads and cut bush.

Government also purchased a building to establish a modern post office in Carrot Bay, Mr. Fahie said, adding that the facility should be open in “the next few days.” The post office will allow residents to pay their utility bills and transfer money, and will have an “Internet café,” saving residents on gasoline and trips to Road Town, according to Mr. Fahie.

“This is futuristic planning,” he added.

A ‘humble’ leader

In introducing the candidate, Premier Ralph O’Neal called Mr. Fahie a “humble, humble man.”

“You have somebody looking out for your interests,” Mr. O’Neal said of Mr. Fahie, urging residents to “keep him there” in the House of Assembly and “don’t let him get away.”

Mr. Fahie was first elected in 1999 in the first general election held after the death of the territory’s first chief minister, H. Lavity Stoutt. The late Mr. Stoutt represented the First District from 1957 until his death in 1995. His son, Preston, is now running against Mr. Fahie in the district.

Mr. Fahie, a former math teacher at BVI High School and later an assistant principal, was made the territory’s first education minister when that ministry was created in 2000. In 2007, Mr. Fahie received the most votes of any district candidate: 611.