So we have it officially now. According to the minister of communications and works, the territory is broke, and seems to have been unsuccessful in obtaining loans from either the Caribbean Development Bank or the United Kingdom. Hence it probably cannot back the Biwater contract.

If “we are just waiting for the contractor to start work on the roads,” why can’t they ask him, and/or tell us, why he hasn’t started yet? Does he have the necessary working machinery? Has he been paid any advance? Does the contract have mobilising specifications, or starting, finishing and penalty dates/clauses? Is it rocket science? Surely the gang of men I saw last week filling potholes in East End with shovelled tarmac — and elsewhere with concrete — can’t be it?

If the Virgin Islands Party doesn’t win the next election, whoever forms the next government will find the coffers not only bare of money, but full of garbage, too! And they complained about what the National Democratic Party left them!

Election candidates, from the poorly educated to preachers, are crawling out of the woodwork. Presumably they must either get the approval of one of the established parties, who will surely assess their prospects of winning before endorsing them, or stand as independents. Either way, they need sponsoring and have to put up a fee. Presumably the parties will only put up one candidate for each district seat? Otherwise they commit electoral suicide.

Independents, unless extremely popular, can only act as spoilers for the other parties. Maybe we should have primaries to choose candidates, like the United States does? We don’t want any “hanging chads” or candidates “helping” old folks cast their ballots for them! Meanwhile the incumbent representatives are being extremely quiet!

VG incinerator idea

So Virgin Gorda needs an incinerator? Has it ever been thought of before? Couldn’t VG residents’ garbage be barged over to Tortola? (Just joking!) If they go about it the right way, they might even get one before our new one is working! What is going on there?

Sorry about the vehicle examiners having to sit out in the sun and smoke. Another well thought-out move by government! But they need more than shade to carry out their job properly as per their own regulations. Are they qualified to do all the tests stipulated? They never seem to do them. Whilst this may be good for some of us, it does allow some terrible old bangers to be on the roads!

Driver’s licences

As for the driving licence regulations, well!

Surely, all they should require is a certificate to say that you have passed a driving test, your present expiring licence, or a licence from another jurisdiction?

• Why does it have to be renewed on your birthday?

• Why does it have to be tied to a work permit?

• Why does it have to be tied to a residence permit?

• Why does it have to be tied to a belonger’s certificate?

• Why does it have to be tied to a passport?

• What about the Alien Land Holder’s Permit?

• Why can’t we be issued one licence that lasts until we are 70?

• Why does the vehicle insurance renewal date have to be tied to the vehicle licence renewal date? Surely, so long as the insurance is valid at that date, that is all that is required?

As for those “taxi” — no, let’s say “public service vehicle” — plates: What a fiasco!

Mosquito Island lemurs

Rumour has it that the lemurs are to arrive in a week or so. I am absolutely astounded that this exercise should even be contemplated by such an astute person as Sir Richard Branson, if indeed it is his idea.

At least flamingos were here originally and have been reintroduced. But lemurs are native to Madagascar and omnivorous (so they will eat all the local flora and fauna that is to their liking). They also can jump and swim. I could just about understand it if a few were to be kept in cages for visitors to see (as are the sloths at the dolphin facility. You don’t know about those? Go and see!), but not for them to be set free to roam the island!

How could the minister of natural resources and labour have authorised this without researching the background? He is the minister, that’s how! I don’t know what that was about visitors paying $20,000 a night (some exaggeration, surely) to have lemurs jumping on them in bed?

Lastly, the Nanny Cay wall and sidewalk. The “petty” contractor seems to have set kerbstones on the sea side without any drainage holes (as there are on the land side), and has aligned them in such a way as to make the road even narrower on the bend. Looks like a lake in the making!

I don’t really expect any answers from our “head-in-the-sand” officials, so… enough rambling for now!