So the election is upon us!
But first, an apology. For weeks we have been smelling a terrible “sewage” smell as we drive along the south coast of Tortola, and cursing the government (or the Water and Sewerage Department) for taking so long to fix our sewage problems. But investigating further after being almost driven out of church by the stench last week, we discover that the smell is from the rotting seaweed! So, as I say, an apology.
However, almost every other week WSD representatives are at the foot of the hill known as The Elevator attempting to repair yet another leak. Why can’t they fix it once and for all? Now they appear to be laying pipes across the road so that future leaks will be fed into the mangroves and not on the road surface! Is this the right way to go about it?
Then Kevin “OJ” Smith says if elected he will solve the problem of sewage at Slaney. But surely that is an empty promise? The problem is already in the process of being resolved with the building of the new sewage plant at Road Reef. So he won’t be able to claim that.
Election
Now to the election. I have a vote and will use it (them), but I am apolitical in my commentaries.
Do we have to put up with this appalling singing at political rallies?
Everybody is asking the same questions about the road works, particularly the kerbing. Where will the water go? Communications and Works Minister Mark Vanterpool says we are getting well surfaced, well drained roads, but I don’t think anyone believes him. The whole thing looks rushed. And for how long is the road to be closed in East End? Don’t we have any professionals? Oh yes! Of course! There is an election coming!
It is noticeable that the Virgin Islands Party is not mentioning the road works. I wonder why?
And things have gone pretty quiet on the airport and greenhouse projects. This is typical of the unrealistic claims being made by candidates for things that are already happening, or are very unlikely to happen, or have not been costed, or should not be the concern of government. For example, a helicopter ambulance for Virgin Gorda. We can’t keep a special boat going, even after millions of dollars in repairs, so how could we possibly afford to keep a helicopter and one or two pilots, paramedics and/or nurses on standby for the relatively small number of call-outs on the island?
Years ago, the VIP government was offered an air ambulance helicopter service, but turned it down — some say because certain people had a vested interest in the existing arrangement with an overseas company.
The late night ferry service is another great idea that is destined for failure when we try and negotiate keeping open customs and immigration at both ports.
Newcomers
In general so far, incumbent candidates are offering sensible speeches, but the newcomers, with no experience, are talking local politics with no mention of our national problems of finance and tourism. But then, for the most part, we have a generally very fickle electorate.
I have always said that Third District incumbent Julian Fraser on the whole made a good opposition member, asking the right sort of pointed questions of ministers, though he often was treated badly in not receiving answers, which we all wanted to hear. However, it is impossible to forget his past record in government when he treated his ministry as his own empire.
Candidates of both parties are complaining about years of neglect in districts One, Two and Nine especially. But you can’t blame that on the representatives alone. Both parties have been in power during those years and did not see fit to pour money in. Virgin Gorda has basically been developed by private enterprises, having bought land from our own landowners.
If the VIP thinks our finances are in dire straits, what are they going to do about it if they are elected?
Nomination Day
Independent candidates are coming out of the woodwork. But wait until Nomination Day tomorrow and see how many of them turn up with their sponsors and money. A small group in particular say they will stand at large, though their main aim seems to be to sell shares through an arrangement with characteristics of a pyramid scheme via an advertisement in the Beacon last week. The editor missed that. He also missed Gil Trott’s assertion that King George V married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the mother of our present queen. Surely that was his second son, George VI?
The problem with our small electorate is that if any independents do stand, they will only get a tiny percentage of the vote: They don’t stand a chance of being elected, but they could well affect the outcome for the main parties. Maybe said parties are encouraging them in the hopes of just such an upset, one way or the other.
The people who are going to make a killing on this election are the media and press: Good luck to them! And don’t forget the accursed mobile phone companies with their daily unsolicited text messages!
Has anyone noticed more and more brazen scooter riders weaving in and out and not wearing crash helmets? Where are the traffic police? And what happened to the police commissioner saying we don’t need to call out the police for simple fender benders? I don’t think the insurance companies went along with that?
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