‘Back on our feet? People still homeless, jobless’- Willock
Speaking on the strengthening of the police force due to additional officers from the United Kingdom, The Cayman Islands and Bermuda, and the imposition of a curfew intended to protect businesses and uphold law and order, Premier Smith assured that all is well.
“We are also able to increase their visible presence during the day time in the key commercial areas, again providing security and assurance to businesses that we are back on our feet, that law and order is restored and policing is functioning normally,” said Dr Smith.
This statement drew a number of responses from persons who disagreed.
The reality on the ground
One such person who does not feel the same way as Dr Smith is former Permanent Secretary and Businessman, Mr Julian Willock.
“Now that is a serious statement. The definition of being back on your feet is that the challenges and issues that you suffer before are now corrected and that is not the case,” Mr Willock stated on Honestly Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM radio on Tuesday October 31, 2017.
Giving a feel of what the reality is on the ground for many persons, Mr Willock argued that persons are still sleeping in their cars as well as on boats due to their homes being destroyed by Hurricane Irma.
He added that there is also the issue of loss of jobs, “the issue of a cash economy and the cost of running generators due to the lack of electricity.”
“There are still people who are homeless in our country, there are still people living in homes that leak and they have to mop up every day. There are people driving cars with either windshield gone…there are people with no cars and have to rent if they can still afford.”
Mr Willock mentioned too that many businesses are struggling after falling victim to looting. Many persons have lost their jobs due to businesses being damaged or affected by the hurricanes and have since laid off staff. The service industry has also been hard hit with many hotels and restaurants laying off staff and may shut their doors permanently.
“This is the reality on the ground,” Mr Willock told the show’s host, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline.
“So for the Premier to say to us that we are on our feet and that we are open for business I think that is a little beyond the stretch of one’s imagination, knowing the reality on the ground.”
According to the former Water and Sewerage Department boss, the effects of the recent hurricanes are not about politics, as it was “not a man-made disaster” and so the Premier should level with the people. “You have to communicate with the people.”
“While we will rebound, and I have no doubt about that, while we will rebuild, and I have no doubt about that, for anyone to suggest that we are back on our feet I think it is beyond the pale…”
Mr Willock said the reality of the matter is that the Territory needs help.
“A category 5 hurricane has devastated and destroyed the infrastructure of the Virgin Islands. Any government would have to seek help,” Mr Willock, who has advised Premier Smith to stay away from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank even as the Territory seeks loan funding to rebuild, stated.
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15 Responses to “‘Back on our feet? People still homeless, jobless’- Willock”
Was Doc 's intent to motivate a shellshocked nation? Did Doc mean that the nation was knock down and was in a wheel chair but can now stand, albeit with an unsteady gait and needs a walker to hop along? Was Doc's delivery in artful (quite often words do not communicate our genuine intent the way we want)?
Doc needs to reboot and communicate with the nation up close and pesonal on what he meant by the " BVI is back on its feet and open for business" if he has not already done so. Suspect that internal and external customers are eagerly and anxiously waiting for a clarification. Clearly customers are unsatisfied and urgent action is needed to meet their satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is the goal, is it not? There is no shame nor leadership weakness to clarify what was meant. Consistency and clarity of message is needed; there must be some communication discipline.
Do not mind the talk Mr Willock you speaking good we got you on election day