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‘Bunch of illiterate people leading us' – Edmund G. Maduro

- said locals are frustrated about the way Government allows them to be disrespected by foreign investors who allegedly block access to beaches
Radio talk show host Edmund G. Maduro continues to blast the Government for their policies on beaches owned by international investors and the disallowing of locals to access them. Photo: VINO/File
Smugglers' Cove is one of the beaches Maduro said local vendors are being barred from accessing. Photo: VINO/File
Smugglers' Cove is one of the beaches Maduro said local vendors are being barred from accessing. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Radio talk show host Edmund G. Maduro continues to blast the Government for their policies on beaches owned by international investors and their alleged disallowing of locals to access them.

He made such remarks when he called into Doug Wheatley’s Friday evening talk show heard on ZBVI 780AM last evening April 10, 2015.

“Maybe it is a good thing they passing a law saying you can’t have a gun, because a lot of us would pull the trigger,” he said on the show.

“They better stop the damn nonsense in the British Virgin Islands. There is no more bad words…our Constitution says we have freedom of expression,” he said, regarding the strong language he was using during his call.

“These damn people will not change the laws to give us our rights; there are a number of laws that are unconstitutional right now and they are not changing them,” he said.

“Nobody can stop you from going on the beach, nobody who own the whole island can stop you from going on it. We just have a bunch of illiterate people leading us. They are not reading the law. They were put in there to represent us but they are not representing us,” he said.

Beaches are public

Maduro insisted that the beaches are all public and if someone want to use a part of it to build a wharf or do whatever they want to do government can give that part to them for whatever purpose.

“What I am saying now is if those people knew their rights they would take the Government to court and sue them,” he said. “The beaches are as public as the road you drive on…nobody can own them,” he said.

Maduro has been consistent over the years in his call to end what he describes as discrimination meted out to people of the Virgin Islands by foreigners allegedly who seek to place restrictions on who could access the beach. He has accused elected representatives on both sides of the political divide of not representing locals enough on the issue.

“What I am saying is if this Government had any literacy at all they would make sure that they made certain beaches so that the fishermen could pull their seine during the right time of the year,” he said. “When that time of the year ends then they could use it for anything else. But we have a bunch of illiterate [people in Government],” he said.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour placed signs

According to Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7), by law all beaches are accessible but he said his ministry placed signs at certain beaches to prevent an overrun of vendors. He believes that the signs have been misinterpreted as being placed there by private persons. However, Maduro posited that preventing persons from selling to make a living was tantamount of denying them their constitutional rights.

16 Responses to “‘Bunch of illiterate people leading us' – Edmund G. Maduro”

  • cay (11/04/2015, 09:47) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Lawd ah mussy edmund behave
  • Kingfish (11/04/2015, 10:39) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr:Maduro.

    If someone stops you or anyone from going to a beach in the BVI, which we all know are public, take that person to court. The law is already on the books, it is up to the DA and the courts to enforce the laws not the governing administration.
  • Outlaw (11/04/2015, 10:43) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Edmond Maduro, you feel you have brain but you will never learn. Yes the constitution give you freedom of expression and speech but you fully well know you cannot go about expressing yourself in any haphazard and disorderly manner or cannot go about saying what you want about people, there are still stipulations. It was your freedom of expression and speech when you agreed with certain callers to your show some years ago and made certain remarks about the former senior magistrate. Wasn't you sued then for your mouth. Well, well having been sued is one stipulation that you cannot go about saying what you want, will all the rights you have under the constitution
  • Yes (11/04/2015, 12:48) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    This man is crazy
    • rattie (11/04/2015, 17:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      ...When one set of people are hampered, another set of people will, also, be hampered...That's the domino effect, at work for lack of access to beach..
  • Yes (11/04/2015, 14:16) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    I don't know why people use their issues to make it seem like everybody share their sentiments. When Edmund can get more than 10 votes out of 10,000 come election time then maybe people will take him serious.
    • @ lol (11/04/2015, 18:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Everyone has an opinion, and from time to time you will realized that there are contending views and compatible views.
  • not he again (11/04/2015, 16:43) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    ...looks like the mad man dem on the move too. Talking crap seems part of our amazing culture..
  • lil man (11/04/2015, 16:57) Like (4) Dislike (17) Reply
    the more important issue here is how the NDP has disrupt their livelihood of the litt people on the beaches.
  • wize up (11/04/2015, 18:33) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    I hope madro includes himself; he was once in charge of immigrate.... you cant have a bad pass and now expect a great future ( start bad end bad)....
  • pat (12/04/2015, 00:25) Like (26) Dislike (2) Reply
    this is an on-going issue on who has the right to impose on another just because they want to. Why are the vendors in Road Town being place in certain areas? Why are there even laws telling what people can do? Because in a society, there are laws for the greater good and they change with pressure from expanding population, or priorities like protecting the environment, etc. Also included is protecting particular areas like Smugglers for both local families and tourists who want to enjoy a natural and uncrowded beach (though that is changing with cruise ship people).
    The beach is too small for 10-12 vendors all taking the best places and making people feel uncomfortable as their friends sit and stare at bathing suits. it is not OK. Every other territory has protected areas with particular rules and regulations. It is part of an ordered society and nothing about owning the beach.

    Can you imagine if people set up in the median or round-about because they want to and they think they have a right, even if they impede traffic and cause accidents? There has to be regulations for the safety of all not just to cater to those selfish vendors who don't care about anyone else. Maduro is wrong on this one. We live in a society with laws for the good of everyone.
  • Reall Talk (12/04/2015, 18:56) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply

    Mr. Big Politician @*ty man stop your noise.
    you yourself illieterate to.

  • ndp talk (12/04/2015, 21:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "it's my turn to stay in power long like the VIP." Not exactly the kind of message that wins elections.
  • Hmm (13/04/2015, 15:45) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Majority of the bloggers missed the point completely. Which begs the question, how many bloggers understand what they're reading ? Do they read the article at all ? Or do they just like to blog ? Food for thought.


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