Buy back sold out small islands – Edmund G. Maduro
It’s is a topic the Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Hon Pickering touched on at the most recent sitting of the House of Assembly, beating back critics who accused him of selling lands in Josiah’s Bay and other areas.
In a question asked on the subject by Leader of the Opposition Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) a few weeks ago and answered on Monday October 31, 2016 at the continuation of the Second Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly (HoA), Dr Pickering, whose portfolio includes National Parks, dismissed the issue.
"The notion that this government is planning to take away concession rights or to sell the island of Prickly Pear is pure unadulterated nonsense," the Deputy Premier told the HoA.
“Land is such a sacred issue you get beat up left right and centre for land, for stuff you don’t even know anything about. I’ve been accused of thieving people land, taking people land, giving it to white people all kinds of story…”
Dr Pickering, who has been accused by some, according to him, of giving away lands to whites, explained that the National Parks Trust (NPT) entered into a license agreement with a concessionaire from December 1, 2010 for an initial period of ten years, with an option to renew for an additional ten years. He said the concessionaire can get the additional ten years, “if there are no breaches to the agreement.”
Buy back lands
Many, including Mr Maduro, are none-the-less convinced that lands that should have otherwise been in the hands of locals or government itself, has been sold out unjustly and according to talk show host Edmund G. Maduro, should be re-purchased.
“We the people in the British Virgin Islands must see that the handwriting is on the wall, selling out all our islands, our smaller islands, is folly. As a matter of fact, we need to buy them back,” said Maduro.
Asking the rhetorical question as to how and where this National Democratic Party led Government would get the money to do so, Maduro said, “Under good governance we can determine a justifiable and fair price to take them back.”
“We must not forget that the love of money is the root of all evil and greed destroys a nation,” stated Mr Maduro.
15 Responses to “Buy back sold out small islands – Edmund G. Maduro”
The truth is that is was the disastrous way that Edmund ran his Government department all those years ago that lead to the trust companies relocating so much of their business to other jurisdictions such as Cayman. He was not the only one, but his time in charge was particularly damaging. The lack of substance in our financial services business (and the resultant lack of Government income) is, to a great extent, his fault. Time for an apology Edmund - you never had any constitutional right to wreck Government income!!!
First we have Sam talking nonsense about the Premier selling out to China. If he had done some research he would understand our long-standing business relationship with Asia, particularly with respect to financial services. Now here comes Edmund trying to outshine Sam, as if they're vying for Mr. Idiocy 2016, with this nonsense. As someone already said, most of the prime land and outer islands were owned by local families who sold (for whatever reason) to expats/foreign investors that were willing to pay them top dollar. You same ones are killing Government for holding up the sale of RTW to a foreign company but here telling the same Government, with the same tongue, that they shouldn't be selling land/islands to foreign interests. We are a selfish, short-sighted bunch of people and only care about ourselves. Let's do what's better for 'ME' 'ME' and @$#& the rest. Sometimes I wonder if these guys have any shame at all?
Where are we going to get that kind of money from..