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BVIslanders have made it a blood sport to destroy other BVIslanders - Gaskin

- scolds alleged ‘strife’ making news businesses; Patsy Lake requests help for realtors facing delinquent tenants
Wendell Gaskin aka Pow said British Virgin Islanders have made it somewhat of a blood sport to destroy other British Virgin Islanders. Photo:VINO
Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool at the dedication of the Cutlass Tower building on January 30, 2013. Photo:VINO
Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool at the dedication of the Cutlass Tower building on January 30, 2013. Photo:VINO
Ms Patsy Lake related that there was a dilemma facing realtors in the Territory and made a special appeal to Hon. Vanterpool to have the situation remedied. Photo:VINO/File
Ms Patsy Lake related that there was a dilemma facing realtors in the Territory and made a special appeal to Hon. Vanterpool to have the situation remedied. Photo:VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Mr Wendell Gaskin aka Pow, in paying posthumous tribute to Mrs Otencia Fahie-Warrie aka Miss Tensie who passed away on October 17, 2012, said she helped build the country from a system where some persons were able to get by just on their names alone and who they belonged to.

He noted during a dedication of the Cutlass Tower building on January 30, 2013 that she had a strong faith and steady character and made many contributions to others in the community and to various charities whenever possible.

Mr Gaskin also described Miss Tensie as an unsung hero, without any business acumen, yet able to build something from nothing having laboured and toiled in creating a successful business for well over 40 years. This was all the more remarkable because it was done in a country where at the time, “businesses were reserved for men and people with money,” according to Mr Gaskin.

Back then, he said, Virgin Islanders believed in helping each other, however, he noted that topday things are no longer the same as when Ms Tensie started her business.

“Today we live in a changing culture,” Gaskin said, “where British Virgin Islanders have made it somewhat of a blood sport to destroy other British Virgin Islanders,” attacks which he said are “fuelled especially by BVI owned news businesses that are operating or being reported by non-British Virgin Islanders most of those whose country already have division and strife existing among their people.”

“It is a change that should not be welcomed in the British Virgin Islands, we need to stop it,” Gaskin ended.

Meanwhile, Ms Patsy Lake related that there was a dilemma facing realtors in the Territory. She made a special appeal to the only representative of Government present at the time, Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool, saying that there were tenants whom she termed as ‘bad apples’ that live in apartments for three to four months and pay no rent, water or electricity bills, which she explained were being held in the landlords’ names.

“Rather than pay, they move out, committing another crime or the same crime with another landlord and they go from place to place all over the country inflicting this kind of financial hardship on our people,” Mrs Lake said. “It needs to stop.”

She described a tale she heard about a Jamaican lawyer who wrote threatening letters to his landlord each time that rent payment approached. “If you don’t come and fix so and so within so and so time I will sue you,” she said.

Mrs Lake also described a situation where a friend of hers allegedly experienced a similar situation and took her tenants to court but after a period of eight months became so frustrated with the back and forth in the judicial system that she ended up saying ‘don’t pay me, forget it’. “That lady has lost rent income, electricity bills, water bills, lawyer fees and she ‘forget it’,” Mrs Lake said. “This is too much financial hardship,” she remarked, “Hon. Mark Vanterpool I am asking you to look into this matter, it needs to be looked into.”

“Property owners need to know where they can go to get proper representation without having to be so frustrated like my friend and saying ‘forget it’.”

31 Responses to “BVIslanders have made it a blood sport to destroy other BVIslanders - Gaskin”

  • ausar (01/02/2013, 08:07) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    How about having tenants sign to a contract?

    That way any legal issues arises, there is documental evidence that can be taken to a court of law!
    • links (01/02/2013, 09:18) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply

      you don't read well do u? going to court in the vi is a waste of time. years and years to collect your own money. nonsense. you should be able to throw their @$$ out if they flat out refuse to pay. if they ahve issues then fine, give them a grace period. but for people who simply decide not to pay and thats that, lock their $h!+ up inside the apt.

    • Once Bitten Twice Shy (01/02/2013, 09:44) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      "Ausar" signing of the contract doesn't help. I had 3 tenants over the years who broke their contracts even though I bent over backwards to accomodate them( two actually came in to work with the Government.) No matter what you do when they ready to go they gonna go. It's just this: take a pig put him in a palace he will still remain a pig and sooner or later he will try and make his way of escape to go back to familiar territory.
  • Village Girl (01/02/2013, 08:22) Like (14) Dislike (83) Reply
    why the hell he do go back to St. Kitts eh
    • wise-up (01/02/2013, 14:04) Like (2) Dislike (10) Reply
      Hi "Village Girl" why you dont tell some of these "white-folk" to go back where there come from, because the man "black" you writing BS.....them whites come here and taking-over... Oh !!!! i forgot Gaskin can not give "us" a Check for 100.000.00 so you writing garbage..... it blacks like you that make my race look small( Village Girl you sound just like a "house-salve"........talk that
  • Confucius (01/02/2013, 08:44) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ridiculous story! I have a lease agreement with my tenants and the one and only time I had a bothersome tenant, I simply pointed out the part of the lease that spoke to the particular thing she had an issue with. We agreed to disagree and she left, having given two months notice as required by the lease.

    On the other hand, landlords have an obligation to maintain their premises to a given and livable standard. Things like broken window operators, leaking roofs, broken or damaged door hinges, broken water heaters, etc. etc. all need immediate attention. If things are broken or worn out, they must be replaced. Normal wear and tear takes it's toll on a building and it is the landlord's responsibility to fix them in a reasonable amount of time.

    If I had an unruly tenant who refused to pay me, I would have the police remove them from my property. If they have no cause not to pay you, then you would have no cause to sue them! It is a two way street!
  • links (01/02/2013, 09:20) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    confucius it is not that easy. the police cannot just up and remove someone from the house. legal proceeedings would have to take place first. not because you havent been through it makes it a ridiculous story. i have been through it and lost 8mths rent so don't tell me. it had nothing to do with fixing anything either, just plain idiocy and wutlisness as we call it. the police have no jurisdiction to simply up and remove someone. you will need some court order or document to back that argument up which can take months or years. i would take all the doors off the hinges and leave the place wide open. see what hey would do then.
  • heffy (01/02/2013, 09:27) Like (11) Dislike (72) Reply
    He is the bad dog for the NDP and causing a lot of problems in this country. He talk too and is forward and out of place.
    • Cooler (01/02/2013, 12:49) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply

      "Heffy" In my lifetime I have seen many a bad dog cock up along the road stiff like wood. This is literally and figuratively.

      • Real Deal (01/02/2013, 17:12) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
        The war between him and the FS is the real blood sport...Lorna say you will hear
      • donuts (04/02/2013, 00:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Some of you all fools need to back off Pow. Thank god for him or else the ministry of Finance would have gone to the dogs…he is an action man and gets things done!!!!!!!!
  • 1st timer (01/02/2013, 09:42) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Good thing ! Mr Gasten it's about time we stop the fusin and fighting
  • SHAME (01/02/2013, 10:15) Like (5) Dislike (50) Reply
    imagine two island man here telling us what to do
    • Hmm (01/02/2013, 11:31) Like (19) Dislike (2) Reply
      U aint see island ppl got more sense than ayo they come and get the big positions and build the big houses marry ayo own woman them no matter how bad ayo talk bout them they still on top
  • drake (01/02/2013, 10:21) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Gasking talking about himself from EXPERIENCE!!!!!EVERYTHING HE SAY WE MUST NOT DO IS WHAT HE IS DOING!!!!
  • USA student (01/02/2013, 10:38) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply

    Wendell think the media houses is the Ministry of Finance where he runs thing??…he need to scatter yo r@$$ and go home. Who have more blood fight that he country st. kitts with every day a new politician getting fired or resigning? tell he talk tat boss

    • DarkVader (01/02/2013, 23:34) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
      You sound STUPID!! The man live here all his life..what the hell SK politics have to do with him!!! Truth hurts..the man talking the truth. If it was a man of another colour talking all you would not come on here talking trash..I know this man personally and I know he does go out of his way to help others, especially small business owners..
      • HOLD IT DOWN (03/02/2013, 20:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        Hold down that anger DV. It's beginning to flare up again. Take some Chamomile tea,relax and above all get some sleep.
    • KITTITIAN (04/02/2013, 21:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      WHY YOU DON'T TAKE YOU TIRED BACKSIDE OF ST.KITTS.WHY YOU IN USA STUDYING AND NOT IN YOUR BELOVED COUNTRY,OH IT'S TOO SMALL FOR YOUR HARD HEAD BACKSIDE DUMMY.YOU CANNOT WALK IN NO KITTITIAN FOOT STEPS,WHEREEVER WE GO WE WILL SURVIVE CAUSE WE ARE THAT GREAT.KISS MY A$$ BITCH
  • VIlander (01/02/2013, 11:02) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply

    Patsy is right but say 1 say 2.....is she also guilty of having tenants living in harsh conditions & impeding on their human rights grantedby the bill of rights?

    But the law is too hard on the landlord even preventing us from evicting persons who do not pay.

  • Chill (01/02/2013, 15:44) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Gaskin is the big dog for the Ministry. He run things.
  • talk is cheap (01/02/2013, 17:13) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    He wants to censor the media...he talking and texting Myron too much even from England
  • time longer than twine (01/02/2013, 19:31) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    "Talk is cheap" maybe they are holding secrets for one another. LOL!!!! Barry say you'll hear. "Every day the bucket go in the well but one day it don't come back out." LOL LOL. One day I will hear what become of them two even if the ants have to come to my grave and tell me. (old people saying) Say I tell you that this is only the smoke, the fire behind.
  • LAW (01/02/2013, 22:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It need property renting laws to protect both the landlord and the tenant. Once you have that in place judgement can be made swiftly in the legal system .
  • ABC (01/02/2013, 23:28) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply

    The truth is G. has his hand in every pie. The darm thing is, he can't even balance a cheque book but he is calling the shots in the Ministry of Finance. At the end of the day, all this is happening with the tacit approval of Mark, Myron and Olando. When he referred to the news media as being all foreigners, he forgot that he is a Garrot.

  • oUCH (02/02/2013, 09:50) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    GASKIN is speaking to himself. He is talking to the nan in the mirror.
  • boy george (02/02/2013, 17:45) Like (4) Dislike (7) Reply
    I do not care what a man say gaskin is good people he helps


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