Economy doing well! – Premier Smith
Speaking to this news site on the side-lines of the Taste of Tortola at the Queen Elizabeth II Park on Sunday November 22, 2015, Premier Smith said, “The economy is doing well."
According to the Leader of Government Business: "There is always a delay in getting payments to some people. That’s how business operates but the economy is doing well.”
Asked about whether all of the vendors and service providers for this year’s Emancipation Festival have been paid, the Premier said that he would not have been able to provide an answer as he needs to make inquiries into whether they were paid or not.
This news site has received numerous reports over the past weeks of workers from various Government departments and other entities not receiving their salaries on time. One example of this is the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.
'Economy not in crisis'
At a press conference on October 8, 2015, Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith dismissed suggestions that the economy is in a crisis.
In response to reporters’ questions, Premier Smith said that the reports on the state of the economy were not justifiable as the main sectors of the economy were doing well. He spoke of other sections of the economy such as construction and fishing as sectors that will continue to grow.
He acknowledged that there are periods when any economy will take a dip and that the VI was no different. He also denied that the Treasury had been frozen.
The Treasury Department has been without a head since the departure of Dr Sandra M. Besson since July 31, 2015 and so far no replacement has been named.
Still out of touch?
Premier Smith has long continued to deny that the economy is struggling despite numerous reports of such from businesses and ordinary citizens.
Speaking during the Questions and Answers segment at the Ninth Sitting of the Second Session of the Second House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on May 14, 2013, Premier Smith refuted assertions that the economy of the Virgin Islands was failing since, according to him, there was no economic data to support such a claim.
Dr Smith was immediately criticised for his statements from the public, with some saying that the Premier was out of touch with the reality of the situation on the ground.
Contradictions also came from his own Natioal Democratic Party (NDP) members of the House of Assembly.
Contradictions from own NDP camp
Speaker of the House, Hon Ingrid A. Moses had started proceedings of the first sitting of the third session of the second House of Assembly (HOA) on Monday October 7, 2013 by letting members know of the serious challenges facing the territory and the need for them to work together to relieve the hurts of the people.
She had said since the last sitting of the HOA much had happened and “no doubt”, glaring before us were greater financial challenges and tougher economic times for the territory.
“We have witnessed the closing, destruction, and down-sizing of prominent businesses resulting in layoffs and terminations which have deeply affected our people psychologically, socially and financially,” Hon Moses had stated.
The Hon Speaker concluded her speech by optimistically stating that it is her hope and firm belief that “out of this seemingly economic darkness, a brighter and prosperous day will come for the Virgin Islands.”
'Economy not all that great'
Sixth District Representative and NDP member Honourable Alvera Maduro-Caines had then told Parliament at the October 14, 2013 sitting that “the economy is not all that great”.
She said “children in the Virgin Islands are now going to school without lunch” and she knows this “for a fact”. Hon. Maduro-Caines said she had received calls from teachers requesting her to provide lunch for the students who were hungry.
“If this is a situation where the parents don’t have food then this situation is worse than we think it is, and something will have to be done…how did we get here?” the legislator had asked.
Hon Maduro-Caines, to support her thesis on how bad things had become in the Virgin Islands (VI) under the National Democratic Party Administration (NDP) of which she is a member, told the public that this situation is not unique to the High School or Primary Schools, “but children are going hungry at the H.Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) and this is a serious matter that we need to look into.”
The former Minister for Communications and Works and Opposition Member Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) had pointed out in the House of Assembly on November 19, 2013 that unless Premier Smith does what he (Hon Fraser) had advocated for the last 18 months, which is to inject capital into the economy, the economy would continue to struggle.
Our people are hurting, Hon Fraser had said, “but people in authority do not seem to understand why, despite the obvious occurrences of job losses, company closures, and downsizing, they continue to take money out of citizens’ pockets which reduces their liquidity and further hurts the economy.”
Premier Smith back pedals, then admits economy in recession
Meanwhile, during a press conference on November 12, 2013 the Premier was asked whether he maintains his position of the economy being robust. “I would not use the term robust because robust is a misunderstood and misused term but I am satisfied that what we are doing is good for the economy, it is important and necessary to grow the economy.”
The Premier of the Virgin Islands had said he is aware that there are persons who would have lost jobs but said he also appreciates that there were many jobs created at the same time.
Asked to give a ratio of the jobs lost as opposed to those allegedly created, Premier Smith had responded, “No I cannot give you that amount at this time but I can work at finding it, but no I cannot give you that amount at this time.”
On November 19, 2013, however, the Premier while answering questions posed to him by Honourable Fraser, admitted in the HoA that the economy was in recession.
It is interesting to hear how the public will react to Premier Smith’s latest take on the economy and how he will defend his position.
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38 Responses to “Economy doing well! – Premier Smith”
I don't know the Premier personally, but he is doing a marvelous job considering all the dead weights in the community of these fortunate islands.
Everybody including you should give this man some love.
The economy is doing very very well, thanks to the current abled Gov .
If you do not believe it, talk to the energetic ambitious,alert and hardworking members of the blessed BVI.
All praise to the ancestors and the Divine , may it continue that most of us will always be grateful, give thanks and The complainers and the lazy and the gimme group whose children not only are sent to school hungry but hair is uncombed and faces unwashed. Check them out waiting for the school buses in the AM,,,real neglect staring back at you with no manners of a responsive Good Morning!
You see....money robs men of their common sense, so men like Orlando cant tell you what its like to be on the other side, money has always been there to float him and his friends over the sharp rocks at the bottom. What would make it even worse is if he came from a poor situation and made it, then forgot what it was like for him and others....but they dont forget..... They had to SELL OUT to get where they are, ALL OF THEM, so thats why many of them seem to have amnesia or turn a blind eye to the calamities they bring upon us to feed their bank account. Again, a man caught in several lies, probably the reason c........ decided to go for his throat, spewing words not backed by numbers on yet another news article..... My people, for the majority, lack the adequate education and level of intelligence due to the budget cuts in the school system decades ago to ask the right questions, speak for themselves in confidence or even do their own investigative work now. Men like Or..... know this, thats why they can easily walk into the populated ghettos and middle man house with their envelopes to ensure the majority vote, because in the brotherhood, as long as the majority believes the lie, the lie becomes truth. They NEED people to remain DUMB for them to survive, just like doctors NEED people to remain getting sick in order to make a living, Police NEED crime in order to exist...Yall need to realise the incentives these major frauds have when it comes to ensuring their survival......
The small men hurting? The same small men who are working day and night round the clock on roads, sidewalks, pier park and other projects around place? Backhoes, trucks, himacks, loaders, lifters, concrete trucks, everyone is getting a piece of the pie and yet we say the economy is bad. Yes, they may pay late, and? If you don't want to wait for the money then don't take a Government contract. When real hard time sh*t the BVI most of you all will sh*t yourselves and die because you have no clue what hard times are.
ALL THOSE CARS IN THE PARKING LOTT IS PEOPLE WHO WORL THE COMPLEX
Thank GOD I never ever looked at any Government for hand outs and I never will.
Sorry for you all who accustomed to begging for things!
This man good in he head????