Give more prominence to Rockefeller- Hon Pickering
The ninety-four year old passed away on July 11, 2004, and was a prominent third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.
Speaking on Thursday December 22, 2016 during the official dedication of the Sage Mountain National Park Visitor Centre, Hon Pickering said the proverbial light bulb went on over his head last year when he visited the Yellow Stone National Park in Wyoming, USA, where at least two areas were named after the Rockefeller family.
Celebrate Laurance Spelman Rockefeller
Hon Pickering said the famous park in the Virgin Islands is the state’s property because of Rockefeller’s generosity.
“So we have something to be thankful for and in that respect, this man was a philanthropist of what we are here celebrating and we must celebrate his name and the association of his name as how we have celebrated J.R O’Neal because it was that relationship that also was enhanced and basically have us where we are so we can celebrate our natural heritage, we can celebrate owning the park, we can celebrate building this visitor centre so we continue to add value to our natural environment,” Hon Pickering said.
The Minister for Natural Resources and Labour added, “If Rockefeller was a different person we would not have anything today, so reflect on that for a minute. We are way ahead of most Caribbean countries in having an established National Parks Trust and one with such a distinguished history. And as we celebrate one of the things I want to say to the discussion and the debate is how do we now add value by utilising the name Laurance S. Rockefeller.”
Rockefeller’s vision
According to Wikipedia, through his resort management company, Rockresorts, Inc, Rockefeller opened environmentally focused hotels at Caneel Bay on St John, United States Virgin Islands (1956; a favourite resort today for celebrities), some property of which was later turned over to the Virgin Islands National Park; in Puerto Rico, [British] Virgin Islands, and Hawaii, contributing to the movement now known as eco-tourism.
In addition, while sailing past Virgin Gorda, Rockefeller spotted an idyllic half-mile crescent bay with what he dubbed "wilderness beach". In 1958 planning and land acquisition began for what would become Little Dix Bay. The resort opened in 1964 and on January 18, 2014 Little Dix Bay celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 1993, the resort became part of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts but remains true to Rockefeller's vision of natural harmony and balance while offering an escape from the ordinary.
The Sage Mountain National Park Visitor Centre, which aims to welcome all to the park, consists of information on wildlife, plants as well as a brief history of the park, and will also provide souvenirs for purchase, and washroom facilities.
The project entitled “Management of Protected Areas to Support Sustainable Economies (MPASSE) Project” is a partnership between the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI)with the Turks and Caicos National Trust (TCINT), Cayman Islands National Trust (CINT) and the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) and is funded by the European Union (EU’) and runs under the name: Management of Protected Areas to Support Sustainable Economies (MPASSE) from the 9th European Development Fund (EDF).
The grant was about € 500, 60.00 or US$61, 357.79.
27 Responses to “Give more prominence to Rockefeller- Hon Pickering”
He's gotten enough praise for his contributions. Go have several seats, relax your damn self! Is CB Romney the only one that did anything for the BVI? Give me a damn break with that all the time. How many others go unnoticed and unrecognized and contributed far more
I was so disgusted when I read this article.
This minister has been educated as a Doctor and must have had some level of deductive reasoning, so for him to just refer to a Wikipedia posting to talk about the Rockefellers - is alarming. Obvious his research is very selective - no cross references to any WhitePapers nor FBI Files about the Rockefellers and their dealings.
Does he really think that the Rockefeller philanthropic efforts were done because of us and their love for the Virgin Islands? In the times of his ancestors ill-gotten wealth, money-laundering, was not a scrutinized crime nor impressed upon at the time. Philanthropy by these people, including the British Royal Family, is/was a formed of leverage that is/was use both then and now for the purpose of gaining control. These people stabbed us in the back 10 inches, then they pulled out the knife 2 inches, and these coons are here telling us to celebrate our progress for what these evildoers have done for us. Mr minister keep you cooney at least to some level of perspective. Please.
The Entire NDP Government Need to be Removed before they destroy us all and other generations yet unseen. They are full speed ahead fulfilling their own agenda without us in mind. Point Blank!
But our cuban friend is in the church choir!
yachts that can go to and from the astral plane with all the comforts of home. He can come back to this plane and
be a greeter at the park gate, shaking everyone's hand. Lawrence is an allright guy. He built this really nice inn
in Woodstock Vermont USA on the site of the old inn which somehow burned down. Good 'ol Rocky!
My point is that the land already belonged to us since most of our ancestors were here first. This is the kind of research that Picko should be doing. I will never support him as a future premier.