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Gov’t asked to reconsider cruise pier expansion!

- Caller says Gov’t or locals should have partnered in $75 Million investment
Some residents are of the view that the cruise ship pier expansion should be reconsidered with partnership for the investment coming from Government or residents. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – With public discussion and debate ongoing on the proposed $75 million cruise pier expansion project in the Virgin Islands (VI), some residents are asking Government to reconsider the project which will only have finances injected by a foreign entity, to include local or Government partnership.

On NDP Radio programme of Monday July 16, 2012, a resident who called into the programme asked Government to reconsider the project and established two reasons, one being to have some amount of local investment in the project.

“First of all the money that is being invested is by Tortola Port Partners, they will get a very handsome return on their investment. But I think we the people, if not the government, would have partnered at least in investing in the project and funding the project,” the resident said.

He further stated that getting funding for locals from the banks should have been explored as he believes Virgin Islanders needed to share in the development of the Territory.

The caller was also concerned and expressed disappointment with international franchises that will be brought in as part of the project, which he said will be competing against local stores.

I am disappointed because I would like for you guys to clearly articulate your position on bringing in foreign entities to compete against local stores and stated that during the Biwater negotiations, “I heard a lot of rhetoric and even during the campaign and even recently, that we brought in BiWater to compete against Ocean Conversion who has all of these local investors. And I am confused how you can speak about the fact that we should not be competed against on one hand and on the other hand we are speaking about we are not ready and we are not able to do certain things or offer the quality and goods that consumers need...we need to build a local private sector, we must be able to do those things.”

In responding to the caller, Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool, who was a guest on the programme, said spaces have been secured for locals but there are also spaces for others, whether it’s local or “otherwise” who may have the services to provide that is needed to make the cruise pier operate.

Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon. Ronnie Skelton, who was also a guest on the programme, clarified that the franchises that Government is looking to bring in were not Kentucky or Burger King but jewellery shops such as Diamonds International.

Rymer says Cruise pier expansion driven solely by cruise lines Meanwhile, Lorie Rymer, former 9th district candidate and guest on BVI Forum of July 14, 2012, also had his strong views of the project and proposed that the pier not be extended.

“I propose that we do not extend this pier. I propose that we continue the way that we are going now, we have a dock already, let the cruise ship come to the dock that we have.”

In addition, Rymer said the whole thing about the “bigger boats is a myth because sooner or later the various ships will not be able to bring the capacity, it’s not going to happen.”

He also asserted that not all the cruise ships will be going to expand to bigger boats.

His main contention is that he does not believe the expansion of the pier should be driven solely by what the cruise lines are saying. Minister Vanterpool had stated that it was important that the pier be extended within a certain time frame to lock in the cruise lines for 15 years. If that was not done, Hon. Vanterpool explained that the ships would have gone elsewhere.

“… we have an economy that have almost a billion dollars in it and we have almost half a billion in social security and we are going to be forced by outside entity that we must do it right away, we must sign this thing right away,” he charged.

Hon. Vanterpool said he was not going to mince his words about it, but he believes the economy of territory needed to move forward right now and while he believes the VI might be able to raise funds to make it happen, he is not convinced it could have been raised in time to make it happen in light of the situation in the cruise ship industry.

In addition, he said it wasn’t just about raising the money but also it was about who could have established the relationship with the cruise lines and guarantee their presence for the next 15 years, which was a crucial factor in the arrangement.

Tortola Ports Partners Ltd, United Infrastructure Group, Cashmen are the partners that will be working along with the Virgin Islands Government, to realise the $75 million cruise pier project where $25M will be earmarked for pier and excursion dock; $25M is allocated for land side development and $25M for community investment. Included in the development will be the Tortola Pier Park which will include boutiques, arts and crafts, and water front entertainment.

44 Responses to “Gov’t asked to reconsider cruise pier expansion!”

  • hmmmm (19/07/2012, 08:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr Rhymer needs to realize some of those Cruise Ships are to LARGE to dock at that Pier, the extended pier is needed hands down!! My question to government is though, did they consider local investors for this project? If you look at this no matter how they put it money is leaving the country in abundance.
    • DarkVader (19/07/2012, 08:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Money is leaving our country everyday..look at the trust companies? who sends out more money than they do and they here treating our people like slaves. The government does not have tht kind of moey to expand the cruize ship docs and I know no locl investors will put up their money. For year we have been asking locals to invest in the off shore banking and no one took the bait. Larry Rhyme needs to go sit down. He like others are living in centuries gone by, I cnnot believe my people of today is objecting to our country growing. We need the tourists to come and build this industry and economy for our financial services will soon be gone. I am all for the expansion of this dock. We need th bigger ships to come. Larry them should stand with the minister on this..shows you how much they care about the taxi men and vendors..
      • Not2Sure (19/07/2012, 08:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        I agree with Dark Vader. We need investment and we need jobs. A few disgruntled people with "small island" mentality should not disrupt the ability of our elected leaders to do their jobs and make long-term decisions.
      • bigger picture (19/07/2012, 12:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        there is a beautiful small bay with a beach. only small boats can get in but it is very popular. the bigger boats want to get in but can't fit. no matter how they try. people on the beach say, hmmm... more people, more business and more profit... let's dredge the bay to get as may people in as possible. soon those loyal people who support the beach go elsewhere because it is too crowded and trashed with rude people who don't really care about de place. who makes the money? vendors and taxi? who loses? people who care and the next generation.... there are consequences and in the rush for government to be a "world class" destination for the financial portion, and in their quest to build a "city", BVI as we know it will be lost. It has nothing to do with staying in the "donkey age" but to respect what is here and work with it in a staged and methodical way... there are no regulations. this place is the wild west and the rich are getting richer.
    • WORDS AND DEEDS (19/07/2012, 08:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      leave the NDP do their project deman look VIP did biwater..they are the same
  • ooooo (19/07/2012, 08:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    these politicians does change their tonque rather fast boy.....10 months ago, it had all this talk about what locals can do and now, hear whats coming out of mark's mouth?...boy i tell yo!
  • small head (19/07/2012, 08:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is a done deal so stop wasting your time!
  • Concerned VIslander (19/07/2012, 09:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am for development but HOW it is developed. We need to consider our water woes, sewerage problems and traffic first before we compound the issues!! We have a serious traffic problem in town with no ships and now we want bigger ships and have not rectified traffic? Furthermore, knowing the history of Wickhams Cay and what our forefathers and foremothers did to keep in "the people" of the BVI possession; a 48 year lease seems excessive. Banks don't even offer a jumbo loan with terms more than 30 years. Local involvement is another issue. How much involvement from construction to operation are locals involved? Do we the people have a "deep rooted vested interest" in this project? Yes, we see more numbers in passengers but what about the spin off businesses? Are people going to benefit entirely or is this just another set up for a selected elite few? Gov't really needs to read the fine print on this one before committing whole heartedly!!! What glitters is not always gold.
  • Well meh boy (19/07/2012, 09:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have said before and I will say it again, the government needs to stop concentrating on too many things and they need to pick sense from nonsense. We have many incomplete projects that need finishing, including the HOSPITAL and some other promised projects such as fixing up the graveyard area of Green Land. Concentrate on a few things at a time, put in your best effort into those few things and you will get a better result than concentrating on many and thus distributing your no doubt best intended efforts too thinly. On the second point of picking sense from nonsense we have to realize that the Virgin Islands is a small and unique place in the Caribbean. Those that come on the cruise ship barely spend a dime in Road Town other than Sunny Caribee and potentially Pussers, even the Crafts Alive was looking miserable this tourist season (I think I named two expat businesses and one that treats its staff poorly)! The regular tourists that come here do not like cruise shippers, thus regular tourists stay away from Road Town. When regular tourists come to Road Town, or I should say when they used to come, they spent money! But now those days have gone due to too much cruise shippers flooding our capital. Also some of our beaches thank to them are looking really ugly, Cane Garden Bay is blockaded with these beach chairs and has the place looking in a state! Thus, I would say extending the Cruise Ship dock would not make our economy any healthier. In principal, therefore, I would have to go with Dr Done Deal's airport. Yes, it is much more expensive than the cruise ship dock, but it is the better investment. Locals will actually be able to get something out of it, like opening up some shops/restaurants in and around the airport. And it would provide just as much work for those in the business of taxiing. By the time it is finished hopefully we will have a few more hotels on all of our main islands, further Anegada would be a perfect place for a community run resort (a resort owned and run by the citizenry of Anegada and the rest of the Virgin Islands) If the cruise ships decide not to come to the Virgin Islands because of the non extension of the cruise ship dock, good for them and good riddance, regular tourists spend more money. However, when the Airport Project starts , Dr No Time Soon, needs to in all his financial wisdom, negotiate with the Airlines to make EIS a cheaper destination than St. Thomas. All in all, the government ought to concentrate on a few things at time and if they feel the compulsive need to start a new project to boost our tourism product, but don't feel the need to fix the airport in Virgin Gorda, do Dr. Done Deal airport (and name it so too), it is a better investment for the community than Mr Grass Hopper's cruise ship dock. The government also needs to get on Biwater's back and get them to finish the sewerage work that was promised.
    • Flanks (19/07/2012, 12:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Where is the survey that shows regular visitors do not like cruise shippers? Only miserable old people that want the BVI for themselves and to hell with everyone else hates cruise shippers. The same ones that hate cruise shippers also hate locals coming to the beaches when they're there as well, FACT! So cut the BS! Show me the facts, show me the figures that show it. Then compare the financial benefits of either. You crazy or what? That's like saying with your chest high in the air, that all BVIslanders are lazy, inefficient and unproductive that's why so many expats are here. It's a lie but many parrot it as truth and get away with it! If tourists end up on a beach, most of them are white anyway, how the hell they can just look at someone and say "They're from the cruise ships, I'm outa here and never coming back to BVI again!" The people shouting the most against these developments are the foreign whites who bought propertay way back when, put up their 'private' signs and don't want to be bothered. They don't even want locals on smugglers and other small nice beaches, don't mind them with their BS about cruise shippers. They know this will attract local vendors and taxi men and that's what they don't want. They won't fool us with this sh..t. If they want us to keep the BVI stagnated tell them to subsidize the economy. If they don't want us to develop for our people, tell them show us the money. Until then, they can shut up!
      • Well meh boy (19/07/2012, 19:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @flank You would be very surprised how much regular tourists do not like cruise shippers Flank. I have worked in the tourism industry and no they aren't just old people who want the BVI to themselves. Back in the days before we had so many more cruise ships come in, every business in Road Town made a buck! It seems to me that is what you are against, you don't like people making money. As for your argument for local vendors, I wonder how much of those vendors in the tent city were from here, Of those from here, I wonder how much of those had a government job and were managing that business at the same time. Under this development mussy 1 or 2 locals the cruise ship companies will allow in because it will be leased to them for 48 years and they are very good at out-sourcing! know if I go into crafts alive, mussy 1% are locals. Let's talk abut dolphin discovery, I went there to see how many of there employees are locals, I think I saw a whole 2 locals employed there! Let's talk about Pussers now, how many of their staff are locals? Probably less than 20% Let's talk about Sunny Caribee now, how many of their staff are local? I will admit they have quite a few working like slaves. Let's talk about Sky World, the man thief away to St. Lucia close down the restaurant WITHOUT PAYING HIS STAFF. Many of the businesses just named are expat owned businesses and its only really them profiting off of the cruise ships. Anyways your precious cruise ships abandoning us anyway no matter what Minister Grass Hopper say! Its down by 33% this year, so we will see how much more regular tourists come to Road Town, but that is also dependant on this government getting Bi-Water to fix the stink!
      • Well meh boy (19/07/2012, 20:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @ Flank your argument is nothing but fallacies. Back in the day when we didn't have so much cruise ships with their POOR cruise shippers coming in you had the old RICH tourists and the tourists with regular income coming in to Road Town spending money everywhere. The government gets tax per head from the cruise ships but that is not money in the hands in the people, it is money in the hands of the politicians to waste on everything except for getting the hospital finish and fixing the roads and so on! You ask how can a regular tourist tell a cruise shipper from themselves...., I know this may sound strange to you but they do have eyes, they see crowded streets and over crowded beaches. I see the same thing, I see crowds of people barely spending a dollar. You is a fool sah! It would not surprise me if you were Minister Grass Hopper himself.
  • my two cents (19/07/2012, 10:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Here goes another biwater deal where is the outrage?
    • Real Talk (19/07/2012, 13:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Biwater deal: Government leased land, bought them a generator, agreed to pay their electricity 100% regardless of fluctuation, no caps and other concessions. In return, the Government pays Biwater for water produced over 16yrs then get the plant back. Biwater's selling point was that they were doing sewerage for FREE until Mark enquired once elected and got the whole story, they would only start sewerage once they started collecting money from Government for water, meaning, Government was actually paying for the sewerage anyway. Cruise Pier: Government leases land to developer for up to 48yrs to spend $25mil developing the dock and sea side. In return, the Government gets the first time in the history of the BVI, a guarantee from major cruise lines of possibly over 600,000 people a year. Disney and Norwegian alone is 425,000 a year for 15yrs. We get a higher class of ships (Class A), with more people and an agreed higher rate of tax per head, which will be split with the developer for investing their monies. Further, Government will collect business taxes as well as income taxes for every person employed in the new development. Which one is the better deal? Which one is onesided? Which one demands outrage? With Financial Services going down the tube having peaked out, what other industry can gurantee the Govt. a steady revenue stream for 15yrs. By signing the agreement whether the people come or not the cruise company has to pay the per-head tax as agreed. We are not backwood jacka44es around here, we can read and understand.
      • Real Talk (19/07/2012, 13:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Oh, I even forgot to add the additional $50mil for city upgrade and community investment. I expect it will be $25mil - $30mil in the end, instead of 50 extra, but still, look at both deals from a practical and unbiased standpoint and tell me which is worst. No argument! At least the cruise pier is being discussed, Biwater was not discussed, a slip of the tongue in HOA is how we found out about it.
      • hypocrites (19/07/2012, 15:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Biwater would make around $160 mil Tortola Port Partners over 500 mil Biwater competed against Ocean Conversion which is one business tortola port partners will bring franchises that will compete against several businesses biwater is 16 years tortola port partners is 48 also we had to pay biwater a lesser price of water than we were paying previously tortola port partners are being paid as well but from our head tax. they will get 9 and our head tax will reduce from 7 to 6 also, my info tells me we could have gotten the guarantees from cruise ships without this foreign investment. Of course we need to fix the Cay, but we can do it ourselves or in an equal partnership. This is worse
        • Real Talk (19/07/2012, 19:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Your info tells you nothing. Check out the connection between the guys of IDEA and the cruise industry then you might be on to something. Becareful how you go about things. Who needs who more? Cruise ships and/or developers or the BVI? The answer to that will be the answer to many other things. If Zales, Diamond International, Coach and Gucci were allowed at the dock, do tell me what local stores they would be competing with? Isn't that the problem? That the locals aren't selling those to begin with, which is why we are even speaking about this? You talk about how much the developer makes, tell us how much Government makes as well. Biwater's water cannot be cheaper if you are paying their energy bill regardless of how high. If you're looking for an apartment, you find two more or less identical ones. One is $2,000.00 including water, utilities, cable. The other is $1,500.00 but that's rent only, you pay your own utilities. Which one is 'cheaper'? You're that stupid? We would have no control over how high Biwater's light/energy bill would be. You got to be DUMB to enter into such a deal to pay someone's light bill with zero cap on it.
        • Curious (20/07/2012, 00:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Who are the directors, shareholders or better yet the Beneficial Owners of Tortola Port Partners??!! Let us the people know!
      • Albion (19/07/2012, 16:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Very well written comment. Some deals with outside investors are bad deals. But not all deals are bad deals.
  • BREAKING NEWS (19/07/2012, 10:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    RUBBISH!!!!! You all a set of hypocrites!!! When LOCALS invest you all have all kind of nastiness to say!! Plus the Gov't themselves especially VIP does nothing at the end of the day to protect the LOCAL investors. How many local investors invest in OC ? How many local investors invest in Village Cay ? How many local investors invest in The Marina (Virgin Gorda) ? How many local investors invest in CCT ? How many local investors are in the BVI Investment Club ? All the above that local investedn, the public and the Gov't either hate on them or try to kill their investment! As a local, I would not invest one penny in anything locally! My lil $300,000 I have will cool out in Banco and earn the lil $25.00 a month. At least I can buy a plate of lobster and a pineapple soda come Festival time! I don't have to worry about Gov't or the haters trying to frig up my lil bit of money
    • Flanks (19/07/2012, 12:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't mind them with their local bs. if investment club was involved with this you woulda hear cries from here Anegada about corruption. The agreement isn't signed, so there's still room to change certain things. I bet you if investment club get in on the deal these dirty minded people's mouths will change.
  • Flanks (19/07/2012, 10:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tell Mark give Lorie a stall out on the dock you'll see how fast his mouth change.
  • IslandGirl (19/07/2012, 12:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I dont know who tell some of allu that we are a retirement community. So our young people who have decided to stay and make here their home must be subjected to the backwards thinking of the likes of Rhymer and others? Mark, do your job..the locals with money (if they were interested) would have seen that this development is needed. Like DarkVader said, our financial services is crumbling..we had better come up with ways to keep the tourisim industry going. Look at Port Zante' in St. Kitts...that is why they are booming with cruize ships every year. What is wrong with us having a port like that? Of course the persons who investing the money has to get back something but you all think that our government is so stupid not to cross all their t's and dot all their i's in this contract? Mark, do you thing..we the young people will stand behind you on this one...Tired of our docks looking like a dump...time for a change
  • Real Talk (19/07/2012, 13:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So what Lorie is saying is, at his catering business LARS, if customers advise him that if he would do his chicken and ribs a certain way they would patronise his place and it's proven that even existing customers would love that option as well, would he tell them cart their self because it's his business and he's not spending no extra money updating anything for anybody? Or will he make the necessary adjustment to make his business more appealing and more profitable?
  • egg face (19/07/2012, 14:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    If the NDP knows what best for them they will leave this project alone...
  • Listening (19/07/2012, 18:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ok people, read this and tell me how the BVI is going to be different??? http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2011/05/articles/caribbean-islands/will-royal-caribbean-ever-live-up-to-its-promises-to-falmouth-jamaica/
    • Real Talk (19/07/2012, 19:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The BVI will be different firstly because it's the BVI, not Jamaica. Secondly, it would be the developer spending their money, not Government. Jamaica's Government are the ones that spent over $100mil on Falmouth. If the developers were the ones footing that bill, they would've ensured that action went on in there to recoup their money. DO you think they're stupid? The BVI only has one cruise pier, Jamaica has either 3 or 4 in addition to Falmouth. Royal Caribbean has nothing to do with our development, they were the ones driving Falmouth and decided to use it as a parking space rather than to boost the economy. Falmouth has about 7000 people and nothing for tourists to do. Our development would be in the capital with much for them to do. When you look at the real news source and read the comments below you would realize that the people at Falmouth harass tourists and even the cruise lines advise them not to stick around that area. People int he BVI dont run down people to buy shit. Only the greedy taxi men we have here behave like that which is why they upset they on the outside in an orderly manner and not inside fighting like they're in the mid-east. Apples and oranges, both are fruits but still different in their own rights. No comparison between BVI and Jamaica except that both involve cruise piers and the same developer. The arrangements are like night and day. How do you spend over $100mil of your own money for one cruise line? Bullshit! This is exactly why the BVI wants the deal. Our tax dollars are not on the line if it goes bust.
      • jack be still (19/07/2012, 23:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Blah Blah Blah! real talk taking bull again..do you do any work boss???
      • Dude!!! (20/07/2012, 00:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        I usually read and agree with what you blog but you are chatting pure pi... on this one! We cannot justify an investment of this magnitude with only some of the information! This deal for the BVI is like greasing us up with KY jelly and telling us the people of the BVI to take a deep breath.....relax; everything is going to be alright. When in fact in the back our minds we're like what the hell, something ain right here! We the people are being shafted; this is not that much different to Bi-Water since the terms & conditions of ABUSE vary....16 years vs. 48 years! Either way, our representatives recently past and present need to think of the country first and not be blinded by the excessive zeros in a dollar figure!!
  • E. Leonard (19/07/2012, 23:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tourism has proven to be an attractive tool for BVI development; it and financial services are the twin towers of the economy. Starting in the mid 1960's, tourism started to take root. It permitted the BVI to shift away from subsistence farming, small stock raising, fishing, remittances, and sailing. Tourism generated foreign exchange earning, income, and employment. Further, the hard currency resulted in investment in other areas of the economy; an investment ripple effect was created. Moreover, to sustain the economy and make the destination more attractive, incentives may be be needed to develop various. , i.e. seaport, airport, water system, sewer system.........etc. Incentives can be given to both local and external investors. Incentives do not necessarily have to be a zero sum game; they can result in increase wealth and improve quality of life. Nonetheless, there are few things that needs to be in the inçentive calculus. One, _ public benefits should outweigh or even dwarf the cost of incentives. Two, incentives should create a multiplier effect larger than the incentive. Three, incentives should be structured so that BVI reap full benefit from the incentives. Four, structure incentive to reduce leakages. And five, structure incentives that provide the greatest opportunity for locals to invest in the. project. Undoutedly, the port needs to be improved to make the BVI a more competive destination. Further, the port needs to be more attractive and more aesthetically pleasing. More on shore entertainment is needed. Nonetheless, the BVI must be deliberate in selecting a project that is in the best long-term interest of the BVI. Based on information in the press, the. proposed pier project is to lease approx. 4 acres of prime, scarce, waterfront land for 48 years. Clearly, this is a long lease with significant opportunity cost. As. such.the.BVI needs to get buy in from a majority of the population; opinions can be gauged through a referundum. Further, the terms. and conditions must be a win-win for the BVI.
  • hope hill (19/07/2012, 23:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    this project will kill the NDP for next election, just like biwater killed the VIP
  • Disinterested (21/07/2012, 13:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI appears to be failing into the same trap and suffering from the same shortsighted investment decisions as other poor, resource-poor developing countries. Hungry for hard currency, income, and employment to grow their economy, they make deep and significant concessions to sweet talking, self-interest promoting developers who only care about making highly favorable and quick return on their investment and not a cent's interest about the adverse impact on the developing country(s). To attract and accommodate these investors, these poor developing countries in Central America, South America, Africa, Caribbean.......etc, these regions relax environmental requirements, provide valuable prime land at little to no cost, reducing the requirement to pay below the prevailing living wage, permit bringing in their own workers to perform work that local workforce can perform, provide duty free concessions for lengthy periods, permit unnecessary economic leakages, along with a host of other incentives, that are not in the best interest of the host country(s). Yes, the BVI needs investment in projects to spur economic growth and sustain its fragile economy but not any cost. Any project must be in the best long-term interest of current and future Virgin Islanders. We have to focus on the long-term interest of the BVI and BVIslanders. To do this, we must exercise due diligence in our investment decisions. Whatever decision is made affects Virgin Islanders so why not give them REAL input on the decision(s) on the leasing out of this prime, scarce piece of waterfront property for 48 years. It is Virgin Islanders' property and they should benefit fully from it. Get feedback the democratic way by putting it to a vote! I can say more but others have eloquently stated some other points that I would have made. Nonetheless, here a few other points to ponder. Is it better to rush into this project and get a poor, lose-lose outcome? Or is better to proceed deliberately and fully vet the project and achieve an outcome that is in the best interest of Virgin Islanders? Lets not fall in the same trap as some of our other sister regional countries; lets learn from their missteps. Remember, at the end of the day, if the project were to flounder, the develop will disappear in thin air and leave us high and dry holding the bag. We have the trump card and we should use it to our advantage. Some think that because we are small we are dumb and therefore do not know the value of our precious resources. Lets play hard and smart ball and not feed into the dumb stereotype.
  • where (21/07/2012, 19:38) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    where is ralph and the vip on this topic??
  • Positive Action Movement (22/07/2012, 09:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Noel LLoyd and the PAM were accused of standing in the way of progress BUT if they hadn't this land would not be ours to give a 48 year lease to these developers. The government of the day was wrong then and it took some brave people to stand up and fight for it back, have we not learnt?
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