Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

House of Assembly refurbished for 2nd time in 2 years

- Ready for today’s Sitting after some 6 months trying to find a home
Inside the refurbished House of Assembly building ahead of today's March 1, 2018 1st Sitting of the Third Session of the Third House of Assembly. Photo: Team of Reporters
The Government's side of the aisle in the House of Assembly, which has been refurbished. Photo: Team of Reporters
The Government's side of the aisle in the House of Assembly, which has been refurbished. Photo: Team of Reporters
It is the second time in two years that the House of Assembly (HoA) has been refurbished. Photo: Team of Reporters
It is the second time in two years that the House of Assembly (HoA) has been refurbished. Photo: Team of Reporters
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The Virgin Islands parliament, known as the House of Assembly, (HoA) has been refurbished and will host today’s, March 1, 2018, 1st Sitting of the Third Session of the Third House of Assembly.

The public will recall that the building was gutted by hurricanes Irma and Maria in September of 2017, and only the frame was left standing.

The upstairs of the chambers housed the High Court, which was also severely damaged. Following the hurricanes, the members of parliament were homeless and they scrambled for somewhere to meet. They met in October of 2017 at the Save the Seed Energy Centre indoor basketball court in Duff’s Bottom. Following that they keep all meetings at the Arbitration Centre in Ritter House located on Wickham’s Cay II.

However, today March 1, 2018 they returned to their official home and chambers after Quality Construction Limited and others restored the building.

Some preliminary repair work was done for the laying in state of veteran former Legislator Omar W. Hodge who died on December 20, 2017 and was buried on January 18, 2018.

Work in 2016 to HoA

In 2016 the HoA also went through another facelift with new paint, fixed air condition, roof and sound system. The area where photos of past, current elected and appointed members and clerks are placed was reorganised.

After the two killer storms Irma and Maria last year, civil society, the media, historians and a social commentator were surprised and dismayed, how the building was left abandoned with not even some plywood placed on what was left to protect and preserve the history and the Virgin Islands’ symbol of our democracy.

After much criticism and pressure, even from legislators, they finally put up some plywood in November of 2017 to stop the rain, wind and other unauthorised elements from making the building their home.

Today’s meeting started just after 10:00 AM.

10 Responses to “House of Assembly refurbished for 2nd time in 2 years”

  • vex (01/03/2018, 10:56) Like (3) Dislike (6) Reply
    Waste of money
  • chad (01/03/2018, 11:05) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    It looks really nice. Whoever did the job did some excellent work!
  • give thanks (01/03/2018, 11:13) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    this is just a start even if was held under a tree in someone garage or backyard things have to go on.It appears to be OK. I hope that the repairs or reconstruction was done as such to withstand these man made elements especially hurricanes of category 5and 6 or more
  • mother hen (01/03/2018, 13:16) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    Money would have been better spend fixing my roof..
    • wize up (01/03/2018, 14:34) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ mother hen; I was thinking the same thing but they really had to fix the HOA following the hurricane......next time
    • tretretrete (01/03/2018, 16:06) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      go get insurance and stop your piss.
      • @ hmmm (01/03/2018, 21:13) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
        insurance??? you better wake up and get off that insurance thing as we got screw by insurance companies in the
        BVI
        • wize up (02/03/2018, 09:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          what the territory needs is better legislation to govern these companies but that might be wishful thinking on my part because some of our leaders are best friends with operators of these establishments and our leaders will not want to upset the apple cart or bite the hands that feed them.....transparency is lack in this place to many shady deals and under the table transactions....keep the faith
  • Refurbish (01/03/2018, 22:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Refurbish the island too
  • Jenny (02/03/2018, 01:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am very much shocked after reading this news, which is about house of assembly refurbished for 2nd time in 2 years. I think they are spending too much money of the refurbishment of assembling and still they need to spend some more on it. Now I want to get more update about it for you here.
    Click here to buy gym mats online in UK.


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.