Premier Smith contradicts Works Minister on water rates increase
It was earlier this month that Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) had assured residents of Virgin Gorda that there was not expected to be increases in the cost for the supply of water or electricity for residents of the sister island of Virgin Gorda.
He was speaking in response to a question by Sister Islands Coordinator Vincent O. Wheatley who raised the concern of whether the upgrade works to the Virgin Gorda water treatment plant would mean higher rates for residents of Virgin Gorda who have just been hit with the devastating news of the imminent closure of Rosewood Little Dix Bay Resort.
“With the upgrade to the Virgin Gorda water plant and your investment in power [on Virgin Gorda], are we to expect increases in light bills and water bills on Virgin Gorda in the face of the imminent closure of Rosewood Little Dix Bay?” Wheatley asked the Minister during a press conference on February 2, 2016.
However, in response the Minister said that this should not be the case.
“I don’t know that there is any consideration at all for that…so that is not expected,” said Honourable Vanterpool. “I will assure the good resident [of Virgin Gorda] that he doesn’t have to worry about that,” said the Minister.
Water rates to increase
Residents of Virgin Gorda, however, do have to worry about a hike in water rates, as Premier Smith has since contradicted Hon Vanterpool.
In his Budget Address in the House of Assembly on February 8, 2016, Premier Smith spoke of increasing revenue by taxation, including increased water rates.
“Therefore, Madame Speaker, in view of the relative levels of taxes and fees that we now pay, some of which have remained at the same levels for the last several decades, we have, after much contemplation and assessment, decided to augment the following fees and taxes in 2016 as follows:
1.Change the current Work Permit structure such that the fees will reflect improvements in efficiencies of the Labour Department and be more aligned with fees charged in other Overseas Territories;
2.Reverse the charging of import duties on the FOB rather than the CIF value;
3. Change water rates to be more closely aligned with the cost of purchasing and distributing water; and
4.Continue a more aggressive approach to the collection of current taxes and fees and arrears, by reviewing current legislation to give revenue collecting agencies greater authority to enforce compliance.
These measures and others that I have not indicated here, but will expound on in another forum, cause us to expect to yield up to some Twenty point Five ($20.5M) Million Dollars in additional revenue in 2016,” Premier Smith stated.
Contradicting information on cost of 'ESHS Wall'
Just recently, Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn insinuated that Premier Smith gave inaccurate information to the House of Assembly regarding the cost of erecting a perimeter fence around the Elmore Stoutt High School buildings.
The two figures spent around the 2015 election time on the 'high school wall' were Eight Hundred and Twenty-eight Thousand Dollars ($828,000.00) and another Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00), according to information released by the Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith in the HoA on February 4, 2016.
However, to justify this reckless spending on a wall, Minister Walwyn told a radio station that the Premier provided inaccurate information to the Public via the House of Assembly (HoA) as his Ministry’s records show a different figure for the ESHS wall- costing only “nine hundred and fourteen thousand dollars.”
Hon Walwyn, the second term Minister for Education and Culture, told the local radio station that the over one million figure provided by the Minister of Finance was for other works done beside the wall and even works on Virgin Gorda.
The Minister therefore contradicted the Minister of Finance’s figures when Premier Smith responded to a question posed by Senior Opposition Member Hon Fahie on spending via advance warrant not approved by Parliament.
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23 Responses to “Premier Smith contradicts Works Minister on water rates increase”
A properly prepared balance sheet does not vary in it's figures.
He contradict whoever on the airline matter.
He contradict the Pier Park Minister.
Who or what next.
Minister of Contrdiction.
Oh Yeah, he contradict everybody so far, saying that the economy is robust. ROTFLMLAO.
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