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‘Professionals must be regulated’ – Richard C. de Castro

- said persons such as real estate agents, architects & engineers need to be registered & regulated
Television talk show host Richard C. de Castro has made a strong call for the licencing of professionals in order to ensure that the public gets better service out of persons such as real estate agents, architects and engineers. Photo: Provided
de Castro is of the view that professionals, including real estate agents, need to be regulated. Photo: coldwellbankerbvi.com
de Castro is of the view that professionals, including real estate agents, need to be regulated. Photo: coldwellbankerbvi.com
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Television talk show host Richard C. de Castro has made a strong call for the licencing of professionals in order to ensure that the public gets better service out of persons such as real estate agents, architects and engineers.

He was speaking on last Saturday’s October 17, 2015 Speak Your Mind show aired on JTV Live.

“Ladies and gentlemen we’re at that stage of our development where we can and I am sure we will do these things. We need to put the framework in place for our professional people so that they can develop properly and have a good career and a good practice and something that the younger people can emulate. We should promote excellence and the idea of moving from one level to a higher level.”

Mr de Castro opined that the territory is changing and also developing and when this is the case sometimes persons are exposed to more risk. He said one thing that the government and the people should always be conscious of is minimising risk and one of the ways of minimising risk is to put a framework in place to regulate the conduct of professionals.

“Some people don’t like regulation,” he said. “Regulation sounds like Government coming down on you and telling you what to do.”

The talk show host said he prefers to deal with it as a matter of a framework in which there are articles laid out that say what professionals can and can’t do. It must also lay out what the penalties and consequences so that everyone understands what is expected and adheres to what is expected. This he said would also guide young persons who might be thinking of taking up those professions.

Mr de Castro is also of the view that it only makes sense to put the framework in place to ensure that everybody that approaches or [engages] in the services are fairly compensated for what they are doing and also that the persons who use the service get what they pay for.

He reasoned that the issue of licencing and regulating of professionals are connected to the issue of consumer protection.

“How do we protect our people from things that go bad? We know Murphy’s Law which says if something can go wrong it will go wrong in any given set of circumstances,” said de Castro.

20 Responses to “‘Professionals must be regulated’ – Richard C. de Castro”

  • Yes (20/10/2015, 09:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good point
  • just asking... (20/10/2015, 09:36) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    He again?
  • Voter Too (20/10/2015, 09:59) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    He is so right even teachers and doctors and others
  • I agree (20/10/2015, 10:38) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    The teachers here need to be Degreed First, Background Check Second and Licensed third. Right now 95% of them don't have any of the these three. How do you not background check people who are around children. Since we trying to be like states all the time, let's be like them with their good qualities, not the bad ones.

    Get licensed professionals, in our school, hospital and don't get me started about our Government offices.
    • True (20/10/2015, 12:51) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
      But they are Belongers!
      • Trueth (20/10/2015, 16:59) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
        There are more non-Belonger teachers teaching in the Virgin Islands that Belongers. If we find out the truth about some of them we will faint. Yet we have them teaching our children.
        • Hopeless (20/10/2015, 20:25) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
          Teaching in the Caribbean has not moved on since the 1960s. We need to get properly qualified teachers from outside of the region to introduce new methods of teaching. It is not a black/white thing - there are plenty of black teachers in the US that we could recruit. However, we also need some foreign head teachers with modern approaches - there is no point bring in properly qualified teachers if they are going to be frustrated at every point by an old fashioned head teacher. We also need zero tolerance of bad behaviour from the kids, especially our belonger kids - some of them seem to have no respect. Any trouble, have them thrown out of class for a week - make them come to school but keep them away from the kids in class who want to learn. At the moment, I will be sending my kids away to school in the US or the UK as soon as they are old enough.
    • walk (20/10/2015, 12:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Part of your statement is not true. In the Government/public schools, the teachers are required to go through teacher training or should have a degree. I agree that they should go through background checks.
      • @ walk (20/10/2015, 13:11) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
        Teacher training isn't college training. We hot students at the high school and college more intelligent than the people out front teaching.
  • Jacksprat (20/10/2015, 12:22) Like (4) Dislike (13) Reply
    This man was a failure at PWD could not even gotten confirm now he on here running he face NEXT!!!!
  • My $0.02 (20/10/2015, 12:26) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    What about Vehicle Mechanics who are responsible for making sure that your vehicle is in a road worthy condition?
  • Voter Too (20/10/2015, 13:49) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    It only shows we all need to regulated ,tested,licensed, and more cause only God knows each and everyone internally and externally.
  • wize up (20/10/2015, 15:10) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    This man was in charge of a government department and while there did nothing suddenly have all of this advice.....
  • Carol (20/10/2015, 17:58) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Some people coming on here hating, but before you hate you should read the message. After a while there might be no more messages, we may all have to figure out things for ourselves.
    Think about who may be reading and seeing the level of hatred being displayed among our own people.
  • Jaguar (21/10/2015, 07:29) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply

    A guy was thrown out of PWD because he refused to take up a free but necessary Management program. He felt that his architectural and technology degrees were enough for him to manage the department.

  • It is true (22/10/2015, 06:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Regulation/Governance not only improves service but it enhances integrity of the profession on a whole - Less room for error - more mechanisms in place to rectify and penalize.


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