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Vehicular access blocked to rear of Crafts Alive Village

A recent blockade established near the rear of the Maria’s by the Sea hotel that previously offered vehicular access to the back of the Crafts Alive Village has created a stir. Photo: VINO
The padlock and chain blocking access to the rear of Crafts Alive Village. Photo: VINO
The padlock and chain blocking access to the rear of Crafts Alive Village. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – A recent blockade established in front of a pathway near the rear of the Maria’s by the Sea hotel that previously offered vehicular access to the back of the Crafts Alive Village has created a stir.

The blockade is made up of a chain affixed to a padlock and post which extends across the pathway that runs alongside the back of Maria’s by the Sea and the Crafts Alive Village.

The blockade which was erected earlier this week comes on the heels of fencing work being erected around the adjacent Wickhams Cay where the landside development for the Cruise Ship pier project is to be executed.

The reason for the blockade remains unclear at this time but vendors reported that they were told previously that the passage would not be blocked as it was a convenient pathway to allow vehicles to access the Crafts Alive Village from the rear.

Attempts to contact City Manager Janice Brathwaite-Edwards for comment on the issue proved unsuccessful up to post time.

24 Responses to “Vehicular access blocked to rear of Crafts Alive Village”

  • liberal (08/05/2014, 08:41) Like (18) Dislike (5) Reply
    It's about time cause if I was a guest at Maria’s by the Sea hotel I wouldn't like that and would never return to stay there again. If we are going building the tourist industry we should have standards.
    • quiet observer (08/05/2014, 21:44) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
      Liberal before expressing your self it would be wise to research and have your information together before spouting off. There is an old saying and it goes like this " Every ass likes to hear himself bray". Know what you are speaking about before voicin your opinion when it is so apparent that you don't have a clue of what you are speaking. Go to the site, observe for yourself then have an informed opinion based on fact and not stupidity.
    • play off (08/05/2014, 22:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Not sure I understand your point liberal
  • qc (08/05/2014, 09:14) Like (5) Dislike (15) Reply
    look trouble anything Mark touches is dead on arrival
  • good move (08/05/2014, 10:43) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    Vendors tends to park their vehicles at the back of craft alive village and its not a good site for the tourists because they go there to hang out after shopping
    • @ good move (09/05/2014, 01:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      why don't you talk about non vendors that park their also? Isn't or wouldn't it be right for us to see everyone of them?
  • Well... (08/05/2014, 10:55) Like (19) Dislike (2) Reply
    I don't understand why they need to access that road behind Maria's place. If it's about access to Crafts Alive, there's access to the front where Maria's new building and the taxi stand is. How much access do they need to unload and offload small items? I mean we really make a big deal out of things around here. If Marias put up the link, good for her, although perhaps some Government approval/notification was needed and granted? who knows, but I don't see the big deal. I can't wait until they fix up that area once and for all. The groundbreaking today should be the beginning of something we all can be proud of in the next 18 months HOPEFULLY! If Government can get this $30mil project up and going, completed on time and within budget, people would have much more hope in them going forward.
  • x factor (08/05/2014, 11:00) Like (5) Dislike (22) Reply
    Another great symbol of the NDP lock out the people
    • rattie (09/05/2014, 01:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Given the circumstances, the situation the blocked vehiclar acess needs to be clarified.


  • AC 360 (08/05/2014, 12:25) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    they making noise now but they say that vehicles was driving to the back and having their things removed from their stores Now you have to walk n so we might see who is really moving their stuff while walking coming out
  • by the sea (08/05/2014, 12:34) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    Block dem yes dem disturbing me guiest
  • chad (08/05/2014, 12:41) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    the place na,me maria by the sea not marias bye the sea meaning she is close to the sea not that she purchase the sea
    • Clearly Uneducated (08/05/2014, 14:14) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      By = used for saying who or what does something
      Bye = as in 'good bye'
      Buy = to purchase
  • mom (08/05/2014, 13:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ....bu their fruit you shall know them...
    • JEW (09/05/2014, 01:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      How can it possibly be reasonable for the NDP choose to sit this out when public access is deny.
  • wize up (08/05/2014, 13:45) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    there is a parking lot in the area of craft alive. so whats the big deal !!!!
    • Liat 521 (09/05/2014, 01:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      This story has become the norm in BVI every day life bully the poor and weak
  • FREEDOM FIGHTER (08/05/2014, 22:52) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Everyone is caught up in giving their opinion but fail to see what is happening. When we elect officers to represent us , we expect them to be fair and to look out for what is in the best interest of the majority, not for the flavoured few. It would appear that the rights of the majority are unimportant. The road that leads from the streets between the Administration Complex and runs to the rear of Maria by the Sea, is used by residents in their daily excercise, by many tourists avoiding the busy traffic on their return to the Cruise Ship, as well as by vendors some of whom must replenish their supplies especially those vendors serving refreshment to tourists. Vendors have prior to the addition of the new Craft Alive Project parked their vechicles at the rear of the village but were asked to stop doing so since the additions and this was adhered to.

    No place was left in the parking areas for unloading supplies or for the ambulance or fire vehicles should an emergency arise. As BVI citizen and residents we are extremely complacent. If we don,t stand up and protest when we see a wrong, very soon all our freedoms will be taken away, and we will exist in a total dictatorship where we have no say. Others will determine what we can say, where we can go and very soon there will be just the Haves and the Have Not.

    The strength of these British Virgin Islands were unlike that of the other islands. We owned the majority of land and had some level of self determination. Everything has a price, and we must pay close attention before it to late.

    Maria has access to her establishment. does Maria by the Sea has the right to control both her property and the Crown Land? Does the Ministerof Communication and Works have the right to dictate that Bvilanders must climb under a chain link that has been erected to accommodate Maria by the sea and that residents the elderly included must bend and go under or must take their arthritic bones and struggle to climb over? Maria boundary is fenced with a solid wall. We were under the impression that no one owns the sea or the access to it. From all appearances, the sea and the land adjacent to it belongs to the Crown and as such everyone should have access, but should be considerate to each other. Perhaps the esteemed Minister should return to The island of his birth and try some of the tatics that he has overtly or overtly used here in the BVI and let us see how far he gets.

  • @Freedom Fighter (09/05/2014, 09:59) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I do agree with you Freedom Fighter. I saw this coming a long time ago. The vendors now have no place to load or un-load..nonsense they doing to our people. Its time we stop trying to please the minority. I dont see how a few cars passing along that piece of public road could disturb guests. This is not a retirement island.
  • xxxxxxxx (10/05/2014, 07:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    may not have had the most convincing of finishes but dem tries
  • RAMS (10/05/2014, 19:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am crying tears for my BVI
  • Joc (15/05/2014, 15:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    You crying tears over a chain...people for goodness sake give me a break it is not the end of the world it is just a stupid chain gosh!
  • facts lady (16/05/2014, 08:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well this is icing on the cake what will happen when the broadwalk is built for the tourist to come down to craftalive to acomadate the tourist from the cruiseship terminal, as the exitting gate ebtrance will be used for taxies only. The trouble have now started as ground braken took place.I personally think this sort of thing should of never took place goverment seems to drage their foot on making sound decision when come to standing up for the average man to the rich man. That same maria take up have the land ajacent to craftalive to accomadate her recent building .now she is allow to put a chain ,knowing that area will be used for tourist and native alike. Garanty not a thing will be done about this ,guest what they will be protect and we don't stand achange.
  • its me again (16/05/2014, 09:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree why cry over a stuid chain if the groverment can't and would do nothing Cut It Ass down.......let all get togethet and cut it to hell down the same people who use bull nose plyers to cut off the locks from craftalive we need that cutter to cut that dam chain now. Since we have no one to represent us we take matters in our own hand. Next election they want we to vote. Hope they know tourist can't VOTE minister mark and others please let sleeping dogs lie or else.


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