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VG residents demanding a say in rebuilding of BFEC

- offering voluntary service towards rebuilding
This photo was posted on Facebook by Minister for Education Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL) on January 11, 2018. He stated that in the meeting an agreement was reached where FLOW will be donating $540,000 towards the Bregado Flax Educational Centre-Secondary Division. Photo: Facebook
The Facebook post my community activist Pop Stevens calling for the residents of Virgin Gorda to have a say in the rebuilding of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre. Photo: Facebook
The Facebook post my community activist Pop Stevens calling for the residents of Virgin Gorda to have a say in the rebuilding of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre. Photo: Facebook
VALLEY, Virgin Gorda, VI - With corporate entities in the territory committing to donating some $1.54M towards the rebuilding of Bregado Flax Education Centre on the sister island of Virgin Gorda, residents there are demanding a say in the process.

They are also suggesting they can cut cost by providing community service for the rebuilding.

During the past week, the controversal Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (AL) announced via his Facebook community channel that Unite BVI, a local not for profit organisation, has committed in principle to plug $1M into the school. Subsequently, a second announcement was made that the local arm of the telecommunications giant, FLOW, had forked out $540,000 for the same school's rebuilding.

“Another successful meeting! We just came to another agreement where Flow will be donating another five hundred and forty thousand dollars ($540,000 US), which will go towards Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary Division,” Hon Walwyn said on Thursday, January 11, 2018.

Involvement, accountability & transparency

However, residents of Virgin Gorda islands have sounded a call for the Minister responsible to have them fully involved in the name of accountability, transparency and effective use of the donors' monies.

Mr Pop Stevens, a man who is known to be very vocal on matters affecting the Territory, called for the community's involvement.

"Mr Minister, listen to the people, let us be involved with the rebuilding of our community. It's us out here at ground level that has the best ideas about what should and should not happen to our community, not some white collar sitting in a penthouse office with a corner view. We need local grassroots level involvement. Order a committee to come up with the best ideas and the best contractors to build back what was destroyed. Why do we have to beg to be involved? Waste and mismanagement cannot be allowed to come into play in the rebuilding of our school. We want to be involved, or else."

Mr Stevens said the touted $600,000 to repair the roof of the school is questionable. "Was there any bidding on this? We want to see all the bids and what went into the figure to repair the roof. We also want to see where the other $400,000 will go towards. The school needs to be taken down because of the severity of the mold infestation. We (volunteers), along with the million dollars, can build a completely new complex."

Among several others standing with Mr Stevens on this call was Mr Carl Mel, who said: "I definitely agree with you Pop. At least the Minister of Education should consider having a meeting with the community on this. He needs to involve us, the 9th District community, and let us voice/have an input on the rebuilding of the school. At the end of the day, it's OUR CHILDREN who are attending that school. #justmytwocents."

20 Responses to “VG residents demanding a say in rebuilding of BFEC”

  • Gov smart (14/01/2018, 12:14) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply

    Them mi****s want some of that money in there pockets this a big take down let’s see how it plays out

  • question (14/01/2018, 12:40) Like (18) Dislike (22) Reply
    Is Mr Stevens an engineer or quantity surveyor? Id he a contractor or carpenter? People are donating millions and he thinks they wont get this information from reputable sources before agreeing to it? Sometimed I really have to wonder whether some of us really want to help or if we have some other motive. Simply approach the Minister directly expressing your desire to be part of the rebuild, how hard is that? These facebook patriots and media whores make me sick!!
    • my 2 cents (14/01/2018, 13:03) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
      Well, hopefully the Minister isn’t using the same Engineer, or Quantity Surveyor, or contractor or carpenter that advised him it will cost $1M to build a wall half way around ESHS.

      My point is although we may not all be field experts, it’s hard to ignore basic common sense.
      • @ my 2 cents (14/01/2018, 19:20) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
        you should have heard what Governor John Duncan was saying about the high school wall before he left
  • Hush up or put up (14/01/2018, 13:13) Like (3) Dislike (8) Reply
    Put Yao money whey Yao mouth is
  • 123 (14/01/2018, 13:21) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    more kick backs
  • @ question (14/01/2018, 13:53) Like (21) Dislike (2) Reply
    Virgin Gorda people I am proud of you Mr Stevens might not be a contractor or Quantity surveyor but he has guts to stand up and demand accountability. Times have passed the Government dont listen nor did the Governor of the past who allowed this financial mess to happened when he should have put his foot down to stop it instead of writing letters begging the premier to do better. We need to demand accountability.
    • question (14/01/2018, 18:42) Like (12) Dislike (11) Reply
      As usual in the quest to cause confusion and play politics you completely missed my point. If Mr Stevens and others want to have a say thats fine but why does the world need to know that? If there is a group that wants to be a part of the rebuild simply come together, make plans and approach the Minister directly. How hard is that? So many people have donated and gave of their time quietly but others take to the media with every small thing and to prove what? If you want to help then help but everything shouldnt be such a big deal.
  • Lb (14/01/2018, 16:44) Like (9) Dislike (8) Reply
    It is sickening how we can't move a match stick in the BVI anymore without social media Patriots and FB whores (as stated above) sounding off. We have become such a bureaucratic country now that we can't get anything done. We elected them to do a job but they can't get a darned thing done because every Tom dick and Sherry want to have a say. Might as well we have 30,000 elected representatives instead of 13. Last I checked it was a BVI community not a VG community. But whenever it comes to VG, you all quick to separate yourselves then be the same ones crying about "division"! Sickening!
  • Gumption.Official (14/01/2018, 16:48) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    We shall have a say about using that money on VG BEFCE. I’ll feel bad if that money goes otherwise. I hope VG can not just talk on social media but will hold hands around the school so to speak. No government official should gain off of them besides gaining respect for doing a good and honest job.
  • Charley Rose (14/01/2018, 17:45) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is truly people's power. I applaud the residents of Virgin Gorda. It is time for the residents to stand up for accountability in the manner in which government is handling the financial affairs of the territory. Gone are the days when people would remain quiet. Since the debacle of the cruise ship pier and the million dollar wall around the high school, people do not trust these politicians because of the over spending of government's money.

    There is need for financial audit of every aspect of spending. From the purchase of text books to catering at the hospitals as well as purchasing of pharmaceuticals for the health services. Where ever monies are spent, there is need to stop all the arteries from bleeding of government's money. The premier needs to declare a state of war on the economy and anyone who steels or take kickbacks from the government's projects should be dealt with severely.
    • Lb (15/01/2018, 09:44) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      There was no debacle. How much did Frazer's wall around private property cost? Or his sidewalk to nowhere? Or Andrew's park? I wish yall would stop with the dumb azzed conspiracy b.s. Why can't we leave political party alignments out of every thing?
  • one eye (14/01/2018, 18:45) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    hope the governor is keeping his eyes on Funny man
  • Xxx (14/01/2018, 20:48) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dear Donors,

    Don't give the money to the Government please. The government should only have a say in the drawings/plans of the schools, whether here on Tortola, Virgin Gorda or Jost Van Dyke. We all know what would happen to the monies if they get their hands on it.
  • True (14/01/2018, 21:08) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    To think you can tear down the full school and rebuild with $1.6million is a joke just as the $600k for the roof is a joke but there must be a middle ground where the funds used are accountable.
  • Concerned (15/01/2018, 03:20) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply

    Is this $1,000,000. donation a campaign contribution for MW's change of mind for voting for NorthWest to buy Road Town Wholesale over a native who was interested in buying the business, when MW publicly said that sale would never happen? I wonder. The citizens of VG have a right to demand transparency about how the money is going to be spent.
    I am also concerned about the donation from flow, when flow seems to not want to spend money to get its system properly functioning.
    who is looking out for the interest of the electorate? Just wondering.

    • chad (15/01/2018, 16:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      What kind of life can you lead when everything is a conspiracy? The next time you take a shit make sure take a good look at it before you flush because it may be shaped like the illuminati and you know what that means :-|
  • pat (15/01/2018, 04:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The issue here is trust. We do not trust this gang around money they got rich over night by stealing from the public
  • 1.6 mil (16/01/2018, 00:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Truth be told 1.6 is not enough need another million if breaking down. Vg if you got problems with accountability I'm willing to help. Let's play music together and fight for what you want to see. Call a spade a spade. One and one makes two not four. Community involvement can help with transparency and accountability. Just need to keep some people away from the money. Irma relief was the greatest teacher sorry to say. Don't take people by face value heart was far away from pain some people faced and are facing. This is a true fact. Some up and down talking about minister but go take a mirror and look in it and see who you see. Is it the minister or your self. Time to look into our own lives. Government don't have all the answers they fishing on the wrong banks sometimes.


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