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VI to honour H.L. Stoutt; ‘Territory started before 2011’- Willock

- This will mark the 17th annual memorial celebration in honour of the Virgin Islands’ first Chief Minister [watch full YouTube interview with Julian Willock]
Mr Julian Willock (right), who appeared as a guest on a call in JTV talk show ‘Speak Your Mind’ on February 18, 2017 on channel 55, said the Virgin Islands did not start after 2011 and in fact it was the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) under the late H. Lavity Stoutt (left) who were responsible for most of the developments in the territory. Photo: VINO/Internet Source
The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and the late Mr H. Lavity Stoutt are credited with a number of developments in the territory, including the Central Administration Complex (below) and spearheading the development of the local community college (above), which is named in Mr Stoutt’s honour. Photo: VINO/File
The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and the late Mr H. Lavity Stoutt are credited with a number of developments in the territory, including the Central Administration Complex (below) and spearheading the development of the local community college (above), which is named in Mr Stoutt’s honour. Photo: VINO/File
Speakers at the 17th annual H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Celebration and Wreath Laying Ceremony on Monday March 6, 2017 will include Premier and Leader of Government Business Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL), left, and Leader of the Opposition and First District Representative, Hon Andrew A. Fahie, right. Photo: VINO/File
Speakers at the 17th annual H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Celebration and Wreath Laying Ceremony on Monday March 6, 2017 will include Premier and Leader of Government Business Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL), left, and Leader of the Opposition and First District Representative, Hon Andrew A. Fahie, right. Photo: VINO/File
CAPPOON’S BAY, Tortola, VI- The Government of the Virgin Islands will host the 17th annual H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Celebration and Wreath Laying Ceremony on Monday March 6, 2017, a public holiday.

The first Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands (VI) is dubbed a “Freedom Leader” and the activities will showcase a public march from Sebastian’s Parking Lot at 8:30 A.M., to the Cappoon’s Bay burial grounds, where Mr Stoutt is buried.

The day’s celebrations for the ‘Father of the VI’ will have the normal wreath-laying ceremony at 9:00 A.M., and will feature presentations from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College Sting Rays, H. Lavity Stoutt Commemorative Choir, Zion Sounds and the Zion Hill and Carrot Bay Methodist Choirs.

Speakers will include Premier and Leader of Government Business Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) and Leader of the Opposition and First District Representative, Hon Andrew A. Fahie, who represents Mr Stoutt’s district.

H. Lavity Stoutt: A Freedom Leader

The late H. Lavity Stoutt was born on March 7, 1929. He served as Chief Minister of the VI for over sixteen years and is a founder of the Opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP).

The VIP and Mr Stoutt are credited with establishing the cruise ship pier in Road Town, creating the Social Security scheme, overseeing the construction of the Central Administration Complex, cutting and paving some 80% of all main roads in the Territory and spearheading the development of the local community college, which is named in Mr Stoutt’s honour.

Mr Stoutt was at the helm throughout the Territory’s development as an international finance centre, most of the major foreign investments currently in the British Overseas Territory, the scholarship programmes to educate VIslanders, building of most if not all schools and community centres, bringing water and electricity to most of the residents, and his VIP carried on most of the developments from Tortola, to Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke and Anegada.

The late Freedom Leader died in May 1995, at his home in Long Bay on Tortola.

VI did not start in 2011-Willock

Speaking to the rich history of development of the Virgin Islands before the 2011 elections that saw the National Democratic Party (NDP) come to power, former Permanent Secretary and Businessman Julian Willock warned that we must reject the dangerous notion by some NDP politicians that nothing was going on in the VI before 2011 when they came to power.

Mr Willock was at the time speaking as a guest on a call in JTV talk show ‘Speak Your Mind’ hosted by John Lewis on February 18, 2017 on Channel 55.

In response to a question by Mr Lewis, who raised the issue of water rates and the Government negotiating to reduce them, Mr Willock stated that water rate and the reduction is nothing new. He said going back to his time as the Director of Water and Sewerage it was always the goal to reduce water rates, therefore the goal is “nothing new.”

Be honest about our history-Willock

Mr Willock said, if “some politicians would be honest about the Biwater deal, over a period of time water rates would have been significantly reduced…and the good thing is at the end of the Biwater contract we would owned the water plants.”

In addition, Mr Willock told the public that as part of the Biwater deal they donated two sewerage treatment plants free of cost valued at close to $5M and this has already resulted in “after 30 years no more raw sewerage running in the bay at Slaney.”

The former Permanent Secretary said there have been a lot of good works going on before the 2011 general elections. He said on the February 18, 2017 interview “successive governments have all made contributions to the development of the Territory, everything did not start in 2011…the college was not built in 2011, the Administrative Complex was not built in 2011, all the clinics and schools were built way before 2011…the London Office did not start in 2011,” the astute Virgin Islander articulated.

The public is invited to the 17th annual H. Lavity Stoutt celebrations, which is a joint effort between Government and the H. Lavity Stoutt Commemorative Committee.

Click on link watch the entire Julian Willock interview from show ‘Speak Your Mind’

 https://youtu.be/BzcizgaFm-E

20 Responses to “VI to honour H.L. Stoutt; ‘Territory started before 2011’- Willock”

  • the real dog (27/02/2017, 08:11) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Esteem one if yuh love politics & country that bad, you'll have to run.....otherwise we do not want to hear you!
    • John (27/02/2017, 11:41) Like (42) Dislike (1) Reply
      So in a territory of thirty to forty thousand people, you only want thirteen opinions? Boy, are you bright!! The elected officials need the advise of the people.
    • dog (27/02/2017, 12:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      "real dog?"
  • VG (27/02/2017, 08:14) Like (9) Dislike (40) Reply
    Does JW think he is Lavity? is he going to make the BVI great again?
  • lily (27/02/2017, 08:16) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
    Myron in particular behave like the BVI was created in 2011 with his empty rhetoric and spin. That thinking reminds me of the attempt by the colonial governments in African and the Caribbean not to attribute anything of significance to the local populations because then their superiority would be challenged.
  • respect (27/02/2017, 08:26) Like (9) Dislike (6) Reply
    Walcox is the BVI Trump. He is changing politics as we know it. He is holding both government and opposition accountable.
  • Mr. P (27/02/2017, 08:27) Like (7) Dislike (6) Reply
    Happy birthday late Laivity..JW means well and has the gift of gab.
  • Bvi lander (27/02/2017, 08:29) Like (6) Dislike (8) Reply
    The VIP of H L Stoutt is not the same VIP anymore bossie, today's VIP is like a egg being scrambled and left to sit
  • wize up (27/02/2017, 08:35) Like (16) Dislike (5) Reply
    Hon HL Stoutte is one leader that actually did things that benefited the entire territory: most politician these day only care about their district: HL Stoutt never tried scoring political point; he is from the west side yet built the college in the east side: Hon Stoutte developed roads throughout the territory and he did so for all of us...long live HL
  • Jamdown (27/02/2017, 08:41) Like (15) Dislike (5) Reply
    Words of wisdom from Haile Selassie, "A good leader...maintains a balance between emotional drive and sound thinking", Mr. Willock I am impress with the interview very bright man
  • locolorez (27/02/2017, 08:45) Like (15) Dislike (7) Reply
    For starters, Julian sounding good but I am sure when he gets in he will be just like the rest of them and their broken promises
    • wize up (27/02/2017, 12:11) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
      @ locolorez: so Julian is actually running for elections(I hope it's on the NDP ticket)...
  • mmmm (27/02/2017, 09:35) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why do we say 'Dr the Honorable and not 'Hon. Dr D. Orlando'
    After all when he leaves politics he will still be Dr. Smith so I
    believe the Dr. should be next to his name
    I would like to hear the views of the English experts
  • hog city (27/02/2017, 09:40) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    You did a great job on the speak your mind show
  • rajah (27/02/2017, 13:32) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
    Under fahie and that boy from east end the vip dead
    • wize up (27/02/2017, 14:25) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      correct me if I am wrong: Fraser is starting his own party.....VIP dead or what(is there hope under fahie) or should the 2 Julians for hog city for create this third party
  • ballhead fan (27/02/2017, 16:41) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
    Some people like to be in thing sah
  • Knowledge is Power (27/02/2017, 22:38) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is a good list of vip actions, let us go back to the old stoutt vip where the bvi was great
  • 911 (27/02/2017, 23:18) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    thanks for the history lessons willock This is brilliant.


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