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‘We are being treated like dogs!’ – Edmund G. Maduro

Commentator Edmund G. Maduro sent out a warning about the situation which has prevented vendors from selling their wares at the popular Smugglers Cove beach, noting that a sign has since been placed there to reinforce the policy. Photo: VINO/File
According to Maduro, there is a committee of non-local people who live in the area that has been giving direction to political representatives on the issue. Photo: VINO/File
According to Maduro, there is a committee of non-local people who live in the area that has been giving direction to political representatives on the issue. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Commentator Edmund G. Maduro sent out a warning about the situation which has prevented vendors from selling their wares at the popular Smugglers Cove beach, noting that a sign has since been placed there to reinforce the policy.

“Here in the BVI we are being treated like dogs,” Maduro stated about the situation on the EGM radio show aired on ZROD 103.7 FM May 1, 2014.

According to Maduro, there is a committee of non-local people who live in the area that has been giving direction to political representatives on the issue. “It is the direction from this committee that our Ministers and Representatives in government have been taking and abusing our BVIslanders of their constitutional rights,” he alleged.

He contended that everyone who has a right to be in the Territory has a right to life, “If we and our elected representatives are going to allow people to come in here and create committees and cause us to die for the lack of food, it is time to take serious attention to how we are being protected and represented by the people we elect,” Maduro cautioned.

Vendors were ordered to cease operation on the beach effective, April 3, 2012 until the requisite licenses were obtained.

He noted that the beach is public and urged that every person in the Virgin Islands should have access to the beaches. “If our people have vendors’ licences, who is the City Manager or any government department to stick up a notice and say that they cannot vend on a beach that is a public area?” he asked.

Maduro called on the First District Representative Hon. Andrew A. Fahie and Premier Dr The Hon. D. Orlando Smith to ensure that justice was served and the alleged abuse discontinued.

24 Responses to “‘We are being treated like dogs!’ – Edmund G. Maduro”

  • Kingfish (05/05/2014, 08:16) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    Mr. Maduro. There is a time and place for everything.
  • xxxxxxxx (05/05/2014, 08:29) Like (4) Dislike (14) Reply
    Under the NDP what else you expect? eh
  • son of the soil (05/05/2014, 08:48) Like (11) Dislike (20) Reply
    Only locals should be allowed to sell on the beach.
    • Really (05/05/2014, 10:47) Like (14) Dislike (4) Reply
      So a local applys for a Trade License 1 piece of paper, no bank details, no referneces, no experience required. But an expat applies has to fill in all the above points and more then wait for a very long time to get their license but can't sell on the public beach because they are not local, wait what if they employ locals? Are the locals not employing expats to serve?
    • Airrion (05/05/2014, 17:45) Like (31) Dislike (4) Reply
      Wrong..anyone who is a permanent resident should be allowed to get a vendors license and sell to support themselves.
  • ccc (05/05/2014, 09:11) Like (5) Dislike (5) Reply
    Fahie has let us down
  • please (05/05/2014, 09:19) Like (26) Dislike (2) Reply
    Edmund if they left it up to you the BVI would be a shanty town
  • rattie (05/05/2014, 10:08) Like (5) Dislike (16) Reply
    the bvi is the new south africa
    • NDP friends (05/05/2014, 12:39) Like (4) Dislike (8) Reply
      With NDP it sure is.
    • @ rattie (05/05/2014, 18:41) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
      Yes it is worst than South African and they all get work permits easily but local companies catch hell!!!
  • ++++ (05/05/2014, 10:59) Like (33) Dislike (0) Reply
    you should know that the committee is made up of locals and belongers. The beach was purchased as a potential park. It is small and family-friendly. The vendors made it uncomfortable by blocking access by their booths, and hassling the visitors. At one point there were up to 7 vendors (some illegal and rude) covering the beach and coveted spaces. Some vendors had friends who just sat and stared at women in bathing suits. At the end of the day, trash was left. If this and other beaches are key to the tourist industry, isn't it time to protect them for the enjoyment of everyone? none of the USVI allow shopping malls on their beaches. It is still open to the public but Smugglers is too small for this volume activity and behavior.
  • smdh (05/05/2014, 11:24) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    Maduro needs to speak the facts about this situation. Many of the so called vendors were not even licensed to operate nor did they have food handlers license. Some were even being rude to the patrons on the beach and the customer service horrible. Nobody is against vendors on the beach but we do not expect 9 to 10 vendors on such a small space; maybe 3 at the most that each sell different things. Currently there are two vendors operating illegally on the beach despite the warning.
  • Sand dollar (05/05/2014, 11:36) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    With due respect to Mr. Maduro, the issue aside regarding who the residents of the Smuggler's Cove area are, are there any environmental, social or even economic benefits to the Territory as a whole to be derived from placing certain restrictions on beach use? Is it always that the opportunity for someone to make a dollar should prevail, even if that 'someone' is the proverbial "small man"? Whilst I do not advocate discrimination, I firmly believe the matter has to be viewed broadly. One sees emerging from the Smuggler's Cove and similar beach-use debate questions of changes in the BVI traditional culture, questions regarding possible unease in the financial viability of many residents (Virgin Islanders and non-Virgin Islanders) and more expansively the Territory's economic state, questions relating to immigration policies and management, and questions relating to environmental considerations, to cite a few. These issues must be addressed objectively and intelligently in the interest of all who embrace the BVI as their home.




  • Boo (05/05/2014, 13:48) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    I cry for my BVI tears tears tears
  • Gregra (05/05/2014, 14:18) Like (2) Dislike (6) Reply
    Respect to Mr. Maduro for bringing this to the fore. I am not a BVIslander and as much as us from other islands/country ball about the process when we apply I am a firm believer that the citizen should have first preference, shorter routes to some things because they're from here. When i am in my homeland that is how I expect it to be. Now to the issue of the vendors and this sign I am disgusted that this committee can harp up on two lone BVIslander and the people who aught to protect them joined the crucifixion to delve them the death blow. A bunch of others loike myself who goes to the beach everyday with the sole intent to harassed these two guys using all manner of trickery and lies. These guys got license to vend if those in authority want to control anything they could have set rules but no the homeowners who have their lawyers and COP on speed dial one by one make life hell for these guys. But again who stand for these two simpletons? when it easier to turn your ears acting like you don't know what is going on. soon they will have that beach all to themselves as they make it their right to confront or harass bl folks by calling the popos on them.
  • black man (05/05/2014, 15:39) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dogs tis jokes more like dirt
  • Wesley (05/05/2014, 17:48) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    The BVI will never be the next South Africa because we would not tolerate it any more. We would rise up this time, and do away with those who try to enslave us AGAIN!
  • small head (05/05/2014, 19:40) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    wow what in the world is going on in the BVI
  • Wrong (05/05/2014, 22:57) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Who elected those who are critics ?
  • Yes (06/05/2014, 00:14) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    WEsley you are right. BVI will never be South Africa. In South Africa the Blacks didn't sell off their land to rich white expats so they could buy big depreciating by the minute SUVs with the biggest rims, build a 3 story concrete box and only live on one floor, spend on the santo stock exchange and other nonsense to 'show off' on eachother. SO you are right, but for the wrong reasons LMAO.
  • Local (06/05/2014, 09:30) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thanks for bringing this issue to the forefront mr maduro. Yes, we need to minimize the amount of vendors doing business at smugglers cove but we definitely need at lease two vendors there to provide service to our locals and visiting guess who use that beach and would like to have a drink or something to eat. A rest room is also necessary at that beach.


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