Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

‘We have shelves & shelves of lovely plans'- Chief Planner

- said they were shelved due to lack of implementation strategy
The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Chief, Mr Gregory W. Adams said TCP does not have a strong basis to tell developers that their proposal may be appropriate for an area or not. Photo: VINO
The Chief Planner, Mr Gregory W. Adams told attendees at town hall meeting on July 12, 2017 that there are several reports regarding developments in the VI that have been sitting on shelves for years. Photo: VINO/File
The Chief Planner, Mr Gregory W. Adams told attendees at town hall meeting on July 12, 2017 that there are several reports regarding developments in the VI that have been sitting on shelves for years. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Speaking at a town hall meeting on Wednesday July 12, 2017, on the ‘EnVIsion 2040’ project, Mr Gregory W. Adams, Chief Planner of the Town and Country Planning disclosed that his department inspects building plans in a ‘microscopic’ way because his team does not have a ‘strong basis’ on which they determine if a proposed development is appropriate for a particular area in the Virgin Islands (VI).

“If you are a developer and you have an idea to build let’s say a hotel in some area in the VI, right now when you come to the Planning Authority with that proposal, we really don’t have a strong basis to tell you that it is appropriate for this area or not,” explained the chief planner.

He further explained, “We could do a lot of that (assessment) based on the historic patters, but not necessarily what we think the area can become. As a result, we look at things in a very microscopic way instead of a global perspective.”

Mr Adams suggested that during the ‘EnVIsion 2040’ project, there needs to be a plan put in place to guide how developments should take place in the VI over the next 20 years:

“I would say that it is better by far to think about it and suggest what we want to become, than to let it happen and wonder how it happened.”

Not new to planning; several reports on shelves

The chief planner told the attendees that there are several reports regarding developments in the VI that have been sitting on shelves for years. However, he emphasised that the ‘EnVIsion 2040’ plan will not be shelved like all the other plans because it will have an established implementation strategy.

“We are not new to writing plans in the Virgin Islands; we do a really good job at writing plans. I could take you to my office right now and show you shelves and shelves of lovely plans that were written; however, the one thing that a lot of those plans have in common is they didn’t have an implementation strategy… I think that is what will set this plan apart from many,” stated Mr Adams.

The Chief Planner assured the audience that the project is based on the input of the people in the community and it is an assessment that will increase as the plan is being crafted.

“The plan is not written yet; we are right at the beginning. We are hopefully going to be wrapping up in June of next year. We are not just here to stuff something down your throat that we have already crafted. We are here genuinely to try to get your input,” said Mr Adams.

8 Responses to “‘We have shelves & shelves of lovely plans'- Chief Planner”

  • ABC (18/07/2017, 17:40) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hummmmm
  • Okey now (18/07/2017, 17:49) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    nothing new here typical government behavior
  • Strupez (18/07/2017, 19:05) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    all they're doing is holding progress and keeping down their own people
  • trrefdrfds (18/07/2017, 19:06) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    outsider given the red carpet...locals the red tape
  • foxy (19/07/2017, 07:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Adams lucky his mon is DG...these people are viditive
  • E. Leonard (19/07/2017, 08:27) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Simply, the planning process is determining what needs to be done and why things need to be done. It identifies what goals need to be achieved and the strategies/tactics to achieve them. The planning process is vital and critical for economic growth, development and sustainability. The late Dr. W. Edward Deming, management guru, says:" If you can't describe what you doing as a process, you don't know what you are going." Plan our work and work our plan. Typically organizations have a ton of plans that makes good bookends so the lack of plans is not the prime issue;it is the implementation of the plans that it is often the core problem. Lack of resources, lack of will, politics, .......etc are contributing causes to poor plan(s) implementation. What is needed?

    A unified development code(UDC) is needed. All other plans, i.e., master plans, strategic plans......etc should flow from the UDC. UDC developed and approved, it should be implemented/enforced without undue influence. The UDC should have a process for deviation(s). All major government projects should go through a planning commission, an advisory board, or similar body before going to the HOA.
  • Quiet Storm (19/07/2017, 13:28) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Plans used as book ends. Lol! Question do they even make good book ends. There is too much political influence to skirt the rules. When exceptions are greater than the normal rules, the normal rules are useful and become bookends. Political influence, especially preferential influences, handicaps the people enforcing the rules.


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.