Who ordered large tree @ Roundabout Gas Station cut down?
The tree, which was also somewhat of a landmark, was cut down yesterday September 3, 2016.
It is unclear who ordered the removal of the big tree and the motives behind it being cut down.
Many of the men that assembled under the tree are from the Dominican Republic and most of them have their proper documentation, according to an investigative report done by our newsroom in a story some three years ago.
It was found that many of them hold work permits but when their main employer does not have work for them they go there to seek new employment for a day or even for months.
Others are residents and Belongers of the Virgin Islands and have a right to be there. Meanwhile, the men have since relocated to another tree closer to Virgin Queen on Fleming Street.
The type of tree destroyed and what the removal will mean to the ecological system of Road Town is not immediately known.
Further, it’s unclear if this is a part of the Government's "so called efforts" to clean up Road Town via the City Manager's Office.
Owner of the Roundabout Gas Station Mr Henry E. Kettle told this news site that persons have been assuming it was the management of the gas station that ordered the tree cut down but said he had no knowledge of that decision.
“I was told last night by one of the employees. I didn’t even know they cut it down. I don’t even know who and why they cut it down. Everybody was thinking it’s us but we had nothing to do with that.”
Mr Kettle further said the trees add to the aesthetics of the city, are used as landmarks and lend a calmness to the city.
“I am about green. I am not for cutting down trees,” Mr Kettle added.
Efforts to reach the City Manager Ms Janis Brathwaite-Edwards for a comment were unsuccessful.
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72 Responses to “Who ordered large tree @ Roundabout Gas Station cut down?”
And on top of that ppl trying find work got misplaced is he outer touch with the economy
Or is this bold head doing to make him look bad
Not only in the BVI Buddy. Why can't whoever had it cut down stand up like a man and admit they had it done. People is looking at certain people and saying that they had it done because they wanted the Santos gone.
coward act. The tree was not bothering anyone. Let us see what they are going to put there now. Everyone is mum but someone in Government order the hit on the tree.
First of all the land does not belong to the Government ( Just look at the white poles in the picture which mark off where the property ends), but it belongs to RT Oneal who leased it to the Gas station owners. Gas station owners would be the ones to make that call. Mr. Kettle says he has no knowledge of the decision, so perhaps he was not part of that decision but possibly another Manager/Owner was. Come on People your anger is misdirected.
I am totally disappointed to know that this decision was made and it would be disturbing to know that it was done to stop the Santo Domingo Men from assembling there but that may just be conjecture(could be the underlying reason). Based on info on the ground they are looking to extend the parking but at the expense of a tree which provides necessary oxygen for the thousands who visit and live in the city? Not sure how much parking space you can get out of that so reasoning seems suspect. Imagine that this same tree is near a gas station that pollutes the air.
Management/Owners should have thought twice about this but it is their property that they pay a lease for and unless they had something in the lease that prevented them from doing it, well nothing we can do. If anybody we should be channelling our anger at is at the Management/Owners, maybe demand answers of Sol and if we are not happy then protest by electing not to buy gas there, but little else can be done.
Another occurrence where our quality of life was adversely affected by the importation of some expats.
Had the landowner charged a daily fee for the human parking and defacing of his property, that would have been another
tralalala. Immigration,in my opinion,should be making daily sweeps and inquiries at that location or any location where there
are unemployed workers congregating is how I see it.
Shouldn't it be illegal for a work permit holder under one employer be able to go find work for another employer "for the day or months" I mean I can't be working at a newspaper and then go work at the gas station when my work permit is for the newspaper.
Who is paying the taxes, Social Security, NHI and so on?
Please explain cause I like to pick up another job too!
Go behind the area where the tree was cut and look what's right next to it (a garbage bin) and still the Spanish man refuses to use it throwing all the garbage from their breakfast and beers they drink over the fence. Now you will inderstand. you who have negative comments about why the tree was understand that act?