Why do VIslanders have to be harrassed in their own country? Patsy Lake
The heart rending story of the construction of Pasea Place (as it was dubbed) was vividly told to those in attendance at a dedication ceremony amidst congratulations and best wishes from political officials, project participants and other well-wishers.
Among those giving remarks were Premier Dr The Hon. D. Orlando Smith, Opposition Leader Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE, Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool, Hon. Deloris Christopher, Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines, in addition to architects Steve Augustine and Dion Stoutt.
The keynote speaker, Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron V. Walwyn, was not present for the ceremony.
Premier Smith said, “One of the things that the government is very interested in as we try to recover from the recession in the past several years, is the encouragement of entrepreneurship…”
He described Mrs Lake as one of the ‘great entrepreneurs’ in the Virgin Islands, following in the footsteps of her mother who had set the pace for her. “What she’s done is extraordinary,” Premier Smith said before going on to list a few of her achievements and congratulating her on her success.
Mrs Lake, a National icon, then took to the stage and described the horrors that she endured in ‘putting this structure together’. She thought it pertinent to outline these struggles in the presence of the government officials so that “other developers don’t have to go through the same hassle.”
The property developer said there was much opposition from other land owners and residents of Pasea Estate and expressed that her initial application to the Town and Country Planning Department was ‘turned down’.
According to Mrs Lake, a meeting was later organised by residents and chaired by Mr Edmund Maduro in an attempt to outline some of the concerns that were felt about the construction of the property. Suffice to say, due to several hiccups at the start of the meeting, there was an abrupt ending and Mrs Lake left abruptly.
During the construction, Mrs Lake explained that there were several ‘stop notices’ that served to derail the completion of the project. She made several appeals to both the current and former Premiers, as well as several government ministers. At one point during her struggles to get the building done, Mrs Lake explained that she ‘wept uncontrollably’.
“My friends, when you move with God, sometimes you tend to think that he is not hearing, but he’s hearing… He’s taking notes, he’s hearing, he’s paying attention…” she said.
Mrs Lake also told the gathering that she was never to be building two buildings at the same time, “but with stop now, don’t go now, start again, don’t go again” this was the result. Her last stop notice, she related, came as recently as December 2012. “Why [do] BVIslanders have to be harassed in their own country when [they] are trying to do something positive?” she asked. Mrs Lake's other building in Road Town will be dedicated on January 30, 2013.
Mrs Lake accused civil servants put in charge of certain areas of abusing their authority and asked when VIslanders were going to stop being so unkind to each other. Throughout her entire ordeal, Mrs Lake added, “at no time [did] any of those persons objecting to this building… none of them ever picked up the phone to say ‘Patsy, what it is you’re building here, something to disturb the environment, something to disturb the peacefulness of Pasea..?’, nobody asked any questions.”
She disclosed that she heard tales of her building a disco or church at various times but said, “My friends, it’s a simple office complex, you know anybody looking place to rent?”
She related that her cousin, Mr Lesmore Smith was instrumental in bringing the building to the stage of completion that it was at so far and had a word from God that she should dedicate the building on her birthday.
The numerous stops and starts, she said, did not only affect her negatively, but rather was “also stopping the food from the contractors’ and their helpers’ tables” among others.
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54 Responses to “Why do VIslanders have to be harrassed in their own country? Patsy Lake”
idiot.
Yes, and what idiot approved the plan to put that building there?
Good job?
Stop Notices are not to keep people down, or to crush dreams, but to make sure things are done right, and the environment and people are not harmed in the long run.
Ms. Lake has loved and fought for the BVI, but she had better options. Also, with Politicians encouraging people to do what they want, we will suffer in the long run.
why the hick they do not keep off our national hero Ms. patsy? son of ah b...
They just hate locals and indigenous peoples.
This is not about keeping someone down or back. It is encouraging development in a sustainable and cohesive way for everyone and for City Planning at large. She feels she beat the stop orders as a nuisance. what does that say to everyone else trying to follow the rules? Plus, the fact that she dedicated it on her birthday ahead of schedule smacks of building a monument to herself. This behavior should not be rewarded.
the building looks nice but it's a stupid location. any building going up in such areas should be set back like treasure isle with ample parking. that thing is on the damn road. we love to do as we please jus because we from here, not good. two buildings put up, not one bit of parking. tis pure a$$i$hne$$. we are our own worst enemy. bvislanders doing as they please becuase they from here is what have wickhams cay how it is. take a good look at it. no uniformity, everybody doing as they please. it looks like a damn ghetto. sometimes i wonder if over deh wouldnt look better if they had left bates witht he damn thing. it is really embarassing but i guess i will be bashed because she local and good or bad we should jus sit back and defend it. for the past 20yrs that has been pulling the country down but we still promoting local whether good or bad its time we start promoting country and not self. bvi is more local than any of us will ever be. nonsense. prepare for lots of accidents up deh
God Bless You Ms Patsy Lake
She can import cheap labor from as far as China and there is nothing the labor department can say or do but to just approve it.
What a Thing.
I would love to work with you someday mrs. Lake
most of these negative comments are people who can't see their nose infront their face National hero, grinch, comments about Omar Hodge what is all this for? Omar Hodge was ill, National Hero (yes) but was she given the properties as a gift or did she slave and work hard to pay the bank and buy them. The Grinch because she tries to make her $$ stretch. Look around this woman is up at the crack of dawn at her age working like a dog until all hours and you hate her for being rich? why because she didn't screw anyone to get to where she is. Soon enough in the future you'll see buildings in places you wouldn't even imagine and most of you who are so busy hiding behind your computers will still be there behind your computers accomplishing NOTHING!