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'I'm not a glorified City Manager'- Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith

Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith (AL) has defended her job title as Jr Minister for Culture & Tourism, and Fourth District Representative, after being labelled a ‘Glorified City Manager,’ by one media operative in relation to the Premier’s involvement in projects under her portfolio. Photo: GIS/File
Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith was at the time speaking alongside Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) during a Friday, March 22, 2024, Press Conference on the upcoming Virgin Islands Music Festival & other cultural events. Photo: VINO/File
Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith was at the time speaking alongside Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) during a Friday, March 22, 2024, Press Conference on the upcoming Virgin Islands Music Festival & other cultural events. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Fourth District Representative and Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4) has defended her job title after being labelled a ‘Glorified City Manager,’ by one media operative in relation to her bring assigned projects by the Premier.

Hon Hodge-Smith was at the time speaking alongside Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) during a Friday, March 22, 2024, Press Conference on the upcoming Virgin Islands Music Festival & other cultural events.

Several projects happening in D4 

Addressing the media, Hon Hodge-Smith said, ‘As the 4th District representative, a lot of the projects that are going to be happening in the District are centred around me as being the District Representative. So whatever's happening in the 4th District, I am very much involved,” she said.

There are some projects that are going to be coming on stream. But the way I work, I dot my I’s and crossed my T’s before they are presented, and we are working with the Town and Country Planning Department.” 

She promised that there are projects in stream at the moment for the VI, we are working behind the scenes with getting the paperwork done, getting the price of the projects costed and then we will be submitting them for tender,” he said.

She added that until those are done, projects won't be pronounced or announced by her until all the procedures and all the works behind the scenes are ready for it to be pushed forward.”

She said as the Junior Minister responsible for culture and tourism, her responsibility is still under the Premier as such, projects handled by her are projects that have been assigned.

D4 remains important as Capital 

“Of course the Fourth District is very important, because it is the capital of our territory and we have a lot of projects coming up that Is going to enhance the beautification of the capital and also making it more pedestrian friendly, making it a little bit more green.” 

Hon Luce-Smith added, “So until as I said all the I’s are dotted and the T's are cross, these things are not going to come forward. But be rest assured we have some things coming up that I think everyone will be pleased... But it's not just being a glorified city manager. I assure you that,” she added.

24 Responses to “'I'm not a glorified City Manager'- Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith”

  • Well saw. (23/03/2024, 13:03) Like (11) Dislike (2) Reply
    Why dig up that Road now from traffic light into Tortola Pier Parm making it so bumpy in the midst of the tourist season and thats one of the most used road. Either you dug it up and get it pave quickly or leave it until slow season. So, that is not dotting your i's and crossing your T's.. I do like the Music fest location but prepare for rain and be sure to drive the sound out to sea to minimize noise disturbance..
    • yeah (23/03/2024, 13:39) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      but yo want to disturb we who living down town and mcnamara?
    • Hottie (23/03/2024, 20:03) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
      No so much a glorified city manager but more like a very poor and ineffective small town manager.
    • The Poli.Farmer (23/03/2024, 21:01) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      I want this Junior Minster to UNDERSTAND that she is a DULY ELECTED Jr. Minister, and not just an immediate political servant to the Premier. It is time that you find your true poli.voice and represent the Ministerial position that has been designated to you from day 1.

      Let us not continue to diminish the value and representation of the position of the Jr. Minister.
      The CRC already run come submit a report ole report giving suggestion and recommendations to change the entire political framework of the Jr. Minister system all due to the ole former Poli.Representative that gone go exposed the political deficits of the system’s position together against the framework of the Cabinet of the Virgin Island.

      I want this Jr. Minister to own her legacy and do not stand as a Poli.puppet waiting for her Poli.strings to be thugged by the Premier. You now stand as the current Jr Minister to demand your directorship to move this territory forward.
    • City Manager…. (23/03/2024, 23:02) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Please cut the grass on the highway and throughout the township. The Capital should never look the way it does.
    • Comment (23/03/2024, 23:06) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Not coming… too much night shootings. Get these guns off the streets!
  • Waste of time she is (23/03/2024, 14:21) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    She is not a glorified city manager. What is she really?
  • dead hoss (23/03/2024, 14:40) Like (22) Dislike (5) Reply
    Sandy might have done a better job
  • smh (23/03/2024, 14:43) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Before any t's are crossed and i's dotted, shouldn't you speak to the people in the 4th District at least? This head of the monster is gone but the body is still here wreaking havoc.
  • Strupes (23/03/2024, 19:58) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    What nonsense
  • Law Abiding citizen (23/03/2024, 20:27) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    You’re a waste of a good vote. 4th district is a dump.
  • Heh heh (23/03/2024, 21:01) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    District Reps, do me a favour, look for small jobs that you can do around your Districts to make the place more pleasant, clean and aesthetically pleasing. So Hon. Smith, maybe it is time to slap some paint on the bandstand and upgrade the basketball court next to it. The softball field has been the same since I was a teenager. Google how professional softball fields look and see if you can spend a few dollars there. Do somthing. Everything does not have to be a big contract. Clean the area around the High School starting with as soon as you turn the corner after the Sunday Morning Well which needs some work as well. And guess what? Your cronies don't have to do it. The men in Public Work instead of driving around all day knows how to use a paint brush. Save some money for roadworks. Everything doesn't have to be a big contract. Do you realise that a whole year has gone already? Wow. Take a drive through Town and see what can be upgraded by just using Public Works workers, please. Huntumns Ghut is Hon. Rymer's District and he is over the Ministry of Works, so work with him and get the place cleaned up. We have over a million tourists coming don't we? Well they sure can't take them over Joes Hill, so Huntumns Ghut needs a lot of work. Think Asphalt plant. Think Public Works. Do something before your four years run out. Leave the Town and your District better than you met it.
    • The lack of vision (24/03/2024, 16:03) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      She has no clue! She is still waiting for her assignments. All she does is thank the people of the 4 for voting for her after almost 2 years. She started that way and will end that way without showing real gratitude by making an effort to improve the place and get some programs started.
  • Bush Professor (23/03/2024, 22:18) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    I’m not averse to the Hon Luce Hodge Smith dotting the ‘I’ and crossed the ‘T’ before bringing projects to the Public, especially residents of D-4. Nevertheless, an effective politician (Luce like to wax she is not a politician but running for a political office) must run things by the people he/she represent to get by in. In fact, a political elected member must and should find out what the people he/she represents.

    True, the Hon Luce Hodge-Smith ideas duly elected to represent the people of D-4 in HoA and is not a glorified City Manager. She is a junior minister serving under a minister..Who is the current City Manager, if any? If there is, what is his /her responsibilities? Are these responsibilities a duplicate of of What Public Works does? Is a City manager well-suited to the governing structure of the BVI? Is it just a nice sounding title with little if any real responsibilities? Is it just fluff with no form or substance ?
  • Governor House (24/03/2024, 05:21) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    AT least she can ask Minister Rhymer to finish asphalt the road they dug up before the governor house that has been there since Christmas. It is bad enough to waste such large sum of money, but it is another thing to have the public suffering in this way for such poor decision.
  • hummmm (24/03/2024, 06:47) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    HON. Luce, you can implement job release program for prisoners. They can help clean up and beautify Road Town and maintain government assets.
  • FACIAL EXPRESSION (24/03/2024, 21:47) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    IS SAYING )> MASTER WHEATLEY ) OH , LORD , PLEASE HELP HER / AND MIS GLORIFIED ) LEH ME CHECK THIS TING AHGEN TO SEE IF I GAH IT RITE ????
  • zone 4 (25/03/2024, 03:53) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    We sticking with Luce
  • job (25/03/2024, 13:26) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Stop complaining about the lady. She attended all funerals, church events, graduations and dinners. Please, leave the Honourable, enjoy her 4 years in peace.
  • 4th (26/03/2024, 07:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Check her out at every funeral she is most present there . But you can't see her in the district every other minister can be seen around with kye in there districts but not luce she is more looking for the next flight to some where
  • ??? (26/03/2024, 08:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am with you Luce, but you.need to put your feet down and work diligently for your District. Have Town Meetings with your constituents and listen to their concerns and develop and implement projects with their inputs. Do Not give the Present Premier the Power to decide solely on what you can or cannot do for your District. Remember, he is not even from your District, meaning he didn't voted or elected you. Listen to your constituents and work for then, forget this 'yes sah' ambience and be a strong leader that young and old females will be proud of.


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