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More licks rain on ‘heartless’ NDP Gov’t

- Former Permanent Secretary Carl Dawson chides Gov’t for seeking to forge ahead with airport & Brandywine Bay projects while ignoring the immediate needs of the people
The National Democratic Party (NDP) Government of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL), right, continues to be accused of being insensitive to the people, especially in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Photo: VINO/Facebook
Former Permanent Secretary and businessman Mr Carl Dawson has chided Government for seeking to forge ahead with expensive and controversial projects while ignoring the immediate needs of the people. Photo: VINO/File
Former Permanent Secretary and businessman Mr Carl Dawson has chided Government for seeking to forge ahead with expensive and controversial projects while ignoring the immediate needs of the people. Photo: VINO/File
The development of the Brandywine Bay beach is a project spearheaded by Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7). Photo: VINO
The development of the Brandywine Bay beach is a project spearheaded by Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7). Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- “You do not get the impression that they are people centred. You can’t in my opinion…put your interest in things. You have to put your interest in people. The things that you do must first impact the interest of the people of that country,” stated former Permanent Secretary and Businessman Mr Carl Dawson in referring to the draft recovery plan document released by Government late December 2017.

The image of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government has been in tatters with allegations of abandoning the people immediately after Hurricane Irma and then being insensitive to the needs of the people in the aftermath, even while seeking to forge ahead with expensive and controversial projects.

Another person who shares these sentiments is Mr Dawson, who was a guest of the radio show Speak out BVI, which was aired on Tuesday January 16, 2018 on ZBVI 780 AM.

‘Turning sand’ @ Brandywine Bay not a priority

Mr Dawson, in backing up his statement, referred to a meeting in Carrot Bay, Tortola on December 3, 2017 where Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) was invited to speak. The residents there had lamented how their livelihood was devastated by the hurricanes, including their farms, fishing boats and equipment and had stated they would have appreciated some financial assistance to get them back on their feet.

“Government told them that they don’t have any money for that. Shortly thereafter the information came out in the legislation that money was being given to certain ministries. Some were getting a quarter million, some were getting a million or so, and I was driving on the east end road about the next week or there about and I saw a bulldozer turning up sand in Brandywine Bay.

“My impression is that we are in a crisis, and if you are in a crisis you will reach out to all those people who are in need and I don’t think that turning sand on Brandywine Bay is a need for the people of this country at this time,” Mr Dawson stated.

The development of the Brandywine Bay beach is a project spearheaded by Dr Pickering.

Gov’t for the people by the people?

And, according to Mr Dawson, he was reliably informed that the Governor of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), Mr Kenneth E. Mapp, makes sure that a number of people have somewhere to lay their head and have been helping people to put their houses back in livable order.

“When we are taking that kind of money and we are turning it over in sand and people in this country, nationals in this country, have nowhere to sleep, and when you hear some of the places some people sleep and live you would understand what I am talking about.”

Mr Dawson questioned whether the present Government was for the people by the people. “It is very sad.”

The retired civil servant also slammed the Government, led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL), for failing to properly address the needs of the people ravished by the hurricanes while allocating some $250M for the controversial airport project without doing a feasibility study.

“I would never believe, the people of the country must know. They must wake up and understand that it is their money and if they don’t agree they can stop it.”

Heartless Gov’t

It was only on January 16, 2018 that former legislator and member of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) Eileene L. Parsons OBE, while on the ZBVI 780 AM radio show, Honestly Speaking, referred to the current NDP regime as being heartless.

Ms Parsons, a Virgin Islands cultural icon, had lamented that the Territory is worst off because former legislator Mr Omar W. Hodge had passed on and had stated "…and I don’t know if he could be replaced because I have to repeat, the people are telling me these fellows don’t have a heart, they play they don’t know when you suffering," a statement that seemed to be directed to the current members of Government.

18 Responses to “More licks rain on ‘heartless’ NDP Gov’t”

  • wet (18/01/2018, 09:27) Like (21) Dislike (1) Reply
    Truth
  • heartless (18/01/2018, 09:40) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    How soon can we rally with plaque card to get them out. I was not qualified to get no kind of help in the VI and not having no insurance.
  • Yes (18/01/2018, 10:11) Like (11) Dislike (22) Reply
    No matter what you do people will complain. The circle of life!
  • Diaspora (18/01/2018, 10:46) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    I could write a long epistle on this but government is simply pushing its personal agenda, saying damn with priorities, needs, and what is important to residents. Their bread is buttered on both sides and along the edges so they are blinded to the suffering of residents. Residents have the power and needs to use it. The power of the pen at the polls is a power tool: it tales litle effort but yield huge result. But wait who is on deck? The Opposition (not just the VIP)has a teed up oppportunity but it is squandering it. Is anyone being swept off its feet by the Opposition. In the end, it may be Hobson’s choose. Sad.
  • both (18/01/2018, 10:47) Like (1) Dislike (11) Reply
    I believe it is important to address the needs of the people, however it is also import to develop means by which money came inter the country, the beach is needed
    • Mr. Stubborn.. (18/01/2018, 14:23) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
      That Minister is Stubborn, Don't care about people.... He knows it all. Why? Because he listen to know one...Years people been saying Brandy Wine Bay beach is a waste of tax payers money a bad idea. He still push on through 12 yrs later we are no further than where we start..... Agriculture Failure, No plan no involment of Farmers... Labour failure, So much people lose their Jobs unfairly, Employers use the storm to oppeess and Victimize workers not a speach of comfort to affected workers.. He has the labour commissioner hand tied..Let the Big companies do what they want and labour just watch on.... One Big Food Store laying off local workers and getting managers permit for cocasion because the minister approved.... There is no love for poor black people.. We are rejected by our own...
      • @Mr. Stubborn (21/01/2018, 08:50) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        You forget one thing....Labor employees playing with people’s businesses and lives and getting paid to do underhanded stuff instead of doing their jobs and following the correct process
    • at both not brandy wine bay (18/01/2018, 14:29) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
      Trellis bay would have been a better development investment as an option to Cane Garden Bay... From E&A to Loose Mangoose... Cane Garden Bay must always be looked at and invest in as out #1 spot.. Trellis bay would be an option... Brandy Wine Bay is throwing money in Fire.. He tried, it is time to conceed..
  • Brandywine (18/01/2018, 11:04) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    Can anything move dr Smith?
  • Street reporter (18/01/2018, 14:12) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Governor Mapp is a class act. I tuned in to all of his daily news conference soon after the Hurricane.. I was so impressed. He was incharge and there were no doubt....Up to Now we dont know who is incharge here.. We know who is the premier but we dont know who is incharge.....Because no one taking charge.. To compare Govrenor Mapp with what we have here is comparing Oranges and lime..
  • Wrong leader 4 these times (18/01/2018, 14:36) Like (0) Dislike (8) Reply
    Here is my take.. Doctor SMith and honourable Fahie are good people and maybe good leaders But this season, these times do not match their personalities to be good and successful leaders...These Times and these present situations fit the Personality of Honourable Frazer. Frazer would be a good and successful leader under these present conditions...
  • NezRez (18/01/2018, 17:59) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Brandy Wine would be a good beach during high tide season if it had a working bathroom and vendors to feed the people along with music. Unfortunately, we need our roads fixed first because it is a downright disgrace we have been thrown back and forth in the potholes getting me seasick, have become obstacle course drivers, have to become stunt drivers averting other oncoming cars just to drive on the smoothest surface. Our infrastructure MUST come first. Yes, tourists are important, but so are we.
    • Concerned (20/01/2018, 19:26) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Brandywine will never be a beach. Natural beachs may hit hit hard (Joisiah Bay), but recover fast. Man made beaches never recover they have to be made over & over again.
  • wize up (18/01/2018, 19:42) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Let me share a well know secret: put your trust in God because God will never let you down where as the politican Simply tell us the things we want and to hear and when it don’t come to pass we upset: lift your eyes to the hill and put you trust I God not no NDP or VIP
  • Smit (19/01/2018, 00:25) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    If you've ever spoken to Smith on his office, you will realise he is not hearing wat you say ..or even seeing you ..he seems empty and cold
  • tola (19/01/2018, 11:00) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thst party need come out
  • weed (19/01/2018, 22:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Some VINO readers will find this analysis cynical - all strategy, no content. Those readers have to remember that you can not do any good unless you are in office. That is the moral justification for the Opposition strategy.
  • Liat 521 (19/01/2018, 22:43) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    the current Government do not operate in good faith. Period. And Dr. Smith has no idea what he's doing. A change of government is probably inevitable.


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