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No finger pointing over bad roads!- ‘Gov’ts are continuum’- Hon Penn

-says he will not be campaigning on Sewerage woes since it is just something that must be done
Following statements by Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) that the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is not to be blamed for the state of the territory’s deplorable roads, National Democratic Party (NDP) Chairman and Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R7) has indicated that no single person can be blamed. Photo: Facebook/Kevon S. Lettsome
Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), 2nd from right, speaking on the January 16, 2023, edition of talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM. Photo: Facebook
Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), 2nd from right, speaking on the January 16, 2023, edition of talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM. Photo: Facebook
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – Following statements by Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) that the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is not to be blamed for the state of the territory’s deplorable roads, National Democratic Party (NDP) Chairman and Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R7) has indicated that no single person can be blamed.

Hon Penn was at the time speaking on the January 16, 2023, edition of talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM.

“Governments are continuum. I think all of us have a responsibility to address the issues that we meet. I think I am not one who's going to say it's not my fault, it's not that one fault. I think we just need to get it done and that's why I've been advocating from day one” 

Major road works carried out under NDP - Hon Penn 

Hon Penn; however, related that when his administration was in office during the periods 2011 to 2015, major road works were carried out on roads leading to Parham Town and that some roads were totally resurfaced.

“We put proper drainage in, we installed a sewerage line that ran straight into Parham Town. And if you look at those roads you will see, once you do the proper infrastructural changes, the roads standing up,” he said.

Pointing to the durability of the project, he said the roads even survived hurricanes Irma and Maria including flooding, and still remain solid.

“You could see that road does not have a single pothole… it went through the storms and through the floods because they had the proper infrastructure in place. We just need to continue that process, it’s going to be costly. But if you do it right the first time, you don't have to continue doing it over and over,” he said. 

No campaigning on Sewerage - Hon Penn 

Meanwhile, when asked about the local sewerage infrastructural woes every time the government changes, Hon Penn said he will not be campaigning on that topic.

“That's not something I'm going to campaign because I believe it just needs to get done. I think when we [NDP] were there, when I got in 2011, we did a significant amount of work and moved that along. I haven't been in government for the first three and a half years of this term,” he remarked.

Hon Penn further added that while there were challenges such as covid and more setbacks, that is still no excuse why the East End Sewerage Project has not progressed under the current administration.

Unpardonable NDP sin?

Hon Penn and his NDP Government had come in for severe criticisms for taking $8m that was allocated to fix the East End/Long Look sewage problem and transferring it to the Cruise Pier Project

The project, also called the National Sewage Project, was officially re-commissioned under the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government on October 30, 2020, after having been delayed for several years.

18 Responses to “No finger pointing over bad roads!- ‘Gov’ts are continuum’- Hon Penn ”

  • nobody dont want to see either of them (18/01/2023, 08:53) Like (14) Dislike (5) Reply
    Both VIP and NDP days done!!!!!!
    • Done with Party period (18/01/2023, 11:27) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      Done with party period.........
    • Arrion (18/01/2023, 16:29) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      It doesn’t matter what political party is in, they are all the same, but just called by a different name. Promises before elections, then same old same old after they get in. Our roads are the most deplorable they have ever been and East End I’d the worst.
  • No finger pointing (18/01/2023, 09:03) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Absolutely, so we don't expect to hear any finger pointing when you start your campaign for re-election. Speak to the damn issues and their solutions!
  • HMMM (18/01/2023, 09:48) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Marlon's NDP Government took $16 million from the social security money to fix the roads and the roads are worse than before that and the money finished. That is what he is trying to hide.
  • Hold on now (18/01/2023, 09:50) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    This guy is something else. He needs to account for the millions unaccounted for on his Georgie Hill road. Up now people have not been paid for the lands he took.
    • WOW (19/01/2023, 19:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Make sure he don't take mine otherwise all hell break loose. Them like to give people work who don't know where people boundaries are and them go cutting like government money pay for people property when they catching hell and thunder to pay banks for their own personal property. I warning all you do what is right and stop stealing people property. Yes I call it as it is stealing. Mr. Minister you are responsible as well as these so call bacho and excavator owners and workers. You take the people land pay the price you know better.
  • Amazing (18/01/2023, 09:58) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Is it me or does anyone notice that the COI avoided a lot of the NDP sins for those who were the last Governor friend and use to visit him all the time giving him false news to try to destroy the sitting government so they could get back power. This guy for sure was one of them. His time will come because he sell out Myron and others to be free.
  • 8th District woman (18/01/2023, 10:01) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    I can't wait to vote this lack of integrity man out of office.
  • top (18/01/2023, 11:40) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    I waiting to see if England to be blamed for this .......
  • dont mind he (18/01/2023, 11:55) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    It shame he shame
    • smh (18/01/2023, 12:56) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      No matter what government been there or at present they don’t care about the people but they keep using tax payers money to purchase all the big ride for people in government to drive up an down tax payers money fixing them when things go wrong when we out here have our vehicles because of the bad road have to pull money out of our pocket to fix our vehicle this is unacceptable, don’t forget the people put you in government an they can take you out
  • Silence (18/01/2023, 13:55) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sometimes, silence is the best answer. Say something of substance or say nothing.
  • RedStorm (18/01/2023, 18:22) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Any politicians who will give rebate for vehicle maintenance will get my family vote. 16 million for road work and repairs for this small island nation required a COI investigation. Two Premier, was once living in the East and two Premier was once living in the West and they were all happy to drive on the pot hole roads , with the constant patching, thinking it will make a difference .if anywhere I have seen the display of insanity is Tortola.

    I am waiting to see who announcing their candidacy.

  • Concerned (18/01/2023, 19:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What happen to the 40 million for roads before Irma hit? Wasn't all used NDP
  • E. Leonard (19/01/2023, 09:05) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Designing, constructing, and maintaining a safe, high quality, and functional road network is vital for national growth, development , sustainability and resilience and must never be a political partisan issue. Moreover, a structured, functional, road network required planning, organizing and investing. It should be an integral part of a codified national development plan. A functional and safe road network is good public policy and vital for approaching First World status.
    • @ E. Leonard (19/01/2023, 14:08) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      @E. Leonard, you trying to start something with the words design, construct, maintain, sustainability, resilient, network, national development plan, partisan, public policy, first world, codified, safe , functional..
  • Problem Solving (20/01/2023, 10:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    A reference point is important in solving a problem. If the point of reference changes , the changes should explored. I regards to increase in cancer, we need to find the point that cancers were at a low levels and then explore what change, if any, occurs.


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