‘Our grandchildren & great-grandchildren will thank us for expanding’ runway- Premier Dr Wheatley
On Friday, August 18, 2023, stakeholders and a diverse group of industry partners from a wide cross-section of the public service and the private sector, the tourism and hospitality industry, gathered to share ideas and discuss the potential expansion of the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport.
The visioning meeting was chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works, Mrs Elvia Smith-Maduro, who presented a timeline on the previous attempts to commence the airport expansion project, outlining the various roadblocks along the way.
Stakeholders meet to create vision for airport expansion
According to a press release from Government Information Services (GIS) on August 22, 2023, progressing forward upon the directive of the Premier, the Ministry is undergoing the process with engagement with stakeholders and various industry partners to ensure that the Terrence B. International Airport expansion can be executed in a way that takes into account as many factors as possible.
Premier Wheatley thanked the Minister for Communications and Works, Honourable Kye Rymer and his team for their efforts in planning and executing the visioning exercise as well as stressed the importance of investing in the Virgin Islands’ tourism product. He said, “When we look to the expansion of our economy, we have to look towards tourism, and certainly this government and whenever I have the opportunity, I speak to the fact that we have to develop tourism and invest more in tourism.”
The Premier added, “It is ultimately going to be our efforts. The efforts of ourselves which will lead to the expansion and strengthening of our tourism product and economy overall. So we cannot take a passive approach that if they want to come they will come. We have to put ourselves in the best possible position for our economy to grow and to develop. One of the major things that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will thank us for is expanding this runway.”
Honourable Rymer thanked the stakeholders and industry partners for attending the visioning meeting and stated that his ministry is well underway in contacting the relevant authorities that will be crucial in the expansion of the airport.
He said, “I know these conversations wouldn't be the first for some of you. But after being given the mandate of extending the runway publicly, I thought it was important that we have this dialogue and engage the stakeholders on how to move forward with the airport expansion. Within the ministry, I want to acknowledge the Permanent Secretary as well and all the work that she has started doing in terms of this airport expansion. We have already engaged the Attorney General's chambers and other stakeholders in terms of moving this project forward. But it's time for us to get to the wider populace so that we can further these discussions.”
‘Let's get going on the extension of this runway’- Premier
While congratulating Hon Rymer for his persistence in making non-stop flight from Miami to the Virgin Islands a priority, Premier Wheatley, speaking at a ceremony for the inaugural commercial flight of American Airlines from Miami to the VI on June 1, 2023, had tasked the minister with getting the runway extended as a key step in VI receiving more direct flights.
“And while he's basking in the moment, I'm going to task him at this particular moment, with getting this runway extended, because of course, I look forward to standing somewhere in this vicinity, perhaps maybe in 2027, so that we can welcome the next flight from New York or from Atlanta or from Boston.
“And that can only happen if we extend this runway. So, Minister, it's more than a conversation at this point. We're looking forward to that request for proposal going out and let's get going on the extension of this runway,” Premier Wheatley had stated.
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35 Responses to “‘Our grandchildren & great-grandchildren will thank us for expanding’ runway- Premier Dr Wheatley ”
Dr. Wheatley would they thank us for selling the 600+ acres next to this expansion to a Chinese developer to resell a home spots for millions of dollars? How would our grand and great-grand feel about never affording their homeland? Tell the public about this hidden secret Dr. Wheatley.
‘Premier explains efforts to buy Beef Island land’ https://www.bvibeacon.com/premier-explains-efforts-to-buy-beef-island-land/
The BVI Airports Authority is seeking to reacquire more than 650 acres of land on Beef Island from Hong Kong investor Raymond Hung, whose 25- year-old plans for a resort and golf course on the island never came to fruition, Premier Andrew Fahie said last Thursday in the House of Assembly.
The BVIAA has appointed a special committee to negotiate the reacquisition of the “Hung lands,” according to Mr. Fahie.
And ‘Now’ watch this Premier’s move!
after the road town traffic fiasco you exposed yourself and just doing a poor acting job
What happened to the self service kiosks that were to be put in place at the airport?
What are the plans for a new incinerator on the island?
Why are people living without water and electricity?
“Money! Money! Money!”
No talk of what is appropriate for our sustained health wealth and happiness. No acknowledgement of the limits we naturally have due to our size, and almost ZERO respect for our natural environment. Not only does it bring tourists to these islands (the main attraction = UNTOUCHED nature), but it is essential for us to live by, even though we import all our food, which makes us think we have no connection. Corals, reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves - all of these create life which creates the air we breathe, creates the networks that allow humans and other species to live.
BVI people laugh at this type of fact because in our damaged minds, Money and God matter more than Nature. We are traumatized by centuries of scarcity, abuse and enforced ignorance.
Now we imagine success to be some kind of Miami version of the BVI. So we want a bigger airport, which means we need more hotels, which means more concrete, more damage to nature and more sewage and dead reefs and garbage and, in the end, more Prospect Reefs - false idols to money that shine like gold for a brief moment and always become broken ruins covered in bush and full of toxic trash.
All you say you love the BVI. You don’t. You love the golden calf called Money. Nature is bigger than both. Put it at the center of all our development and we will begin to be wise, understand real wealth and our great grandchildren and all future generations will be grateful.
Flat land and an existing runway. New development and ferry traffic opportunities. Way more real jobs.
But big PROBLEM, much harder to steal money when the project is on a sister island. Also much easier to see your stealing by people that would report it.
This whole project is BAD. Who pushing? Mr Johnson again?