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PWD unfairly criticised at times, says acting director

Dr. Glasgow is the acting director of the PWD. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The Public Works Department’s (PWD) abilities of getting things done and prioritising projects in the past have come under fire by many, and according to the acting director, it’s unfortunate because the department was always working with the Government’s agenda.

“I do believe the staff here (PWD) is very professional, and do their best on the works that were assigned to them...and I think at times we were unfairly criticised,” Dr. Drexel Glasgow, acting director of the PWD told Virgin Islands News Online recently.

He explained that the projects his department were tasked with were priorities of the Government; hence they had to follow the rules and guidelines.

The PWD falls under the Ministry for Communications and Works and advises the Minister on all technical aspects of major [roads] infrastructural works throughout the Territory.

Asked how it is to work with a new Minister, Dr. Glasgow diplomatically stated that with the projects envisioned by the new Government of the National Democratic Party (NDP), that the staff will be able to prove their worth.

“They will enable our professional, engineering staff to develop their skills and actually showcase their engineering skills,” he added.

According to the acting director, six engineers are currently on staff of which four are Virgin Islanders, and while the department is under-staffed, he said it is committed to providing an excellent service.

He also added that Minister for Communications and Works, Mark Vanterpool, realises the PWD’s dilemma in terms of staffing “and seems steadfast in whatever resources we need to get the job done. He also seems to think outside the box”.

37 Responses to “PWD unfairly criticised at times, says acting director ”

  • DADDY FRIDAY (22/11/2011, 08:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    OH PLZZ DREXEL YOU LOOKIN CONFIRMATION SO TRYING TO DEFEND YOUR CRAPIE PREFORMANCE..GOOD GOSH PWD IS A WASTE BOSSMAN
    • abc (22/11/2011, 10:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      you all retard just jealous of the child because he has a phd, and you do not...lol
      • Random (22/11/2011, 14:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        exactly what does he has his PHD in???? And don't ask about that waste of time DeCastro
        • school charen (23/11/2011, 00:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          as for decastro, he spends the better part of the day chauffering his wife and family around town in the government vehicle. Understaff yuh say????? He drive to wuk in his personal vehicle, pick up deh government vehicle and from then to 4:30, he on an island tour wit he wife. check it out if yuh tink ah ly. dem people up dere shud be a shame au demself and stop nonsense to Vanterpool. Mark, continue to do as you doing and investigate, DON'T YOUDEAR BUY WA DREXEL SELLING AND TAKE HIS WORD FOR IT. HOGWASH, TOTAL HOGWASH
      • billy b (22/11/2011, 23:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        oh shut the hell up, he have a phd, what the hell he doing with it??? Wha PHD OJ got?? and look how he transformed the post office!!! Ayo ain see how the man desk cleeeean. Das because he ain got sh** to do. So damn unconstructive. Drexel the government pay for yuh phd, now its time yuh actually show some gratitude and give something back
        • billy b (23/11/2011, 00:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          he talking bout "we" are unfairly criticized. What is it with this "we", I think YOU are the target, not the staff. The staff is like sheep without a reliable shepard. Quit the "we" thing and look in the mirror.
          • school charen (23/11/2011, 00:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
            school charen say, he got staff in there doing absolutely nothing and just acting like a spoil lill brat ignoring this person and that person. He just focusing on the area that deals directly with the Ministry. What about all the other areas of PWD that are totally neglected. Public Works is not only about contracts, when you took over that department, you didn't just take part of it, you signed on for all of it and if you had any real skills, the entire department would be insinc. Mark, jump on this dude back and investigate the entire department. Interview the staff (not just the engineers)and guarantee youll get the real meat
        • Hmm (23/11/2011, 18:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Wow.. Quite brilliant.. So a clean desk means nothing to do.. Y cant it mean he has already accomplish what was on his desk.. Furthermore... Obviously the photo was cropped and is it all the time that the desk will be filled with work? Soooo stupid....
      • let's get real (23/11/2011, 00:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @abc, if jealousy was the deal, why have'nt not ONE person blogged anything in defence of glasgow??? isnt that a bit strange??? NOT ONE PERSON. Mark, go Public Work and take a poll and trust me, nobody ain want that fool there!!!!!! Jeffrey where are you????? You step aside and give him the way and he ain do sh** wid it
      • exactly (23/11/2011, 00:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        @abc, you describe drexel well, "a child". and not because he young, because he totally immature and I invite anyone on here to dispute that
  • Please (22/11/2011, 08:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I honestly feel Mr. Glasgow that you are a waste of time. This department is over your head. I suggest that you go back over to Traffic.
    • Strupes (23/11/2011, 07:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Even there were too much for him! Up there propping up only a few. Ask the staff
  • i knew it (22/11/2011, 09:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    pwd is on the brink of usefulness
  • egg boy (22/11/2011, 09:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    i just can't wait till when Hon. Mark finds out both PWD and Drexel are useless and why Mr. Hodge and the rest did what they did in teking thoes projects away from them...you wait....
    • Bling (22/11/2011, 18:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Drexel is a big waste of time. How he expect to get confirmation from a Government that just gone in? They need to test he backside first. Just a PHD Boy!
    • Hmm (23/11/2011, 18:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Ur obviously uneducated of the functions of PWD.. Who is responsible for the roadways... Infrastructure... Supervision of those road pavings to ur houses and retaining wall in ur backyards... Who cleanup after storms... Just think about how "useless" PWD is
      • bare minimum (23/11/2011, 22:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Brilliant, we need to a person with a phd to deploy machine operators to scrape up fallen trees and after a storm,,,,,,purrrrrrrfect. What road pavings??? Or do u mean temporary road patchings??? Eggie and yellow who walk the streets of road town everyday might have more vision and be more innovative in an effort to lift the spirit of the staff and make a believer of the sceptics. OJ did it for the post office. He took the bull by the horn and people couldn't help but admire the transformation. This dude is just doing the bare minimum and we are to accept that the department that is heavily critical to the infrastructure of the territory should be satisfied with just that. Hmmmmm
        • Hmm (24/11/2011, 14:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          So like I was speaking about PWD and not Drexel.. The blogger said that PWD was "useless".. Please comprehend
  • Sickening (22/11/2011, 09:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ya'll just sickening with these comments of his confirmation... if he wasnt doing a good job, he wouldnt be there so long... think about it
    • old glory (22/11/2011, 11:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      confirm the man he born here!
      • not he (22/11/2011, 15:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        wheel and come again please!
      • yes (22/11/2011, 15:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        The only qualification a person needs is to be from here. No wonder there is so much laziness.
      • billy b (22/11/2011, 23:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        struuupss, what the hell ever!!! That is one of the things that is wrong with this country. This born here nonsense and not getting value for money. We need reform and like I said, NDP confirm dis fool and thats one strick againt you
        • billy b (22/11/2011, 23:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Confirm him somewhere else and maybe we will get more for our money out of him somewhere else. How about solid waste????
    • clue (22/11/2011, 14:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      he is there long but acting long too
  • Acting (22/11/2011, 23:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Bring out the artist in you by showcasing your talent in the field of acting with Drakebook. Skills like acting that requires a passion to succeed & the in-depth observations into life & its happenings around you bringing you the right frame of expression on your face, tone, pitch, body language & everything
    • billy b (23/11/2011, 07:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Acting, I thing you mixin up music and true leadership. He on here whining bout unfair critisism??? Drexel, deh people dem "right on the money". I didn't like to hear zoe and she "hit the right spot nonsense", but here is where we need to use that phrase cuz just like how the public came on here and expose the DG for her unprofessional attitude, BAM, BAM, BAM it's your turn. The bibe don't ly, what is hiden in the darkness will come to light some how.
  • if you ask me (23/11/2011, 07:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    forgive me if im wron but i believe that 90% of the bloogers on here are staff memvers who sound like deh fed up wit dis guy!!!! Wow, venom, pure venom. If the public does not appreciate Glasgow's performance and his staff does not his staff feels the same way, then there is something there to be researched. sad just sad
  • Quiet Storm (23/11/2011, 08:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Clearly, Dr, Glasgow has the theoretical engineering knowledge and may even have the talent and passion for engineering. But he lacks the experience and needs many years of mentoring before taking on the top job. Engineers get their experience at the ground level working under the watch eye of seasoned engineers then progressively moving thru increasing levels of responsibilities. Further, Dr. Glasgow need time to develop the critical leadership and management skills needed to effectively lead PWD. It appears as if he does not yet have the full confidence of the community, his customers. We would be doing a smart Virgin Islander a disservice by setting him up to fail. We should and must give Virgin Islanders the opportunity to promote but they must earn their stripes and have the knowledge, skill, ability and experience. Some of my fellow Virgin Islanders may say how do you get the experience if you are not given the opportunity. True. But some jobs are too critical to learn the basic requirements on; you have to come equipped. PWD is in sad shape and Dr. Glasgow has been at the helm for a while, albeit as an actor.
    • Leslie (23/11/2011, 11:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with you. What needs to be done, is to have a senior person work alongside with the new person taking over for at least two years before the younger person take over. We want the young to get involve ad take over things, but they need to be guided. the one thing is a factor is that the minister incharge always comes up with their way of doing things and what they want done, so many times the person in charge hands are tied. I hope our new minister do the right thing. Do not get personal to one or two, do for all. What I would like to see happen is the persons at PWD are given the right tools to cut bush with, all over the bvi. they should not be just swinging matches at this point and making the place look worst with the bad chopping.
      • bare minimum (23/11/2011, 22:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        If the leadership at PWD was an effective one, acquiring the tools needed should not be rocking science. The reason they cant get the tools that they need is simply because this joker is not been taken seriously. Get a leader with a spine and see all that can be accomplished
    • billy b (23/11/2011, 11:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Quiet Storm, I am all about bigging up out local people, but it is very difficult when you big them up till dem head get so big they start cutting a bunch au style on you. Thinking they don't need anybody. When people get like that, the only person setting them up to fail is themselves and doing themselves a disservice. Drexel will learn soon enough that the same people he cutting style on might be the ones to save his immature a**.
  • Judith (23/11/2011, 11:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Water and sewerage needs lots of work as well. All over the BVI, the offices need to be checked to see what is going on with bills. Meters need to be stopped being estimated. I have a cistern that is on all month 50,000gls. You only use Gov water occasionally for the month, when you get your bill every month you are being billed for more water than your cistern have. Is this sense, and this needs to be addressed from telling you some stupid story, when the reality is real.
  • HELLO!!! (23/11/2011, 23:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I cannot believe how some of us here dissing our own. Drexel is doing his job..that department is under staff by far. The engineers there are always sidelined and cannot prove themselves. Now they will have a chance under this government. We need to encourage them and stop pulling them down. Whats the sense in sending our young men away to study engineering and then put them on the side line?
    • well sa (24/11/2011, 02:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @hello, BULLSH**. Did it ever occur to you that dissing goes back exactly where it comes from? The same way you saying the government sidelining PWD, is the same way PWD leader sidelining some of his own staff. Did I hear you say public work understaff? You visit up there lately??? How can you be sidelined (overlooked) and be understaffed at the same time?? The mere fact that you are sidelined, it means you are not been given the chance to do anything, well how the hell you could be understaffed with nothing to do. Da mek sense??? Make up yuh mind!!! Action Man, take Action!!! Leadership sucks!!!! Wa happen to the roads men who spends the better part of the day in the rum shops. They are sidelined with nothing to do, yet the majority of them burning gas up and down deh place. Action Man, you smarter than that!!! Pick sense outta nonsense. Some au dem pwd vehicles need parking up, government spending too much on gas


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