Restore finger pier @CB Romney Tortola Pier Park- Ramon George
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George made the appeal while speaking at the Marine Industry Forum held at the Moorings Yacht Club on Wickham's Cay II on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The forum was organised by the Jr Minister responsible for Financial Services and Economic Development, Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE.
He argued that charter operators should be allowed to pay for pickup and drop-off services at the pier, saying the arrangement would improve service to cruise passengers while generating revenue for dock maintenance.
“I personally would like to see the Pier Park open to us, with a paid pickup or drop-off, so we could start having to drop off the cruise ship guests,” George said.
Currently, only certain taxi and livery operators are allowed pickups and drop-offs for cruise passengers.
'Arrangement is costly & inefficient'
George described the current arrangements as inefficient and costly for operators and visitors.
According to George, cruise passengers are sometimes required to walk from Village Cay to another location to access transportation, while charter operators may face long waits before collecting them.
He said the delays can result in passengers arriving late for their onward travel.
“I have had this guest, and they had to walk from Village Cay all the way over there,” George said. “Sometimes when you get here, you don’t have enough dock space for the dock office, and you’re here waiting for 20 minutes, and they reach the ship late.”
George said that, in some cases, operators are forced to cover additional travel costs when passengers miss their scheduled connections.
“Guess what? I have to buy them a ticket to reach St Thomas to get the next flight,” he said. “This is insane.”
Greater investment in finger piers needed
The Grandeur Charters representative questioned why greater investment was not being made in the finger piers, which he said could help return cruise guests directly to the main pier and reduce delays.
George proposed that charter operators be charged a fee of approximately $50 for pickup and drop-off services.
“Charge us $50. We just make $2,000 for the day. I’ll pay 50,” he said.
He maintained that the proposed system would benefit both the marine tourism sector and the authorities responsible for maintaining the facilities.
“To pick them up and drop them off, what’s wrong with that?” George asked. “And that helps with the maintenance of those docks. We need that.”
The slips at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park were destroyed during the 2017 hurricanes and never rebuilt.
The government-hosted event discussed current challenges, expanded local water taxi and day-charter operations, and building career pipelines for Virgin Islanders within the yachting industry.
About 76 marine tourism stakeholders attended the forum, while others joined via the livestream on the Government of the Virgin Islands' YouTube page.
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16 Responses to “Restore finger pier @CB Romney Tortola Pier Park- Ramon George”
As I have personally experience with Governemnt forums is that they take all this information and drop it in the desk draw rite after the meeting and do nothing with it. At the meeting they applaud the information and mention they will definetly make so and so adjustment and NOTHING. SMH. I am tired of Gov. Meetings that lead to nowhere but just published in news papers for Political miliage that I engage the public and so and o was present etc. NO BITE TO IT.
Pier Park a mess.
No accounts.
No Admin building.
Roads a mess.
$100 Million loan disappeared.
No water in pipes.
No maintenance.
No equipment in the hospital.
No incinerator.
No Greenhouses.
No airline.
No maintenance.
WEALTHY HOA 13.
WEALTHY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
No West End Ferry Dock.
No roof on VG Clinic. $7.2 Million Dollars in Todmans pocket.
No Road Town shuttle service.
No library in Road Town.
No archives.
No Joe's Hill house sales.
No Fishing Complex.
No East End Sports Stadium.
No Rupert Briarcliffe Hall.
No museums.
No access to the Baths beaches.
No SECRET airport report.
SECRET airport with mystery $80Million.
Lost $20 Million in public funds.
Lost $2.5 Million in Jamaica.
Lost $5Million in BOA.
Another $5Million lost to where, the pockets of a relative of Dr DOSH?
No Scatliffe School.
No Trade Commission.
No Development.
No water company.
No electric Company.
No protections against the new Robber Barrons of the new WAPA.
No Pioneer Ferry to St Thomas after 5 years of Pioneer Money.
No prospect Reef.
But one very healthy group of political elites and their friends pushing for Independence so they can get their hands on all of the money.
Aprison full to the max,of foreigners of no good to society that we are feeding clothing bathing and nurturing with medicine and medical care,room and board and protection. Some will be there for the duration of their lifetime.in addition full time staff for their well being 24 hours . More than 95 % of these parasites are non bviislanders. This expense,I imagine must be the largest we incur.And theykeep coming. No end in this lifetime based on the rate of occupancy. Truth be told,we need another ,containment anew and larger additional as there is zero let up in their arrivals and staytioning planting of these seeds,the ongoing building and population of these bad seeds from which we derive and wallow willingly in our degradation of crumbling and discarding the qualities of a populace with survivalskills of good intent.Our future not looking good.
Stop the suicidal madness BVI..Drain the swamp and choise living abd life of quality and worth. This current dance is real madness of self destruct.and stupidity..Do Better..!!!
Grasshopping politicians
Government ministers who dont know anything or cant do anything, from Premier down.
Secret FCO investigation on SSB $30m brown bummer stole
No eastend clinic
No westend ferry terminal
No VG, Anegada, JVD development
No plan for sargassum
No national tourism plan
No increase for hsa staff
No pension plan for civil service
No plan to fix nhi
No economic development plan