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Think out of the box!- Premier Smith urges at MCW retreat

-Hon. Vanterpool seeks to create City Management Board to assist in ‘running’ of Road Town
Premier Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith (right) in conversation with Financial Secretary Mr Neil Smith at the opening day of the Ministry of Communications and Works inaugural Retreat on January 24, 2013. Standing behind them is Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool. Photo: VINO
Participants of the Ministry of Communications and Works inaugural 2-day Retreat at Treasure Isle Hotel on January 24, 2013. The participants were urged to think
Participants of the Ministry of Communications and Works inaugural 2-day Retreat at Treasure Isle Hotel on January 24, 2013. The participants were urged to think "out of the box" when developing their strategic plan for the Territory. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Within this year, the Ministry of Communications and Works (MCW) will be seeking to create a City Management Board to assist in the running of the capital, Road Town. That board will be charged with liaising with various Government departments and private sector partners to launch a revitalization plan for Road Town.

This is according to Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool, who made the disclosure on the opening day of the Ministry’s inaugural 2-day Retreat at Treasure Isle Hotel on January 24, 2013.

“We will revive historic Main Street and make it a place of commerce for residents and visitors.  We will build a boardwalk to create more opportunities for commerce for Virgin Islanders while giving our tourists more options to take in the Virgin Islands. And finally, we will provide additional vending opportunities to ensure designated areas for our food vendors around town.  It is within all of our interest to redevelop Road Town and re-energize opportunities for commerce to add to our local economy, and I believe the development of Road Town will provide these opportunities,” Hon. Vanterpool argued.

Ever present and giving keen thought to what was being said by Hon. Vanterpool was Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, who during his remarks, urged the participants to think out of the box while creating their strategic plan.

Premier Smith advised the MCW officials to ensure that they match the growth of the needs of the people to the availability of Government’s resources. “Please do not allow this to be a setback, as there are and will always be some constraints in the areas of finance, policy and human resources. However, look at it as an opportunity to expand your mind, think outside of the box, and be creative in finding ways to achieve efficient, sustainable infrastructural development over a long period of time,” he urged.

Hon. Smith also said robust infrastructure is a key component of economic development and long term economic growth and that it is no surprise that both economic pillars; tourism and financial services, are impacted by infrastructural development; hence the need for the creation of a strategy, with a view to further enhance both industries.

“When we speak of infrastructural development, we must understand how this ties into the socio-economic fabric of this community. Electricity, water and sewerage, roads and traffic, airports and seaports are all crucial components of that fabric. The improvement of the fabric is necessary to better accommodate our existing business and social climates, and better prepare us for the future,” said the Premier.

The Hon. Vanterpool’s discourse at the opening ceremony placed special emphasis on the key areas for development within his Ministry, with those being ports, sewerage, road development, energy, telecommunication and city development. He said that despite advances, the reality is that the Virgin Islands is in its infancy stages as regards infrastructural development. “When we look at the meaning of the world class infrastructure, and our role as administrators to develop our Virgin Islands infrastructure, we must first really understand that we are charged with building the systems in which our entire country operates.”

According to the Minister, now is the time for the Virgin Islands to take a leap forward and do the necessary work of developing a sound infrastructure that will support the economic and social growth of the Territory. He stressed that this is the year when his ministry will deliver the most projects, set the most policies, reorganise and restructure departments and statutory bodies where necessary, propose new and or amend legislation towards the improvement of laws in the interest of better governance for the people of this Territory, and build the crucial components of the Territory's infrastructure to last a very long time.

“Over the next three years we will accomplish a better road network, an improved sewerage system, provide water to most of the residents throughout the territory, and vastly improve our ports throughout the Territory.”

Among those present at the opening ceremony were Minister for Education and Culture, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn; Representative of the Fifth District, Hon. Deloris Christopher; Representative of the Sixth District, Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines; Financial Secretary, Mr Neil Smith; and Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, Mrs Rosalie Adams.

11 Responses to “Think out of the box!- Premier Smith urges at MCW retreat”

  • Ah saw (25/01/2013, 08:02) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mark is an impressionist. He follows no rules. He works off of emotions.
  • mother hen (25/01/2013, 08:03) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yup...but what does that mean??? more hot air
  • small head (25/01/2013, 08:35) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Politricks. Fed up ah all ah dem yes. TGIF.
  • talk girl talk (25/01/2013, 11:48) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Go away Dr. Smith, time to get rid of you and those monkeys on your back especially Myron, Mark and Archie
  • ABC (25/01/2013, 23:01) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Neil listen to me, don't allow Mark and Dr. Smith to corrupt and destroy your good name. Tell it as it is and allow the chips to fall where they may.
  • bigger picture (25/01/2013, 23:17) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    years ago we had a very effective Road Town manager, but no one paid any attention to her. She couldn't even get DPW to come. She even stood infront of the bulldozer making the park because no one told her what was going on. Now Mark wants a management board to run the town. a Boardwalk for more vendor opportunities? Are we going to start looking like a third world country again? ammend legislation, restructure departments, all the while building a "world Class" infrastructure. Mark has repeatedly called RT a "city". He repeatedly calls any project "world class" which is silly because we are not the world. We should do what is tailored for a set of small islands. This is not Dubai or Hong Kong, something the NDP continues to forget. All this is too ambitious. Get realistic and work on intrastructure for immediate needs.
  • foxy (26/01/2013, 06:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Exactly right.
  • ABC (27/01/2013, 00:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Three blind mice
  • white man (27/01/2013, 16:11) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hasn't the premier got it yet? He has nothing of relevance to say


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