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