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‘Too many vehicles’ in the VI- Violet Thomas-Gaul

- said the government should do something to control vehicle imports
The number of vehicles in the Virgin Islands has come under scrutiny by Talking Points Co-host Violet Thomas-Gaul. Photo: VINO/File
Road works ongoing in the Territory have contributed to traffic congestion, as traffic is sometimes diverted. Photo: Facebook
Road works ongoing in the Territory have contributed to traffic congestion, as traffic is sometimes diverted. Photo: Facebook
(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Damion C. Grange, Violet Thomas-Gaul, guest Mr Paul B. Dennis, KC, Jamaica's Honourary Consul to the Virgin Islands, and Co-host Elvin G. Grant. Photo: Facebook
(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Damion C. Grange, Violet Thomas-Gaul, guest Mr Paul B. Dennis, KC, Jamaica's Honourary Consul to the Virgin Islands, and Co-host Elvin G. Grant. Photo: Facebook
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- Talking Points Co-host Violet Thomas-Gaul has said there are too many vehicles in the Virgin Islands (VI) and has called upon the government of the day to do something about it.

Speaking on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM, Mrs Thomas-Gaul said a recent experience with reckless drivers while in the city made her come to this realisation. Roadworks around the territory have also been ongoing. 

“We have too many cars, too many vehicles on this island, in this Territory,” she said. 

Stop being afraid of not being re-elected 

Mrs Thomas-Gaul said the government should look at passing legislation to restrict the number of vehicles in the VI. 

Using Bermuda as an example, she said that Bermuda’s government has placed certain restrictions on vehicle imports to include limiting the number of private vehicles per household, the size of vehicles due to narrow roads and pre-approval from the Transport Control Department before importing a vehicle, a speed limit, among other restrictions. 

“Now our elected officials need to stop being afraid of [not] being re-elected. That’s why they are not making these legislations to change these things,” Mrs Thomas-Gaul opined. 

Everybody doesn’t need a vehicle

Co-host Damion C. Grange chipped in, saying Bermuda has a “robust public transportation system”. 

However, Thomas-Gaul said research is needed, and the necessary things put in place. “We can’t just say that’s the way it is and everybody needs a vehicle, everybody doesn’t need a vehicle.”

35 Responses to “‘Too many vehicles’ in the VI- Violet Thomas-Gaul ”

  • You first (29/10/2025, 08:15) Like (70) Dislike (3) Reply
    miss lead by example get rid of your car first you elitist hypocrite.
  • Truth But (29/10/2025, 08:18) Like (28) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is every where. Young people got jobs need vehicle for show, com enience and work. Vehicle loan is still bank best business, Car dealers need to sell car to sray in buainess and kewp people employed.. This ia a natural progressive way of life...I can say we have too many apt, but you still can't find one and when you do, the price is up there, like too many churches, What's their purpose? That's where too many make sense..
  • Kaboom (29/10/2025, 08:24) Like (39) Dislike (1) Reply
    well you be the first to give up yours and encourage yuh family and friends also
  • Context (29/10/2025, 08:31) Like (47) Dislike (1) Reply
    Too many vehicles but no effective public transport system to get people around…how many cars has Mrs Thomas-Gaul got btw?
    • sit down (29/10/2025, 15:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      These are the same people that crosses others on the road and will not stop to give a ride
  • yeah (29/10/2025, 08:33) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
    And the parking space isn't increasing either. Everybody wants an office building but no one wants to make parking. Town is going to be a mess with the rate things are moving in.
  • GPM (29/10/2025, 08:33) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    When there is no public transport? BVI has no basic affordable and reliable public transport. Why are they just jumping at problems that are not the immediate issue? BVI lacks the basic necessities which should be their primary focus.
  • The Frig….. (29/10/2025, 08:34) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    The Frig…… here. Israeli Diplomat Abba Eban note,” Arabs never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Similarly, the VI is always on the lagging end things. It would have waited for horses to have bolted out of barn to close door/gate. Residents have grown accustomed to no limits on owning a vehicle. The Tea on changing the policy now will be controversial, challenging, cantankerous, etc agitating residents heatedly, etc? What other small locale has a limit on individual owning a vehicle?

    Bermuda. Since 1951, Bermuda, a sister OT of the VI, has had a one car per family per family. The person to whom the car is registered must live at the address in which the car is registered. Further , visitor are restricted from renting vehicles. Nevertheless, Bermuda operates a robust bus and ferry system. The HoA is supposed to be able to handle challenging, complex, etc., issues. How will it move to address a vehicle restriction? What level of confidence does the populace have in it? The Frig …. Out.
  • Laslow (29/10/2025, 08:45) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
    I bet she needs her vehicle. Who decides who needs a vehicle? I bet that lady would not park her vehicle and catch the bus.
  • nation (29/10/2025, 08:49) Like (15) Dislike (4) Reply
    Some people need to think before they talk. Is Bermuda as mountainous as BVI? Why you want to make the people slaves again to have to ask the Government to own a vehicle? Why more bureaucracy on bureaucracy?
  • trevor (29/10/2025, 08:51) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    So another complaint by a well-to-do who drove to show but came with no solution.
    There should a reliable public transport system,
    but there is not.
    That should be the focus, not to look down on others.
  • Ammo (29/10/2025, 08:52) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Every vehicle is imported since we don't manufacture anything here. We cannot afford the high rates the Dealers here are asking for new cars. The new cars are rusting too fast, so we must be held prisoner to only buy from them?
  • Citizen (29/10/2025, 08:53) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    why did that small strip of road in the second pic take a month to pave, it s a joke how slow our simple projects move
  • Zeesix (29/10/2025, 09:14) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree.. Land is a finite resource and it's clear that the overpopulation of cars is becoming problematic. For a small group of islands, we have many car dealerships (that's another issue within itself). With all that said, let's not put the cart before the horse; we need to sort out our infrastructure. That means a proper transport system with REGULAR and RELIABLE bus services with SENSIBLE stops that cater to the ENTIRE country. We can even consider ferries around the island (i.e East to Town, Baughers Bay to Piere Park etc). These are feasible and alleviate congestion.
  • BRAD BOYNES (29/10/2025, 09:16) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply

    LOTS OF DELIBERATE SH** HAPPENING IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

  • smh (29/10/2025, 09:24) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Instead of targeting the government by asking them to find new routes and create more roads. To find ways to make roads wider for more lanes. To force new landlords and builders to ensure they have parking for each tenant to eliminate road side parking. Commerce buildings to start having underground parking. This is what you going to say, the government should limit who have a vehicle. In these times it’s best to have your own vehicle. So when things happen you can leave at your own pace and not wait on anyone. Catching ride is not even safe for ladies because you just don’t know what might be going through a man’s head one day. And vice versa. There is more that could be done to assist with the vehicle issue. We are in 2025 and show be upgrading infrastructure.
  • Too many of a lot of things.. (29/10/2025, 09:25) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
    Too many Super Markets, too many Burger huts, too many Saloons, too many Taxis, Too many Stores. Shut down some and the economy goes in reverse. This is not a well sought out or think about statement...Usually people who think they bright and know it all, don't think...
  • Real Mcoy (29/10/2025, 09:55) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is a very challenging thing for Tortola to have one car per family. First of all, buses do not go to the hills that often because there are very steep, so the vehicle will consume a lot of gas, also breaks pads usually worn quickly. Also, we do not have a proper affordable bus service that takes you around Tortola. If you are a family of 4 or more adults that works in different areas for example airport, West End ferry dock, Peter Island Resort and Enis Adams Primary school, it surely will be very difficult to use one vehicle going and coming. That surely will never work out for that family. And i am very sure there are a number of people living under a roof sharing apartment in this same situation. The reason most people share apartments is because the minimum rate is still too low for most of them to afford their own comfortable apartment. I also agree that not everyone could afford to pay for a brand-new expensive car, so therefore they have no choice to purchase a very cheap one from Japan. We have a big hand full of people from the Philippeans and the Dominican Republic as well as Jamaica, Guyana and more other countries, who are working from paycheck to paycheck just like me although i am a Tortolian so they have no choice than to purchase very cheap vehicles and share apartments.
  • BVI/UK (29/10/2025, 09:59) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    Nonsense about to many vehicles in the VI. You don't have public transport service. How do expect people to get around. Like you want VI ppl to ride horses and donkeys.
  • Too much of everything in the BVI (29/10/2025, 10:16) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply

    Too much outsiders, talk show hosts, trucks, scooters, filipinos, island people, crooked politicians, hymacs, ferries, barges, boats, a&&h**s, poor people, vendors, yard fowls, funerals, moo moos, apartments, safari buses, taximen, bars, beauty salons, churches, bad roads and the list goes on and on

  • Others have solved this (29/10/2025, 10:17) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Bermuda solved this problem long ago by providing cheap and reliable public transportation (buses and ferries) to get to most places on island, by allowing only one vehicle per residence and by taxing heavily the import of private vehicles.

    The lack of public transport in the Territory essentially forces people to buy and import cars into the territory, given what it costs to get around by taxi. Alas, the taxi men are generally opposed to public transportation.
  • wow really (29/10/2025, 10:34) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    who drop u on your head u not thinking
  • BUSY BEE (29/10/2025, 10:54) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is so very true:

    “Now our elected officials need to stop being afraid of [not] being re-elected. That’s why they are not making these legislations to change these things,” Mrs Thomas-Gaul opined.
  • I agree (29/10/2025, 11:28) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Well Said
  • crazy (29/10/2025, 12:03) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have my car but you do not really need yours to get around because yours are a down Islander.
    That is really what this lady wants to say. I am also sure she will be quick to fire the down Islander because they cannot get to work on time. Restrictions is not an option right now because the government is not willing to subsidize a public transportation system right now. You need a critical population to make an economy efficient, and we are not understanding that. Its the same thing with NHI. Our population is too small to develop an efficient productive economy.
  • zero infrastructure (29/10/2025, 12:06) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is little to no public transportation.
  • BuzzBvi (29/10/2025, 13:14) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Premier has 2 parking spaces.
  • Huh ? (29/10/2025, 14:14) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Everybody doesn't need a vehicle ?...so when my fat a$$ going to work with 2 lunch bag, handbag and laptop bag, who paying for the extra seat?...YOU ? When rain falling and yuh boss say COME TO WUK, who picking me and my georgie-bundle up ?...YOU ? As I tell my child when she start with a story, TALK THING WITH SENSE !
  • HMMM (29/10/2025, 14:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where do these people appear from? No public transpotation but you crying baout too many vehicles, what build new road? and relacation certain government office to ease the congestionin the town area? go read a book
  • Gopher (29/10/2025, 14:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think the community needs a month break from Mrs Gaul, Grange, the other dude and Claud Skeleton Kline ASAP
  • FedUpFromDiBVI (29/10/2025, 14:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    One thing about Government... they go always say some irrelevant sh@! before them fix problems.

  • 2024 (29/10/2025, 15:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    To many Guns as well but BVI do not manufacturer guns and yes border security falls under the representative from London, call them and ask them why there is a leak in the security........

    yes is a lots for cars now and back then we walk, or ride horses or donkeys: progress is a very good thing however if such progress is not regulated you will serious issues

  • A law need to pass (29/10/2025, 17:03) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    1. 2 vehicle for each family the max.
    2. If just 2 person living in house 1 vehicle
  • Josiahsbay (29/10/2025, 17:55) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Focus on the message, not the messenger. An unpopular messenger doesn't make a good message bad.
  • talk all (29/10/2025, 20:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Limit 2 vehicles per household, Take all the 65+ y/o people off the road and don’t allow people to import vehicles older that 10 years. Give up your ride violet…


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