‘We are ready to march with you against Gov't'- Resident tells Hon Fraser
“You know what happens when we borrow money and don’t pay it back? We are going to start crawling on our knees because they are going to put pressure on us. We are rich enough. Enough money flows through this country for all of us to be well off and with this kind of money coming into the country we should be even better off but we will be worse off because no one is looking out for your interest,” emphasised Hon Fraser.
The Third District Representative further commented that before he signs any document, he would like to know how the money will be spent and who is going to benefit from this large sum of money being borrowed by the government.
He said, “If we can’t tell those things, don’t touch it. I don’t need you to flood the market with money and flood the streets with money and nobody benefitting from it. Our people needs to be doing better than they are doing right now. Not going from pay check to pay check. This is a rich country but it is poorly managed.”
“What are our rights to force accountability?” – Resident
Meanwhile, an infuriated resident questioned Hon Fraser as to what can be done now to make sure that there is accountability for the funds received or being received by the government, while noting that things have already gone too far.
“Is there something that we can do then to make sure that there is accountability for the funding that have already been received or that we are saying have been received. What are our rights as the people to force accountability of these funds?” asked the resident.
She continued, “What can we do now to create an issue or a havoc? At what point are you as the Opposition going to start an eruption in this place so that we can march along with you for those of us who do not agree and most of us do not agree? So at what point are we going to stop having meetings and actually do something about it? We are ready to create what we want to know as the next generation of BVI. Right now we are bending over because we have waited too long. The document is already out and now we are raising all the issues with it and the red flags were there from before.”
"Pressure your District Representatives" -Hon Fraser
In response, Hon Fraser urged the resident that the stipulations by the United Kingdom (UK) to form a separate board which will manage the fund is to ensure that the monies are spent “free of corruption”, while suggesting that persons should pressure their District Representatives so that they can vote against the document.
“You can start by talking with your district representatives and tell them just like you are telling me now. If we hear enough of the same talk we have no choice but to vote against this document. I’m not going to stop here,” he emphasised.
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19 Responses to “‘We are ready to march with you against Gov't'- Resident tells Hon Fraser”
Consequently, it needs a wak of money or power ah money...........etc to recover. It has two prime options in funding the recovery——-pay as you go (PayGo)/current revenue stream or borrowing. The PayGo mode will take an eternity; it needs a strong recovery plan and selected/targeted borrowing. The borrowed money must produced value for money, strong positive outcomes........etc; as the Hon Fraser noted residents children’s children will be repaying the loans. Government is proposing to borrow $721M (if my math is correct, a mere 20% of the estimated recovery cost) for recovery investment over 5 years. However, projects should not just be replaced in like kind; they should be stronger to mitigate more potential damages from future storm events(the BVI is in a disaster prone area so there will be other events; not if but when). If the $3.6B is accurate, when is the delta (80%) between what is estimated and planned going to be addressed? Will the VI residents and economy have to wait 5 years for the benefit of the remaining 80% investment and resultant services? No doubt that number will increase in 5 years. The VI and indeed the region need a Marshall Plan (plan similar to what bail out Western Europe after WWII;US contributed approx $13B towards the bail out) to expedite the recovery; it also needs debt forgiveness.
Moreover, agree with the Hon Fraser that with an estimated annual $1B GDP the BVI growth and development should be more advanced than it is. Its physical infrastructure (roads, water, sewage, electricity, telecommunications, port facilities), education and educational services, health services, public safety, economic diversification, environmental resource protection and preservation..........etc should be a model for the region and farther afield. Further, if BVI residents are unhappy with the direction of the territory, it must peacefully and collectively agitate for change. Two relatively recent events brought about positive change, ie the Great 1949 March (legislature reinstated), and Noel Lloyd and PAM (Positive Action Movement) advocacy (kept Wickham Cay and large swath of Anegada in local hands).