UNFOUNDED RUMORS

EXCERPTS FROM A STATEMENT BY CHIEF MINISTER

HONOURABLE D. ORLANDO SMITH

The unfounded rumours which continue to circulate claiming that this Government has given the water rights around Norman Island to Private Interests are just that – Rumours!

 Let me make this absolutely clear: No water rights have been given away around Norman Island or any island in the BVI by this Government, nor will any be given away by this government.

Protection of access to our beaches is of paramount importance to my government, and in fact we have improved access to our beaches by extending such access to 10 feet beyond the vegetation.

This is where we are: A development group has approached the Government about building a luxury resort on Norman Island. We are currently in negotiations with this group, as we are with potential developers for Beef Island and Scrub Island, as well as local developers on Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda.

This Government promised the people of the BVI that we would deliver a luxury, 5-star resort to our Territory and we have every intention of delivering on that promise. Regarding the specifics of the negotiations for the Norman Island development, there has been no request or application for water rights around Norman Island nor do I expect that there would be such a request. 

There is interest in developing a hotel and of course with that hotel would come some amenities such as docks and some moorings which would require seabed leases from Government as is the case with any other marina or related facility in the territory.  These would of course all have to be approved by the appropriate authorities once an application is made.

The tourism industry is a central pillar of our Territory’s economic strength. For generations, the revenue generated by this vital industry has provided tax dollars to help pay for our schools and hospitals; it has provided capital to pave roads and build docks; and, most importantly, it has provided opportunity for our people.

A principal goal for any Government of this Territory, therefore, must always be to protect and strengthen this sector – and to work hard to make sure that the benefits of Tourism are felt by all of our people. Unfortunately, for many years we have been complacent about growing our tourism industry.

We did little to spur new development. Nor did we engage in long range planning. nor look for new investments. Nor did we provide critical financial and legislative support for local entrepreneurs. For more than 10 years, our shores did not see a single major new development – even as our competitors in the region aggressively drew new investments to their islands.

My Government has taken a different approach. In just our first two years in office we have launched the Tourism Industry Service Standards program to provide training for our people so that our service will be truly world class; We have made infrastructure investments from the airport and Visitor Centre on Virgin Gorda, to the docks of Anegada to the piers of Jost Van Dyke so that tourism could move to every part of the Territory.

We have purchased Prospect Reef, which will soon be a world-class training centre where young BV Islanders will have an opportunity to prepare for positions of leadership in our industry. We are now in the process of amending the Hotel Aid Ordinance so that it will benefit our small local property owners, as well as larger hotels both in construction and renovations.

In just two years, we have invested great energy and resources toward seeing our sector grow and we are seeing results. As I reported in my State of the Territory Address, over this past year, the BVI experienced a surge of visitors to our shores, including an impressive 10% increase in the number of valuable overnight visitors, with average occupancy rates in our hotels well above 65%.

Those achievements are not an accident – they are the result of the hard work of the men and women who make the tourism industry thrive both in Government and in the private sector. These successes deserve the congratulations of us all. They are a tribute to the BVI.

Let me make this absolutely clear: As a matter of principle, My Government views with favor new investment in the BVI both local and foreign.  And the reason is simple: A new luxury hotel development will mean an investment of more than One Hundred Million dollars in our Territory.

I will repeat: an investment of over One Hundred Million dollars of new money in our economy. That will mean our people will have business and entrepreneurial opportunities and additional job related opportunities. That means work for our local contractors, plumbers, cabinet makers, ferry operators and apartment owners. That means more tax revenue so we can invest in hospitals, schools, roads and social services.

With a prestigious new luxury resort we will see a boost for the entire tourism sector as the BVI brand increases in prestige and recognition throughout the world. Bringing this development to our shores is not an idle luxury – it is an urgent national priority.

As I mentioned before, it has been more than 10 years since we saw the last major new developments in our Territory. Over those years, our competitors in the region from Anguilla, Nevis to St. Lucia to St. Kitts have thrived thanks to major new developments that they succeeded in luring to their islands.

When we as elected representatives send a signal that development and investment, local and foreign are not welcome in the BVI we run the real risk of scaring dollars away from our shores and right into the arms of our competitors in the region.

We are approaching elections that have been brought about by the saddest of events – a Minister of Government and a friend to us all – Hon. Paul P. Wattley passed away. We conduct this campaign even as his family and this entire community yet mourn his passing.