Premier Still Hopeful For Beef Island Hotel & Golf Course BVI Platinum News Updated: November 07, 2013 9:33 am AST Published: November 06, 2013 1:09 pm AST Photo Credit: saildivebvi Legal hurdles are still to be overcome before consideration can be given to restart efforts for a 5-star hotel and golf course development on Beef Island. Premier and Minister for Finance, Hon. Dr. D. Orlando Smith this week said that there are still legal challenges that prevent the development from moving forward. But I am hoping that one day very soon it will be sorted out and we will be able to get a five star hotel and a golf course at beef island, Premier Smith stated during the National Democratic Partys (NDP) radio program on Monday, November 4. He reminded that the project started in 2004 and would have allowed for the hotel and gulf course along with other types of housing; however, the development was opposed for environmental reasons. After I left office; and since then it has not begun as yet. Part of the reason why it has not begun as yet is because there are still legal problems that needs to be sorted out, and until those are sorted out nothing can happen at Beef Island, Premier Smith stated. The Beef Island project was embroiled in a court battle, which ended when on August 12 last year the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a lower court ruling, paving the way for the developers to proceed to build a luxury resort, golf course and Marina on approximately 659 acres at Beef Island. Virgin Islands Environmental Council (VIEC) contended that parts of the project, especially the golf course plan would disrupt the eco system of Hanns Creek, which they contended is a protected area under the laws of the Virgin Islands. VIEC proceeded to sue the developer, Quorum and the BVI Government. The Court of Appeal found that Hans Creek was not validly declared to be a protected area and by extension, the decision of the Minister to approve the Group´s proposed development of the BVI Project granted to Quorum in January 2007, was not illegal. Prior to taking office, Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, hon. Dr. Kedrick Pickering stated that the tourism industry of the BVI will not move forward if the proposed project is not implemented. I know I will receive a lot of flak for this but we the BVI, our tourism industry, the future of our tourism, cannot go ahead without the Beef Island development. I will take my licks, even if it costs me an election, but we cannot move forward with our tourism product, without development in Beef Island. The BVI needs a five star hotel, we need mega yacht facilities, we need a golf course, Dr. Pickering stated. ----- Copyright 2011 by Virgin Islands Platinum News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Top Stories Barbershop Owner In Court For Stalking $11M Drug Bust: Defendant Alleges Some Blocks Of Cocaine Missing People Are Hurting - Fraser; Govt Has Millions Sitting In Savings Fahie Opens Up About Weight Loss During Recognition Ceremony; Encourages Persons To Never Give Up High Court Concerns Being Addressed - Says PS NDP At Mid-Term: Battered & Still Afloat; 54% Polled Say NDP Performed Poorly Readers Opinion Post Your Opinion 33 Opinions hound | Report Abuse GIVE UP WE DO NOT NEED A GOLF COURSE!!!! - beef Island is a unique ecosystem, is an important wetland area, hostS incredible coral reefs, juvenile fish habitats, and a fine/unique example of Caribbean dry forest. It also has significant historical value. It should be a National Park - and available for ALL people to enjoy. Unless of course we want the BVI to be like St. martins, StThomas or Puerto Rico. November 08 at 8:56am | Like Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this. Reply SR | Report Abuse Isnt the resort and the new airport, projects at odds with each other? Who will stay at a $$$$$ resort and listen to big jets coming and going. Come on Dr. Smith, spend all this money on infrastructure and then let the cozy intimate places bring in the dollars. November 07 at 9:22am | Like ▪ 5 People like this. Dislike ▪ 2 People dislike this. Reply BVI MAN | Report Abuse Do you think its JFK where planes would be landing every few minutes? Did Dr Smith tell you Government is building a hotel? SMH! November 07 at 4:40pm | Like Dislike dog | Report Abuse Originally, Bert Lettsome and a few others came up with a boutique hotel on Beef Island (minus the megayachts and golf course, and the 600 units) as part of an ecotourism plan. It was rejected because it was too small and not flashy enough and not a big money maker. Yet Ecotourism is big business and would work well with Trellis as is. Why cant we do a small boutique hotel to accommodate passengers at the airport- but leave the 5-star (which is basically impossible to achieve) to Prospect Reef. What is happening with that?... STILL??? November 06 at 11:58pm | Like ▪ 6 People like this. Dislike ▪ 2 People dislike this. Reply Whatever.... | Report Abuse Sounds as if someone has found out that Chinese bag money smells as good and spends as well as Middle Eastern, American, and European money.... November 06 at 6:44pm | Like ▪ 11 People like this. Dislike Reply pelican | Report Abuse Indication of harm, not proof of harm should be our call to action By the time harm is visible, it is too late. Evidence and indications, reports and testimonies should carry more weight than developers and power-hungry government ministers. That is what Conservations and Fisheries and even Town and Country is for. But they have been overridden and missing in action for YEARS!! Given governments track record-- the proceedings of beef island airport and 5-star should also be audited which most assuredly was lacking originally. thank goodness, VIEC stopped it at that point. Given the economy, it would still have been a hole in the ground. While we are at it, too bad an audit and review wasnt done of Oil Nut Bay and Scrub Island, where stop orders were enforced several times. Mammoth village ONB did not have an updated EIA from a smaller hotel almost 10 yrs earlier... This tells me that Government is not serious about the morality of their decisions. November 06 at 4:43pm | Like ▪ 18 People like this. Dislike Reply Pete | Report Abuse Why was Hans Creek no validly declared a fisheries protected area? Because the law, which clearly showed intent, was so poorly written it could not be upheld. the premier of the day violated the intent of the law which was assumed to be valid. If Dr. Smith hadnt left office at that time, he would have been included in the law suit. With all the talk about extending the airport, I kept writing it is a back door for the 5-star hotel and eventually the commercial centre in Trellis, meaning stores, markets, cafes, bigger ferry docks, marina. But consider this-- why would anyone with money want to spend their time next to an airport with late arrivals and noise pollution? What would either do to the migratory flight path of birds who would be chased off by construction, planes and noise? Even golfers say the island is not a good location for a course because of the wind and chemical runoff required of golf courses. The NDP is far from transparent. Rather, their agenda is still loud and clear. Kill the golden goose to keep up with the Jones and appease North Sound. I suspect an Audit would have exposed the same mode of operandi as the cruise ship dock and landside. That is- slight of hand and insider trading. November 06 at 4:25pm | Like ▪ 14 People like this. Dislike Reply HA! | Report Abuse They didnt want Oil Nut, its here and a lot of our people benefited from the construction. They didnt want Scrub, again its here, many of our people benefited form the construction. Necker, Moskito, all of them, people are thankful for these developments as it creates... more November 06 at 3:06pm | Like ▪ 14 People like this. Dislike ▪ 22 People dislike this. Reply Whatever.... | Report Abuse Some of those people who were born RIGHT HERE and have returned to take their rightful place might tell you that most of the those construction workers who benefited from working at Oil Nut Bay were not from here. November 06 at 6:56pm | Like ▪ 12 People like this. Dislike First Time in 40 years | Report Abuse If you think Scrub Island is an example of what is good about the BVI, God help the BVI. If you want to build Miami Beach type Marriotts, (and not even a very good one at that) for the concept of giving work to people for construction, God help the BVI. November 07 at 7:44am | Like ▪ 7 People like this. Dislike HA! | Report Abuse That may be true, but the entity they work for is locally owned/operated and the Government gets back their money in taxes/fees as well. Additionally, dont take my comment as anything negative, I welcome people back home to the BVI to get the place moving and it doesnt matter their color or where they went for schooling etc. I mention it because I dont think many people here realize whats happening. They see a white person open a business and automatically get defensive asking why Government letting in all these people, not realizing that many of those white people are born right here and have every right to property ownership, business and anything they see fit in this country. The point is at the end of the day, many will be left behind and the few that get ahead will be labelled with many tags. When will we wake up? November 07 at 8:53am | Like ▪ 1 Person like this. Dislike Ho Ho | Report Abuse What if every undisturbed island and broad stretch of undeveloped land here was plowed under like Scrub? Wed be known no longer as Natures Little Secret but rather as Little Nature to Be Seen. History will recall the valiant efforts by people such as Lawrence Rockefeller to preserve the land and contrast those efforts towards a few that have attempted to reverse it. November 07 at 10:04pm | Like ▪ 1 Person like this. Dislike Hummy | Report Abuse The bvi will not move forward until the powers that be/any powers that be whether ndp/vip stop all the nonsense. Just stop everything, listen to the people, look around themselves at the state our are in island/s. Get the infrastructure of of the bvi in order, clean up the place, put laws in place and have them enforced to keep it clean. I. E, continue work on the sewer in road town to rid our capital of the stench, fix the flippin roads, fix the flippin ferry service, lower the cost of food and electricity. Then move forward......... You cant build a house foundation on sand by the sea! We have beautiful islands that can be prosperous. Was prosperous.... Capitalize on what you have naturally.... Your gift from the creator. All without an airport expansion, without a golf course, without cruise pier expansion, without redlights at the round about, all without medical tourism, without millions spent on consultancy on race tracks, boardwalk developments......... For god sake bvi just be who you are.... Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again! Everyday the news is filled with just utter nonsense. I say everyday, i am not going to read the news again... But cant help myself, i go back everyday. It is a very sad and detrimental situation we are in in the bvi. When is it going to stop? November 06 at 3:03pm | Like ▪ 15 People like this. Dislike Reply Politics | Report Abuse The problem is, if you stop and listen to the people, most of whom care about themselves, then you dont accomplish anything. Then, those same people will be the ones to tell you sorry, they cant vote for you because all you did was talk. See how it works? November 06 at 3:59pm | Like ▪ 12 People like this. Dislike ▪ 7 People dislike this. First Time in 40 years | Report Abuse Had family guests here this week, and for the first time I heard people say they were very disappointed in the snorkeling. Dirty and cloudy water, not many fish. Reefs looking in bad shape. Diesel spills in many places, etc. The BVI is on the verge of self destruction, and the government just keeps plowing ahead in the name of tourism. Unfortunately the very thing that brings tourists to the BVI is being destroyed. I know for a fact that repeat guests see the gradual destruction, while people living here day after day do not. The government however seems to want to sell a product that keeps getting worse. I am afraid that on the present course, it wont be very long until there is no product to sell. November 06 at 2:48pm | Like ▪ 31 People like this. Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this. Reply Stop | Report Abuse Stop telling lies November 06 at 3:22pm using an iPad | Like ▪ 1 Person like this. Dislike ▪ 19 People dislike this. Hmph | Report Abuse Yea yea yea!!!! November 06 at 3:59pm | Like Dislike ▪ 4 People dislike this. Do your Part | Report Abuse Is it the Government thats spilling the oil and causing al the destruction to the country? We the people are spilling the oil, we are the ones driving around with garbage on our roof and dropping it along the streets. Its almost a week now since its been raining and the Ghuts have been depositing stuff in the sea, therefore the water must be cloudy. We are always looking at government but what are we doing to preserve the beauty of our islands? The entire caribbean has beaches (sand and sea), lots of the other islands have rivers, waterfalls, vulcano, lots of culture presence, and other beautiful hotels. We really dont have much here to offer. So lets continue to stop everything that Government tries to put in place and see where we will end up, At the bottom of the to-visit-list.. November 06 at 4:16pm | Like ▪ 7 People like this. Dislike ▪ 5 People dislike this. Gram | Report Abuse This hotel / golf course was to be built years ago. Fast forward 8 years to the present...5 star hotels / golf courses & airports dont mix. We havent even touched the East End Projects yet and you looking out for tourists? What a shame and where will the money come from??????? I hope not... more November 06 at 2:34pm | Like ▪ 12 People like this. Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this. Reply Magician | Report Abuse If they dont mix then why was the developer eager to build there knowing that the Airport is there already and would be expanded at some point? What are you saying? The developer doesnt know what hes doing and would be throwing money away? Do you realize the size of Beef Island? I dont think people do!! November 06 at 3:08pm | Like ▪ 4 People like this. Dislike ▪ 7 People dislike this. Okay | Report Abuse Im just thinking...Example - Puerto Rico has way more land mass than we do. They built a 5 Star hotel, The Ritz Carlton right next to the airport ( there are some nice trees and a fence buffering the two. American, Delta, Spirit, Jet Blue, FedEx, Army aircraft land there all day. The Embassy Suites Hotel was built right off to the left as you approach the runaway. Both these hotels are no older than 15 - 17 years and are filled with tourists. So whats your point Gram? I see no reason why a 5 star cant be built on Beef Island fully well knowing we wont be getting more than 2 - 3 flights a day. Just saying lets open up our minds from just finding fault with every idea. November 06 at 8:32pm using an iPad | Like ▪ 3 People like this. Dislike ▪ 7 People dislike this. First Time in 40 years | Report Abuse @Okay - I guess if you want the BVI to become like Puerto Rico then its a fine idea. November 07 at 7:49am | Like ▪ 2 People like this. Dislike Investment | Report Abuse Why is it that certain people are really interested and aggressively pursuing buying up private plots of land on Beef Island? Is there something they know that I dont? November 06 at 1:56pm | Like ▪ 8 People like this. Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this. Reply Free Soul | Report Abuse When will they learn?! As the older VI folks say, Who doan hear....will feel!! November 06 at 1:42pm | Like ▪ 9 People like this. Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this. Reply Lily Ann | Report Abuse Dont mind the ney-sayers.....we need the development in the country.... we need to steer tourism onthe main land....we need the marketing. The only Golf Course is in St thomas. The same ney-sayers will be the same ones to spend the day with their families there. They are the same ones to loose their Job and look for employment over there. If we have to listen to the dummies that were born here....Tortola wont progress. Dont they see the rest of the Caribbean is making all efforts to secure their main industry? -- TOURISM.. We also need the airport. To make it easier for tourists to get a direct flight from their homestate to Tortola.... This will be the delight of the territory,!!! November 06 at 1:38pm | Like ▪ 11 People like this. You dislike this. ▪ 13 People dislike this. Reply Vi | Report Abuse Thats the funniest part. The same ones shouting this down will be first in line to meet with Government complaining about how their company is laying off and theyre not getting the big fat check that they want. If we dont diversify the economy how will we ensure that people have employment after furthering their education etc.? Its not rocket science. We can no longer rely on a few companies coming here and setting up shop. With technology people are able to do more with less, especially with the fact that other countries are 10 times cheaper to operate a business than the BVI. When will we wake up? November 06 at 4:17pm | Like ▪ 4 People like this. Dislike ▪ 7 People dislike this. ooooo | Report Abuse these men dont learn at all....the majority do not want this project...thats the reason ndp lost the last election and also why the project was shot down November 06 at 1:12pm | Like ▪ 20 People like this. Dislike ▪ 4 People dislike this. Reply Facts! | Report Abuse Why you dont stop lying? VIP also supported the project and were in talks with the developer when they were in last time. Stop playing politics with everything man. This is why I like FACTS! Read this! bviplatinum/news.php?module=news&page=Article&articleID=1301504138 People... more November 06 at 1:45pm | Like ▪ 9 People like this. Dislike ▪ 6 People dislike this. REALLY | Report Abuse What does the BVI want? No investments, no jobs to come into this place, people being laid off because businesses cannot produce the capital anymore to pay salaries, thieving on the rise, jail getting full. Really what do the people want? Get it together something has to happen here instead of you dumb criticisms. Get off you .. and make some healthy criticism to make the country better November 06 at 2:38pm | Like ▪ 9 People like this. Dislike ▪ 5 People dislike this. BI resident | Report Abuse So you want to put in an airport runway extension so the noise from the big jets will enhance the hotel and golf course guests? November 06 at 1:12pm | Like ▪ 25 People like this. Dislike ▪ 5 People dislike this. Reply REALLY | Report Abuse Do you think Beef Island is a 2x4 island. Look at Puerto Rico, where the planes fly into and tell me how many hotels are in the vicinity of the airport runway. Get over yourself we need to have investment to create jobs and bring money into the country. November 06 at 2:41pm | Like ▪ 7 People like this. Dislike ▪ 9 People dislike this. Ha! Ha! | Report Abuse I like that, youre funny. November 06 at 2:51pm | Like Dislike Renee | Report Abuse All of those big places you mention are so used to noise and pollution, they dont even know a airport is there. LOL! So no we will be a MINI ME..LOL November 07 at 11:05pm | Like Dislike
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 00:18:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015