ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ASKED BY THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
AND MEMBER FOR THE EIGHTH DISTRICT TO THE
MINISTER FOR TRANSPORTATION, WORKS AND UTILITIES
AT THE THIRD SITTING OF THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE FOURTH HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
FRIDAY, 17^TH MAY 2019

The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Eighth District to ask the Honourable Minister for Transportation, Works & Utilities the following questions:

Question 1

Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities please tell this Honourable House:

1. If the residents of Greenland from Courtney Gordons Apartments leading to the top of the hill to John Blacks residence is currently getting public water?; and

2. If the answer is no, please advise what are the plans to address this issue and when will the residents of this area get access to the public water supply?

Answer 1

Mister Speaker, it is important to note, for the record, that the water woes that the Member is inquiring about have been plaguing the residents of the area for many years, long before my tenure as Minister which began on 1^st March, 2019.

Nevertheless, Mister Speaker, since taking office I have been diligently working with the Water & Sewerage Department to ensure that a number of long standing water woes are rectified. Today, I am happy to report that my Ministry, along with the Water & Sewerage Department, has worked above and beyond the call of duty to address the long outstanding issue. They have informed me that public water is now available to customers in the Greenland area from Courtney Gordon’s Apartments leading to the top of the hill.

Question 2

Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities please advise this Honourable House on the status of the installation of the water infrastructure in the Sabbath Hill area, from Hope Hill Church onwards to give access to the public water system for residents in Sabbath Hill?  

Answer 2

Mister Speaker, it is important to note, for the record, that the water woes that the Member is inquiring about have been plaguing the residents of the area for many years, long before my tenure as Minister which began on 1^st March, 2019.

Mister Speaker, I have been informed by my Ministry’s technical experts that the water infrastructure in the Sabbath Hill area is in the design phase and the Water & Sewerage Department is working to complete the design to ensure that all potential customers in the area can be serviced. This project will be included in time for the next budget cycle.

Question 3

Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Transportation, Works, and Utilities please tell this Honourable House whether he has or has caused to be suspended in writing or otherwise; the membership of Board members, meetings of Boards, or any other operations of any Boards, Commission or other such authority which falls under his authority.

Answer 3

Mister Speaker, the following authorities and Boards fall under my authority as Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities:

The Building Authority, the Taxi and Livery Commission, and the BVI Electricity Corporation.  As it relates to the Board Members of the BVI Electricity Corporation, the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands approved the revocation of the appointments of most of the Members, which is in the process of being rectified to include all members.

Mister Speaker, it is the position of this new Administration that the tenure of any Board Member should not go beyond the term of any Sitting Government. This is a new policy being implemented by this Government.

Question 4

Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities please tell this Honourable House the current status of the following Statutory Boards, as well as a listing of its members and the dates of their appointments:

1. BVI Electricity Corporation

Answer 4

Mister Speaker, the Board of the BVI Electricity Corporation was revoked in accordance with section 5 of the BVI Electricity Corporation Ordinance, Chapter 277 of the Laws of the Virgin Islands.

Mister Speaker, the new members of the BVI Electricity Corporation’s Board are yet to be confirmed by the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands following the revocation of the Board effective 22^nd April, 2019 by the Cabinet.

Mister Speaker, this was done due to the new policy being implemented by this Government where the tenure of any Board Member does not go beyond the term of any Sitting Government.