We thought Agriculture would have become the third economic pillar for the Territory when Hon. Omar Hodge conceived the idea of building greenhouses.

However, the very sector they were developed to assist, made such a ruckus that Hon. Hodge lost his equilibrium and, just like that, the people forgot about ‘the people’s man.’ 

The green houses, over $5 million of investment, were left for Hurricane Irma to blow away without having produced as much as a single tomato for the Territory.

Nowadays, the craze is the Blue Economy.    It is expected to take advantage of the 2,500 miles of exclusive economic zone surrounding the waters of the BVI.   Fishing is central to that economy.

But there appears to be no real government support for those fishermen who remain under water at great depths for extended periods.  They use scuba gear and spearguns.

Omar Hodge recognized this and back in 2007, he made it possible for those fishermen, about 20 in number, to be grandfathered into exemption status under the Fisheries Act and they were able to practice their trade and feed their families.

But Officers of the Fisheries Ministry, in May of this year, stopped them from diving and threatened them and the companies that supply their scuba gear and oxygen with fines and imprisonment. Their spearguns were confiscated.

Appeals were made to their District Representatives and the Fisheries Minister.  The fishermen were hopeful.

But legal had not yet offered an opinion and when it came, the Fisheries Minister and his Colleagues could not find a way to help the fishermen.

Free diving for lobsters and fish was an option but no spears, no scuba gear.  The fishermen were encouraged to choose some other means of livelihood.  

Compensation was out of the question so these fishermen are left to join the growing number of inactive and idle BVI men.  If only they could enact a greedy bill for their own benefit.

Today, secretaries use computers instead of carbon paper and stencils.  Doctors use robots to assist with surgeries.

Researchers have discarded their encyclopedias in favour of Google.  But fishermen under threat of fines and imprisonment dare not use scuba gear.

The government’s promises to address the issue were hollow.  The Fisheries Minister did not have the permission of his AG to offer hope and resolution to the fishermen.

The price of fish and lobsters will surely climb with these fishermen out of work, adding to the already high cost of living in the BVI.

But we are in the right church:

For only recently, under a Customs Act, BVI made it almost impossible for super yachts to enter the Territory despite spirited begging from the industry practitioners.  

Once the sector was reduced from over 110 visits of super yachts per year to single digits, an entourage went to Monaco to look for the super yachts business.

It would be painful were it not so incredible.

Perhaps, after the 20 or so fishermen who rely on scuba and spearguns hit the bread line, Honourable Members can fly to remote and exotic places to talk about their blue economy.

Who are we building BVI for if not the people of the Territory?  Why do we find it so easy to disenfranchise our citizens and residents?

Fridays suggest that BVI people and the ‘little man’ cannot be the casualties of the trek to self-determination and independence.

Happy Friday!