“Shakespeare summed it up best in the tragedy of Julius Caesar:

 

"Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much, such men are dangerous."

 

The Premier has a difficult job that borders on the impossible. He cannot please all of the people, all of the times.

 

He cannot even please all of the people, some of the times because, as we grow the Territory, the voices become disparate, loud and demanding.

 

And we want different things.

 

Some want to develop their businesses; Some want jobs; Some want order and cleanliness; Some want zoning laws to stop incompatible developments from springing up in residential areas.

 

Some want health care; Some want education; Some want pension reform: The list of wants is long.

 

But all need safety, security and predictability. They need to know that their government would not use state power to keep them from contributing to the development of these Virgin Islands.

 

But more importantly, they need their government to work for the good of the Territory for when the state of the Territory is strong, everyone benefits.

 

Premier Wheatley redeemed himself from the callous and wanton destruction his predecessor wrought on the BVI Marine Industry.

 

The industry was literally given away to those across the pond as a result of the unnecessary sanctions and the way the law enforcers treated BVI hospitality and marine business places as if they were crime scenes.

 

While Wheatley sat at the right hand of the father, in those days, and was duty bound, at least in the Honourable House, to second his motions, he has since done well by the industry.

 

The Premier held a series of meetings with the sector where the marine legislation that had its first readings was well ventilated. His senior officials were fully involved.

 

The fees, that were a part of the draft, some static for three decades, were discussed and agreed.

 

In this instance, the public/private partnership worked.

 

But it is easy to give away things but extremely difficult to get them back.

 

We give away our disaster preparedness, in law, to the Ministry for National Security and tried, subsequently, to take it back but that Legislation, passed by the House, received no assent.

 

In the case of the Marine Industry, those across the pond earn a sum approaching $100M per annum out of it so they will never give it back without a fight. And they are fighting. A proposed 25% tariff on BVI goods. The President’s influence is contagious after all.

 

The issue for them is that once their pleasure boaters spend two days in their waters, they, like Alexander the Great, look for other worlds to conquer and those worlds are the 60 islands, rocks and cays that make up the BVI.

 

And it is for the Government of this Territory to say who uses our waters and under what conditions. So, it is unconscionable that our neighbours should seek to penalize us for deciding on the management of our property.

 

We already cannot protect our fishing grounds but we have full control over our sailing space. Still, we are mindful of the business relationships and have to consider our water taxis and the remote restaurants on sister islands that benefit from the boat traffic.

 

But the USVI is teaching us daily that we are not to rely on their investments to save ourselves. We used to depend on the shopping there but were not penalized for spending millions into their economy per month.

 

We were very dependent on their air traffic and when, years ago, we had the opportunity to extend our runway, our very leaders killed the proposal. Personal ambition superseded country.

 

Now, the opportunity to extend the runway presents again and thanks to the direct flights of AA, at least 1500 passengers per week need never step foot in the terminals of our friends across the pond; A huge economic loss and a source of angst.

 

Of course, the ferry traffic is dwindling and the case for an oversized ferry terminal in West End is losing steam given that our future is in air travel for business and national security reasons.

 

We cannot expect our neighbours to protect our share of the tourism market. If they threaten us in the school yard for our own marbles, imagine what they would do to us for theirs.

 

For decades, friendly relations existed between the inhabitants of the Greater Virgin Islands. In the early days we went there for jobs, school, to birth our children with the hope of them having options for a brighter future. The family tree that begins on one side of the divide, ends up on the other.

 

Our friends across the pond are, understandably, scared. Their economy has benefited significantly by our spending and the transit of our guests, who they seem to have placed under threat.

 

And we collaborated on many things. We started with an annual Friendship Day and have an Inter-Virgin Islands Council where we discuss matters of mutual interests.

 

But we are not their children to be dressed down as they see fit.

 

We expect the Premier to call back his marine industry and tourism advisors prior to any meeting with our friends across the pond. We have noted the presence of BVI industry partners at USVI meetings and can only guess at loyalties.

 

We hope that all of our leaders, including those who frequent the public airwaves to extol their virtues, will join this fight to protect BVI. This is no time to panic and make knee jerk decisions.

 

This is a time for thoughtful discussion and solidarity.

 

It may even be a time to demonstrate national pride.

 

And as we are wont to do on Fridays:

 

We will “…examine the horns.”

 

Happy Friday!”