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Hon Vanterpool embarrassed over tourist seeing 'garbage smoke' on VG

- ‘I couldn’t let him [tourist] see it too long’- legislator told HoA
Senior legislator Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) referred to similar burning of garbage at Pockwood pond as a nuisance and health hazard. Photo: VINO/File
Virgin Islands legislator Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has complained that burning of garbage still continues in the Virgin Islands, leading to him having to lie to a tourist over unsightly burning on the Sister Island of Virgin Gorda recently. Photo: HoA/Youtube
Virgin Islands legislator Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has complained that burning of garbage still continues in the Virgin Islands, leading to him having to lie to a tourist over unsightly burning on the Sister Island of Virgin Gorda recently. Photo: HoA/Youtube
DUFF'S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI– Fourth District Representative Hon Mark H. Vanterpool has said he was recently embarrassed over the unsightly burning of garbage on the Sister Island of Virgin Gorda.

Speaking during the debates on the National Sustainable Development plan at the continuation of the Eighth Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola on February 2, 2023, Hon Vanterpool said that on a recent trip with some visitors, he had to deny that burning of garbage was happening on Virgin Gorda.

According to the legislator, after a great day of sightseeing on a boat in various parts of the VI, the visitors arrived at Beef Island where smoke was seen coming from Virgin Gorda.

“When I reached Beef Island, and I got off, the tourist who I was with, he said, Honourable Member, that’s something happening over there on Virgin Gorda?”

Tourist thought there was a fire on VG - Hon Vanterpool 

“He thought it was a big fire. I told him maybe, but I know what it was… we are burning the garbage in Virgin Gorda and the smoke going up in the air. I couldn’t let him see it too long,” Hon Vanterpool added.

Meanwhile, the legislator called for the VI to pay more attention to its islands, cays, and rocks and to be proud and sustain the environment, as highlighted in the National Sustainable Development Plan.

Senior legislator Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) has referred to similar burning of garbage at Pockwood Pond on Tortola as a nuisance and health hazard.

23 Responses to “Hon Vanterpool embarrassed over tourist seeing 'garbage smoke' on VG”

  • Curious (03/02/2023, 07:38) Like (3) Dislike (4) Reply
    Hon Vanterpool - garbage is on fire on Tortola & Anegada! We are building a mountain of rotting waste on VG!!! Hon Malone put the fire out VG after Green VI's tire collection burnt the day before they opened the Admin Building about 8months ago...
  • WO (03/02/2023, 08:03) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    ,FIRE IN THE EAST,FIRE IN THE WEST
    FOR EVER
  • SUDDENLY (03/02/2023, 08:12) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    ALL THE BIG SHOTS EYES ???? ARE OPENED WELL HALLELUIAH , HELL MUST MUST BE OVERFLOWING WITH JOY ( WHAT WOULD IT PROFIT A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOOSE HIS OWN SOUL ????
    • @SUDDENLY (04/02/2023, 09:07) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      The 4thDR should be ashamed that he only commented because it was a Tourist. What happened to the Outcry of RESIDENTS for years? This only shows that the interest of PERSONAL gain is the Priority of some Leaders and not that of the Territory much less the People.
  • Hmm (03/02/2023, 08:40) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    So Hon Minister, dont u think that the same tourist is gonna read this and say u are a liar since he asked u and u said u didnt kno ? Ohhh I forgot maybe ur thinking this is local news so only ppl in the BVI can read it.. Madness.... U should've kept that to urself and address it otherwise cause it now shows that same tourist that ministers here cant be trusted cause u knew what the smoke was and said u dont.... yes it was embarrassing but u could've answered truthfully and take the embarrasmebt cause it's an issue for God knows how long but only now its embarrassing...WOW
  • no guidance (03/02/2023, 08:49) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    or plan. the dozers keep pushing it farther and farther down the mountain. It used to be you could not see it from anywhere. Now in the Valley we look up and see (and SMELL) our own Mount Vesuvius.
  • WHAT!!! (03/02/2023, 10:06) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    West been burning for days.How long does it take to fix the incinerator and get a scrubber???
    Don’t care, incompetent, useless lot.
  • HMMM (03/02/2023, 10:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    you don't want them to see it on VG but you would like for them to see in on Tortola!!
    You guys need to do better, its people health being affected here!!
    Power with no sense!!
  • NezRez (03/02/2023, 10:48) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    So all of these years we have been suffering from incinerator smoke pollution and it was ok. Now a mere tourist sees it and you are embarrassed? So we the living breathing people who live here are not worthy of fresh air? That is exactly what you just said! WTF??????
  • WOW (03/02/2023, 11:04) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    but you're not embarASSed about locals seeing it? Preciousssss Memories, how they lingerrrrr
  • we need a change (03/02/2023, 11:22) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    BVI IS GOING BACKWARDS...ONLY PLACE IN THE CARIBBEAN THAT BURNS GARBAGE
  • Concerned (03/02/2023, 11:24) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Embarrased????? Should be concerned about the health of the citizens. Too much cancer in the BVI
  • Ning (03/02/2023, 12:04) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The day every citizen and resident is embarrassed by the garbage and the way it is treated and handled in the entire BVI, is the day you will see a difference. Virgin Gorda has come a long way with the cleanliness on the island but it has a long way to go. It will take education, consistency in collection and enforcement to change the mindset of how waste management is handled in the BVI. Everything else is just lip service and a waste of time.
  • we (03/02/2023, 12:19) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    We should sue the govern....
  • street reporter. (03/02/2023, 13:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Its a pity they see everything and concern about everything when they dont have power and now its close to election...Like they blind and deaf when they have power , they see and hear nothing...Real Fakes
    .
  • Mustang (03/02/2023, 13:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Living entails generating waste, ie, liquid, solid, etc. Collecting, processing and disposing waste is a vital and essential government service. Undoubtedly, the BVI has done an extremely poor job of collecting, processing and disposing of waste. Consequently, it has resorted to some processes, ie, open burning, etc, that is posing safety and health risks to residents. The situation is an environmental and health and safety disaster. The BVI population has exploded but waste management has not kept pace. Government both current and past have lagged in staying abreast with increasing waste loading. True, the BVI is small and does not have the acreage to build a long-term/long serving landfill as done in larger countries. Nevertheless, it needs to benchmark successful processes in other smaller locales. Government must lead, not lag in
    waste management.
  • nonsense (03/02/2023, 14:36) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    So we are inhaling this mess for years on the western side of the island and nobody's troubled by that? Lawsuit pending...
  • STRANGELY (03/02/2023, 14:45) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    THEY HAVE THE PRINCE VINCENT AND PRINCESS FLAX AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE IT , LUCKILY WE HAVE TRUMP OVER OVER
    THERE WHO HAS XRAY VISION AND BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT , PLEASE HELP US
  • WEW (03/02/2023, 15:56) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Should have taken them snorkeling to see the raw sewage out flow at Slaney.
  • Say tourist (03/02/2023, 18:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mister, you worrying bout tourist?! You worried about the wrong set of people! They will be back home soon! What about the citizens affected?
  • Norris Turnbull (04/02/2023, 06:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Some people need a fire under their Ross part.
  • Jaimeson (04/02/2023, 07:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ah Yes, We might as well incorporate it into our Tourism product. Make it one of our tour locations. Imagine those who have to breathe it in at Nail Bay, at the Valley, whenever the wind shifts... 2023 and you guys won't do anything about it. Not this government, not the next. VG is not priority. Maybe Healthy air isn't at all see the Tortola has a runaway fire every couple weeks.
  • reality (04/02/2023, 16:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow talk about ego . You spend a day with some tourists and you still have them address you as Honorable Member.


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