'I even have homeless BVIslanders' living in building- Bettito Frett
Building a disregard of basic human rights – Hon Malone
Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) announced yesterday, Wednesday, September 16, 2020, that during contact tracing activities, the Public Health team uncovered an over-crowded commercial property on Wickham's Cay that has seemingly been unlawfully converted into residential use.
“All the occupants of that property have been placed under quarantine, tested, and will be required to undergo follow up testing after 14 days,” he said.
Hon Malone continued, “I would like to sound a warning to all property owners who may be tempted to violate the laws of the Virgin Islands and disregard people’s basic human rights to safe, sanitary and decent living conditions. Cease and desist or suffer the consequences of the law.”
Building owner fires back
Now, the building owner Mr Betitto Frett in a letter seen by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) has fired back, claiming he is not in violation for having people living in the building.
Mr Frett said the user clause, his lease states, "Throughout the said term to use the Demised Unit and every part thereof only for the purpose of shopping, services, catering, amusements, offices, residential facilities and for the purpose of operations in connection with yacht chartering and the provision of marina facilities which may include overnight accommodation, restaurant, bar chandlery sales, provision shop, showers, toilets, laundry, ice sales vending machine, bottled gas, and fuel stores, bulk fuel storage and fuel pumps and all other amenities related to marina facilities or such other purpose as may be approved in writing from time to time by the Lessor such approval not to be unreasonably withheld".
“Therefore, I am not in violation of my lease to have people living on my property,” Mr Frett said in the written response.
Expats & locals living in the building – Frett
The building owner said the property is a four-storey building with shops and offices on the ground floor. The second floor is designed to have 20 rooms and the 3rd and 4th floors have 17 rooms each, thereby creating a total of 54 rooms, 8 of which are suites and a capacity to hold 116 persons.
“I do not have 116 persons on the property right now hence, it is unfair to say that the property is overcrowded,” he said.
He said currently, the occupants of the building were expatriates, Virgin Islanders and Belongers.
“Some of whom cannot even afford to pay me my monthly rent of $300.00 including beds, lining, electricity, water, internet, cleaning services, air-condition, TV, central lounge and laundry facility. I even have homeless BVIslanders living on the premises and I have not been collecting rent from them and still, I have to feed them.”
Hon Mark H. Vanterpool allegedly aware of situation
The building owner went on to allege, “The Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool, Representative of the 4th District, can attest to that. The Government has a responsibility to assist these less fortunate and failed to do so and now they have become a burden on me. “
He said that while he has no issues if the government wants to shut down the building, there is an obligation for the administration to find suitable and affordable accommodation for the occupants.
“I have written to the Honourable Premier, His Excellency the Governor, the Deputy Governor on many occasions and I have filed a complaint with the Financial Services Commission several months ago in getting them to intervene in the return of under a Million Dollars of my insurance monies held by the bank, so that, I could finish the building but to no avail. “
He said currently there is an injunction against the bank from selling the property pending a court decision.
.png)
Follow Us On
66 Responses to “'I even have homeless BVIslanders' living in building- Bettito Frett”
The VI immigration is a lost cause. The pandering and blink blink to expats destructive and unseemly behaviour along with their throwaway pickneys by GOV for votes, and at the expense of VIslanders quality of life is obvious and totally disgusting and very disappointing.
So many people are leaving the BVI now, I leave in 5 weeks and I am sad after 18 years to see how this beautiful place is becoming a ghetto.
You all bvi landers are so ungrateful HUMANS!! But it's a good thing I no longer live there.. you all think you have gold and diamond???? Stupidness one day that county will crumble down because of all the injustice BVI LANDERS DOING TO OTHER PEOPLE..THEN YALL STILL WANT THE SAME EXPATS TO SEND THEIR NATURALLY GROWN FOODS FOR YALL TO EAT. BVI SOIL IS BARREN!!! NOTHING GOOD GROWS THERE.. IF THE CONTAINERS DONT COME "AYO STARVE" UNLIKE US WHO HAVE OUR OWN NATURAL RESOURCES IN OUR COUNTRY!! SO KEEP BUMPING YOU BIG MOUTHS... BIG LOL LOL TO YOU
Stop judging people. It's the conversion of the U.S. $$$
Explains their resentment and jealousy of VIlanders and the deliberate destruction of landlirds property by any of them abdvtheir inclination to boldly trespass.
The concept of land and homeownership is a foreign,not easily comprehended and ab unattainable concept in most of their countries.
If one is saving all their money to "send home" and is willing to create and live in slums, can you say that they are making a positive contribution to society?
@Axle - you also are "wowwed" by the great accomplishments back home at the expense of tearing down the quality of life in the BVI. What sort of pride do you have in where you also are living. It is time for people to take some pride in how they carry themselves in the community that they choose to live in. If they did not choose to live here they need to find another place that they can take pride in and be comfortable. It is time for the gross selfishness to stop. If you live in the BVI find some pride in yourself.
Certainly you can now follow up and show evidence to John Q Public.
If not,you are part of the problem .
You no have money .go home to you mother.
Answer;
Bet-- -t - -to.
@ Fada Xmas, you dumb! Clearly you didn't get to nursery school because that's where learn about rhymes ... nursery rhymes like little Bopeep has lost her sheep
What rhymes with Ghetto.
can someone tell me why Pope who works at Public Works living there and still being paid after all the wrongs he has done to the country can someone answer me this???????????????
Do you really think mr frett really wants to have his building in this condition? Mr. Frett is not the problem it is his banker who has the building in this condition. His banker treated him wrong that is why mr.frett sued them and got an injunction against them to prevent them from selling his properties both Road Town and West End.
Do you know that during 2008 to 2012 his banker was charging him 30% interest on a 6.5 million dollar loan which was reduced to 5.5% ? Go and check the court documents and read for yourself and stop crucifing the man . Mr. Frett already paid off his loan in 2012 but still they have him paing loan until now.
Furthermore, why dont you tell financial services commission to act, so that, this situation can be resolved quickly . Everyone say they are a waste of time after all it is well over 2 months..
Landlord has no class. A slum in a commercial district across from the administration complex and nobody saw nothing? And now trying to be the savior of the underprivileged? Gimme a break.
place been there for years and now its "uncovered" today's smile
The government Administration Complex is no better than that of Mr. Frett. They have the same wood shutters for windows . At least Mr. Frett's building has tiled floors, finished ceilings , walls and aircondition.
The goverment has more money than Mr. Frett and they should examine themselves first before going on the radio and talking rubbish to the world instead of discussing the matter with him first.
The minister likes to show up himself just like Donald Trump like a photo opp.
Furthermore, Mr. Frett
The amenities are not fraud as you pointed out because you have not visited the building; for example:-
1) The entire 2nd floor formally occupied by Little Switzerland has central air conditioning which is designed to accommodate 20 rooms. You just have to go in Banco Popular carpark and see the unit running all day and all night.
2) The building held offices before on the 3rd and 4th floors and all of the internal partitions were destroyed by hurricane Irma and Mr. Frett realized there was little demand for office spaces and decided to rebuild the partitions into a hotel room format with several suites.
3) The building is incomplete on the outside because the materials required to finish it including windows and doors are sitting in China after the bank took nearly a million dollars of the man 's insurance monies to pay loans contrary to his loan agreement. Internally the rooms have been finished to hotel standards and the occupants are living extremely comfortable. , so what is your problem ? Please mind your own business.
4) How many people in the B.V.I. including you have air condition rooms, satellite television, washing machines, free dryers, and Wi-Fi ? If you do not believe me ask the Task Force who raided the property and the Health Department who visited the property on several occasions and previously occupied the 4th floor instead of you here talking piss. If the property was so bad don't you think that the Health Department would have shut him down long time ago ?
5) When Mr. Frett hotel is complete it would be a state of the art hotel . I know because I saw his video of the finish project and the rooms I can assure you would not be $10.00 per day but between $150.00 - $250.00 per day depending on whether you have a suite or regular room. Please let the poor people enjoy it while it last.
Ghetto building me Ass; have you ever been inside it ?" STOP IT" Please don't judge a book by its cover and it will never be a luxury apartment, since it has already been converted into a hotel format.
Who was it that needed help to rebuild here don't forget how this place was a few years ago in comparison to now.the people that are living in that building are islander they haven't been spending us all there lives they are just here to help us rebuild and in return we pay them,what can they save to help them selves, were they to come here and work for nothing? kmt.... people living in mr. Fret building trying to help them self when they pay a 1200 dollars rent what do they have left to help there familes that thay left to come here to help us?
I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS FROM ALL WHO RUNNING THERE MOUTHS!!!
It's about time these high rental prices on Tortola be brought down low!
Continue to offer affordable rentals to aid the less fortunate.
In times like these, the sufferers need help.
And you have done just that!
May God continue to bless you!