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Local bar owner claims Gov’t ignoring his flooding plight
“I called everybody in Public Works and now they just ignore my calls,” said the owner of Birdwatch Tonic's Bar and Grill, which is located adjacent to Island Department Store, Mr Allward A. Forbes aka Tonic.
According to Mr Forbes, he has been in business for some 26 years but some 10 years ago his place of business became susceptible to flooding after Public Works Department built a drain along the roadway and ended it without a runoff close to the entrance of his business place.
“So with no place for the water to run off it comes into my land and my place flood quick time every time it rains,” Mr Forbes told this news site today, January 20, 2017, as he pointed our reporter to an outdoor table showing evidence of nearly a foot of flood waters.
“Just help me fix the drain by my bar because I getting flood out every time it rains. It affects my business quite a bit. When it flood out people can’t come in or can’t get out,” Mr Forbes added, noting that tourists frequent his bar not only for a drink but also for bird watching.
He said he began to dig a drain himself for the water to run off but requested of Public Works Department a piece of plastic pipe to put it in the drain. “I could put it in myself, but nobody talking to me. They stop listening to me, they stop paying attention to me so I don’t know what happening.”
‘You can’t just throw in any pipe’
But according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Mr Anthony S. McMaster, he is aware of Mr Forbes’ situation as Public Works Department had made available a backhoe to Mr Forbes on his request to dig a drain.
“We have been working with Mr Forbes to help him alleviate his situation. Public Works was actually going to take care of the matter and Mr Forbes said all he wanted us to do was to give him access to a backhoe and he would deal with it himself…I think they began to do the work but ended up in some problems that they did not anticipate, and they did make contact with us asking for some further assistance with the placement of some drain pipes.”
According to Mr McMaster, he further assured Mr Forbes that they would resolve the matter for him by supplying the pipe.
“Unfortunately, members of the public do not understand that there is a process that has to be followed within the public sector. The pipes required for that area, we have to actually obtain them. We have to make sure it’s the correcting sizing and everything. You can’t just go and throw in any pipe in there, because what may start out trying to complete as a proper fix may actually turn into a hindrance.”
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26 Responses to “Local bar owner claims Gov’t ignoring his flooding plight”
This is just becoming ridiculous now in our country. This gov't just don't care about the common man. We live in a 2x4 little island - and how they have managed to create soo much bureaucracy and redtape is beyond anything common we called - Sense. They need to get the Fire Department to run the show; they seem to know how to get things done these days.
Come on now! We know ayo broke (Gov't) but don't allow everything to fall apart. This Gov't talking about helping the small business this and that, and here is a small business in need of assistance and this Gov't is already Failing the small business owners. NDP, you'll really becoming a Joke now. Why don't you'll just pack-it-in and leave public office and give a new set the opportunity to do better.
You'll just not cutting it any longer. Give it up!
Come on! Government created it and needs to fix it! A pipe? A pipe couple feet long we cant source up to yet???? BS!
To all the retards who cant read. The drain is on the public road, the water running into his business. Tourist go birdwatching( something additional for them to do besides f....ing up our beaches. Its a popular business place for locals and guest. Tonic is one if the most respected captains at sea who is highly requested by tourist to take them safely through the BVI an ambassador to our country. Thus is how the mam makes his living in addition to sailing.
What offices are the top 10 worse in this administration
1. Trade
2. Tourist board
3. Finance
4.PWD
5. WATER and sewage
Finish the rest