‘National tragedy that there is no horse racing today’ - Dr Michael A. Turnbull
Since November 2022, the President of the VI Horse Owners Association Mr Lesmore Smith revealed that the races will not happen given the impasse between the Government of the Virgin Islands (VI) and the Thomas family that owns a portion of land that accommodates Ellis Thomas Downs at Sea Cows Bay.
Writing was already on wall
According to Mr Smith, who was at the time a guest on JTV, November 22, 2022 edition of The Big Story (TBS) the conclusion of no races for 2022, came following a discussion with Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D Wheatley (R7) on Sunday, November 20, 2022.
According to Dr Turnbull in a post today, December 26, 2022, an entire cultural tradition in VI has been hijacked by a few and neglected by others.
The Unity Government led by Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) in September 2022 had said that it was committed to resolving outstanding issues with the Thomas family regarding the use of their land, which forms a part of Ellis Thomas Downs.
Gov't cancelled contract - Thomas Family
In a bombshell disclosure on September 14, 2022, Elaine M. Thomas-Griffith, the daughter of the late Ellis Thomas, told Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) that the Unity Government ‘unilaterally’ made the decision to cancel the contract.
The meeting allegedly involved Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) members of the Attorney General’s chambers, and other representatives of government, whose involvement and portfolio involve crown lands.
According to Thomas-Griffith, the family expected the meeting would be to discuss issues involving the lease between the family and the Government of the Virgin Islands for the use of Ellis Thomas Downs track.
“When we arrived for that meeting, literally at the inception of the meeting, it was announced to us that our contract was being cancelled on the premise of a technicality, a unilateral statement with no advanced notice to us. I am not at liberty to get into the specific details of the alleged technicality but, suffice it to say, that the pronouncement was made to our family with no warning on the eve of what would be another race day, that the contract was cancelled,” Thomas-Griffith said.
Lease never cancelled - Unity Gov't
The Government, however, has responded with a different version of events, first stating that the meeting with the Thomas family took place on September 8, 2022 where the main purpose was to discuss a rent review.
“Unfortunately, shortly after the meeting commenced, the Honourable Premier and other Ministers present had to excuse themselves due to certain developments concerning the late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Members of the Attorney General’s Chambers and officers in the Ministry responsible for Crown Lands continued the meeting”.
The statement added that at the meeting, the Government representatives did not ‘cancel’ the lease with the Thomas family.
Legally take the land - Ms Parsons to Gov't
Given the impasse, avid horse racing fan Ms Eileene L. Parsons, OBE had advocated for the Government to legally take the land from the Thomas family after neither of the parties could come to an agreement on the way forward.
Opposition Leader and Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) in response shunned the idea of compulsory acquisition of land at Ellis Thomas Downs.
“People run their mouths because they don’t have a business to run and I am speaking from reality. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for government to want to acquire that property through compulsory acquisition,” he said.
Hon Fraser shuns idea of compulsory land acquisition
The Opposition Leader also noted that people were complaining that the government is paying the Thomas family for a lease and that the government should buy the land instead of paying for the lease.
“Well tell them to go up in Road Town and other parts of Tortola where the government is leasing office space from people and paying people and there is no indication that government will ever give those spaces back,” he added.
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57 Responses to “‘National tragedy that there is no horse racing today’ - Dr Michael A. Turnbull”
Nobody died. No pandemic. No war. No starvation. How pathetic and self absorbed can you get?
If Horse Racing was a substantial tourism product then every effort would have given
it is some what shameful but who really cares
When a Representative takes the oath of office as a Representative, he or she should defend the Constitution of the Virgin Islands and work in the best interest of the office. he /she holds. I am not advocating that he should abdicate his responsibility to resolve any problem, however, he needs to make every effort in a transparent manner to resolve the problem. One wonders on whose side the Representative is on.
1. Our education system
2. Our public service
3. Our sewerage system
4. Pockwood pond and the constant smoke killing our people in D1 (and solid waste management in general)
5. The state of most of D7 and 8
6. The roads
7. The way in which scooters and cars with load music are allowed to terrorize our community with impunity
8. The marked increase in gun violence
9. QEII park
10. The areas adjacent to the TPP
11. Manuel Reef and Village Cay Marinas
12. Prospect Reef Hotel
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452. Horse racing debacle
Definitely not so , 100% agree with “Really”
1. Hore Race
2. Music Festival
3. Christmas on Main Street
4. East End Festival
5. Virgin Gorda Easter Festival
6. BVI Spring Regatta
7. BVI Summer Sizzle
8. Black Boaters Summit
9. Foxy's New Years Eve Party
10. BVI Full Moon Parties Bomba Shak
Christmas on Main Street has changed location, but there's still an event.
As far as I'm aware, VG still has an Easter Festival.
The BVI Spring Regatta was held this year.
Summer Sizzle was held this year.
Foxy's New Year's party is being advertised for December 31st.
Hard to have a Bomba Shak full moon party without a Bomba Shak!
..Price control
..NHI
Talk about a false Pastor! What business does a so-called man of God have in a place where there is drinking, swearing, and all manner of conversations going on???
Jeremiah 23:1-2
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.
2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.…
ALL the crown land that the government supposed to have you mean to tell me they cant get an official horse track instead of fighting with a family for what is there's then Ms. Parsons who has already done her time in Government and has nothing to show for it except her blatant disrespect for outsiders need to just sit down and wait until the Good lord calls her home and keep out of Politics your time has passed.