Premier tries to sell 'Recovery Agency' @ reception for hurricane responders
Premier Smith said, “I want to say thank you and I do appreciate and the country appreciates what you all have done and what we all have done together to get from point ground zero to today. We know where we want to go and we know where we want to get but it’s about how we get there. So we are having all of these discussions and I know where we want to go and I know where I want to take us. You can have the discussion amongst yourself and go to your representatives because they are the ones who are going to be involved in making the decisions; this momentous decision. I want you to enjoy yourselves now but when you go home you can call your district representatives and say it’s time to move.”
Following the hurricanes of September 2017, many individuals played a significant role in the territory’s recovery, some of whom were officially thanked during an appreciation dinner hosted by His Excellency Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert aka 'Gus' on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at Governor’s House.
“Tonight is a moment to say thank you” – Augustus J. U. Jaspert
Meanwhile, during his short speech, Governor Jaspert said the evening was a time to reflect on how far the territory has come and how much it has achieved and will still be achieving.
“It is wonderful to see Government House full of people enjoying and relaxing and connecting with each other rather than seeing Government House full of emergency meetings, royal marines, engineers, crisis teams. Tonight is a moment to say thank you,” expressed Governor Jaspert.
He continued, “Those six months have been quite a journey for everybody but it had been a journey that has filled me with incredible pride, incredible admiration and, as a newcomer to the Virgin Islands, has just astonished me to see the strength, reliance, spirit and the determination of everybody here. We faced near complete devastation.”
“A wonderful thing” - Michael B. Matthews
In an invited comment, Commissioner of Police (CoP) Michael B. Matthews stated that it was important to recognise everyone who assisted in the recovery efforts as it was not just about one person or just a group.
He said, “I think it’s really important first of all that we do recognise the contributions that everybody has made because this was not about a singular person or a singular team, this was about everybody who came together and worked so hard after such a catastrophic event. It’s a wonderful thing.”
“This was not an easy road” – Gov’t worker
Speaking with a government worker who wished to remain anonymous, they told our newsroom that it was “remarkable” for the Governor to take the time out to show appreciation to persons who were a part of the recovery process, adding that “it was not an easy road”.
“Who feels it knows it and we are the people on the ground and we felt it. We have been there and we went through the winds, rain, through the debris flying through our house like never before,” said the government worker.
Mr Henderson K. Tittle, President of Mentoring Anointed Leaders Everywhere (M.A.L.E), told our news reporter that the governor taking the time out to appreciate all the workers is an “exciting and nice” feeling, adding that his group assisted in the cleaning up of schools after the hurricanes.
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23 Responses to “Premier tries to sell 'Recovery Agency' @ reception for hurricane responders”
I was hoping that they would vote in favor until I really understand what's in the bill.
Some faces there, was not even in the country, some refused to assist and said they have their own problems and will not come out in the trenches to assist. Days after did not even show up for work.
Lets be real, We have a one sided Government and we need to go back to the mother country.