Saving Beef Island, British Virgin Islands

I understand that Ocean River Institute has helped the VIEC (Virgin Islands Environmental Council) raise over 18,000 signatures from the BVI and around the world in support of Keeping Hans Creek on Beef Island exactly as it is! That is pretty impressive.
I also hear that the VIEC is having a meeting tonight to prepare how to present these to the Premiere! I hope to hear more on it tomorrow. This is an important item for the territory, and I am sure it took a tremendous amount of work from locals and others alike to collect the signatures. I understand that quite a few are from BVLanders, and that is almost a mini miracle getting the locals to sign things like this.


This is a quote from Ocean River Institutes website on it.

"VIEC is preparing to present three inch notebooks with 600 plus pages of testimony from more than 18,000 individuals in support of the Premier's efforts to renew the BVI tradition of careful development that maintains a pristine environment.

People wrote from Road Town, Trellis Bay, Scrub Island, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada, west from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Rhoatan, beyond from the United States and Great Britain. At the Alaska Oceans Festival 275 people wrote from Anchorage; in Boston, 750 people wrote from EarthFest on the Esplanade.

We see as vital the health of salt ponds, coastal mangrove lagoons, and coral reefs. Such places are tied not only to BVI's economic growth in ecotourism and related businesses, these places are tied to the health of our food and quality of life."

18,000 individual signatures and 600 plus pages of comments!! Yeeks!! That is pretty impressive.. What do they do? Put in in a wheel barrow and take it to the Administration Building? Must weigh a bit!
.Between the economy looking the way it is, the lack of airplane seats down here, the price of fuel and the rumors abounding about IYG (who apparently owns 49 or some such % of the Beef Island Project, along with having bought up every other marina around in the BVI, USVI and Caribbean ) I am not sure I would be rushing ahead with a development down here.


IYG has been fighting some rumors of financial difficulty at Yacht Haven Grande in St Thomas, You can see the downplay here but word on the street says that between the occupancy (or lack of) low sales on condo's and boats staying away from the high prices, that things are not rosy. IYP has spent money left and right over the last few years buying up marinas all over the world, and in our area including Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor, Village Cay Marina, American Yacht Harbor, Yacht Haven, which is starting to smack of monopoly, and according to complaints from a lot of charter boats, the prices go up immediately. I think most of us in the charter fleet have problems with any who think that our main occupation down here is moving from marina to marina paying money (a lot of money) nightly to someone.
We stopped using the marinas years ago as the cost benefit ratio just did not pan out. There is times they come in handy, but it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Some of the comments from the "letter" to the Premiere (who ran for election based partly on relooking at these developments, so he is really the recipient of the letters that should have gone to the last government) are:

"Dear Premier O'Neal, I have been a frequent visitor to BVI since 1992, often visiting every six months or more. Every time I visit I am disheartened by the increase in development, the increase in crime and traffic and pollution. I have mourned an erosion of the things which had made BVI so special, it's hospitality, trusting friendship, sweet air, starry skies unmarred by light pollution, the sound of it's tree frogs at night and not motorbikes. The fabric of what has made BVI so special is being lost daily. In the last year I have stayed at Long Bay Resort, Peter Island Resort, Brewer's Bay Campground, Mangrove Bay and Neptune's Treasure. My private undiscovered and undisturbed Great Harbor on Peter Island was developed between my August and February visits, the cruise ship visits seem to increase exponentially every six months. While on the hill above Mangrove Bay, my 5 year old son, Nicholas, said, as he over looked the lights of Tortola, "They better be careful Mommy because it it going to turn into St. Thomas and we will loss our special place and the people here will be said because they will have only money and nothing beautiful." This is from the innocence of a five year old. Please put some weight on the words out of the mouths of babe's in your consideration before further major development of Beef Island and the Grace that God has given BVI, it's bountiful gifts that need stewardship and protection. Thank you for your consideration. Karen Andrade, Esq., Southampton, MA US"

"I have been to Beef Island, and it is one of the few truly unspoiled places on the planet. Please preserve it! Alan Binkow, Dayton, OH US "

"As a land owner in Virgin Gorda since l974 the proposed further development of the BVI is most alarming. We are tampering with the environment to the detrement of future generations. The BVI contains a magical eco system and we tamper with it at our peril. It is imperative we mainain the ecosystem which has been entrusted to our care. sheila owen-smith, guildford GU50SS GB "

"Trellis Bay is one of your great assets and should not be destroyed! john fritz wood, Trujillo Alto, PR US"

"Dear Rt.Hon. O'Neal, I have visited the BVI's 5 yrs. ago and sailed with my husband and friends to nine of the islands, and we want to come back soon. Please don't destroy this beautiful place by another high rise hotel..It will spoil the habitat, reefs, etc. I am pleading to you, please don't. Cheryl Brackett, Norman OK US "

"A good friend spent eight years living in the British Virgin Islands. He speaks often of their beauty. In fact, it was only yesterday we wondered at how much of it's treasures were protected. Today, I received this and will forward it to my friend that I know will be even more concerned than I in our hopes that everything possible is being done to preserve yet another of Earth's precious treasures. It worries me that we may be on the verge of discovering that we have not acted quickly enough to protect our delicate ecosystems. Thank-you for your efforts. R. Chris LaReau, Savannah, GA US "

"I have been a regular visitor to St. John, USVI. The last time I was there, I was amazed and alarmed at the number of new buildings that were being built. Even though over half of the island is a National Park, people are building homes and businesses everywhere they can. The impact on the island is devastating. If you can preserve what you have on Beef Island, now is the time to take action before development destroys your ecosystem. Cindy McKee, Frankfort, KY, US"

"As a golfer i can assure you we do not need to spoil this lovely island with another one please preserve this natural habitat. Tom Morrison, Warwick -- cv345xt GB "

"This will be a short sighted economic catastrophe. Golf is already declining- golf courses in the Caribbean are already overbuilt and the infrastructure required to maintain a resort has long term costs. Besides, you will drive away the people who already make Tortola their resort of choice. James Hillman, Thompson, CT US"