bvi captains log blog

BREAKING NEWS: Cabinet indefinitely defers implementation of harbour fees

Government Information Service

Cabinet has decided to indefinitely defer the implementations of harbour fees for vessels entering or remaining in Territorial waters or those using a BVI Ports Authority facility.

In a statement today, Premier Honourable Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE revealed that the decision was taken at a specially convened sitting of the Cabinet on Monday.

It was previously announced that the new fee structure would have taken effect on July 1st but was subsequently deferred until July 15th.

However, the Premier explained that based on representations made to Government by local associations, maritime agents and others involved in the yachting industry both locally and abroad, the decision was taken to defer the introduction of fees in an attempt to protect the Territory's competitive edge as a yachting destination.

"After all the BVI has been known as the sailing capital of the Western Hemisphere, if not of the world, and therefore it was extremely important for Cabinet to consider the representations that were made, as the Cabinet will do for any representation that the people will make," the Premier stated.

He added: "It must be remembered that the yachting industry contributes to the economy of the Territory and the yachtsmen enjoy our waters from Anegada to Jost Van Dyke."

The Premier further explained that the yachting industry is a significant contributor to the local economy and as such the sector must be safe-guarded against adverse impacts.

"Cabinet reviewed the new fee structure and also we considered the cost implications of the charges when compared to the rising cost of fuel," the Premier said. He added that "In addition, Cabinet determined that if the BVI were to implement this new fee structure, the Territory may have become the most expensive destination in the world for mariners and yachts."

In addition to indefinitely deferring the introduction of harbour fees, the BVI Cabinet has agreed to establish a seven-member focus group to review the said fees.

This group will be chaired by Mr. Peter Haycraft and will include local agent, Mrs. Francis David, Acting Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board, Mr. Terrance Ford; Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, Mr. Vincent O'Neal; Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Wade Smith; Ms. Lorraine Stoutt of Caribbean Transport and a representative from the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association. The group is expected to submit its report to Cabinet by September, 2008.

The Government is committed to ensuring maximum economic development for the Territory and providing the necessary protections for the sectors that propel this growth.

They look like they are having some great diving times on the boat! I am ALMOST jealous, but we will be back soon enough! Over the last few days we have seen, bears, foxes, elk, deer, and all those other kind of Canadian things besides a MOOSE which my husband really thinks we should see! I have to share some of the great old pictures of some of the old pioneer homesteads up around Hythe. Hythe is in Northwestern Alberta, west of Grande Prairie almost on the BC border and my mother father homesteaded up here back in the thirties. To the everlasting thrill of my husband, we have managed to find another 30-40 close relatives up here that he never knew I had!
I used to spend quite a bit of time up here when I was a kid on the farm, and it has always been a magical place. My aunt still is on the farm, and our RV was parked looking downhill over the pastures watching the cows! It was as peaceful as I remember! these are all down dirt and gravel roads for miles...
This is an old church, a German Mennonite one, where Bazza found a 1917 penny! That was quite exciting...

An old water pump...

Some assorted old homesteads back in the trees

I am sure that we have a chronological picture of all these buildings for the last 50 years that my father has been coming up here, many of these were courtesy of him!

And, definitely the old cars are from him. They are neat, but he can tell me exactly what year and type each one is!

There is always a lot of old vehicles and machinery rusting and being covered over in the back of farms.

How bout this snow sled...It has seen 60,000 miles, had twins delivered in it and it was the only thing that could get into and out of car accidents way back in the thirties a lot of time. This is in the museum at Beaverlodge.

There is a cute dog on the farm. His name is Buddy and he is actually very good, but I am kind of a suck for animals too and I gave him a cookie the first day I was there! Well, Buddy was now my friend! After a day or so of feeding him cookies I thought they probably were not good for him so I bought some dog jerky treats instead! Well, he turned up his nose, left them on the ground and whined and sulked for hours till I gave him cookies! Now this is a farm dog, he lives outside and eats meat or dog food. I tried to tell my aunt he liked chocolate chip cookies best when I left but I don't think she was listening!

My mother kept on telling us that she was taking us over to our cousins to see the Grizzly Bear that had been shot in the back yard. I was thinking "yeah, I have seen bear rugs before mom" but humoring her, as you are supposed to do with parents! Well, it was a bit more then a bear rug! Pretty impressive!!



An old cart left in the trees..

My dad patiently took my husband around with his metal detector to the old homesteads and stood watch. They seemed to find a lot of belt buckles!! BUT not too many pull tabs which is a good thing. A couple old brooches, an old necklaces and a few coins....

This is my cousin Mabel, the "egg girl!" She looks like Girl of the Limberlost and has 150 or so chickens to collect the eggs from every day.

And this is her daughter Sherry and her grandson (see I have more relatives!)

One day we made a special trip out to one of my grandfathers old homesteads. The house was built by my grandmother and her brother in law, with a few add ons over the years!

Still there!

My grandmother planted this break of trees back in 1947. ! Pretty impressive, somehow I don't see me planting trees.

My mom and dad in front of the old garage where she grew up on the property...

And these are just some great pictures of the old barns that were there, well from the 1930's sometime!

I was trying to go for more "mood" photo's here...





I had to specially get my camera to take this picture, it was an old International Truck in the trees that said EDMONTON on the side!

This is my mothers older sister and my cousin Darleen at lunch one day..

Then we went to a good old fashioned jamboree. I got the door prize for being the furthest visitor away! Go figure!! I told Bazza that this was a first to him a country jamboree and he said they had them in Australia, they were just usually around sheep barns!



The band stage

I managed to get mom and dad being more ambitious then us and doing a fancy two step of some king...

Now, this group, "Yesterdays Country" I have a cousin who plays the guitar and sings in there, a cousin who plays the fiddle and the guy in the white hat played at my mother wedding up here 50 years ago!

good thing I am writing all this trivia down somewhere so I remember it!

After we left the jamboree that night I went out to the RV in the Hay field and the light with the bales and the sunset was absolutely spectacular, so I spent some time taking pictures. These are some of them. Different then the BVI, but just as beautiful!









Then a couple younger cousins came over and figured out how to use some special effects on my iphoto booth really quick, so we killed ourselves laughing taking these!
This is my dad...

My parents and I...

And my mom! Strange things happen when you go up to the country!

This morning it was time to Leave Hythe and make our way over to Prince George in BC, where, yes, you guessed it, more relatives! So, that is what we have been up to for the last few days!