The Ministry of Communications and Works - BVI

6 Business View Caribbean Business View Caribbean 7 year – 10 percent of the territory’s annual revenue – for capital projects. One of those planned capital projects is a runway expansion at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport at Beef Island, which Vanterpool says will cost between $150 and 200 million. The goal is to enable BVI to receive more direct flights from places such as Miami and New York. Currently, the territory is one of the few places in the Caribbean where a traveler has to make an extra stop before arriving. The Ministry of Communica- tions and Works is also mak- ing a major push to expand BVI’s broadband access. Its ap- pointed Telecommunications Regulatory Commission over- sees four licensed operators in the territory. “We have the right connectivity,” says Vanterpool. “We are very well interconnect- ed through the undersea fiber optic cables. So, the capacity is there and we are pushing the telecommunications operators to expand their broadband of- ferings at an affordable rate to the public – more bandwidth and faster speeds to the residents and businesses.” BVI is also pursuing what Vanterpool calls its “green en- ergy initiative.” “For example,” he says, “in the recent past, we have changed all of our public street lighting in the city to either LED or solar lights; and we’re doing that throughout the territory, as the next step. We’re seeking to develop wind energy, more solar energy, and any other renewable energy, such as wave energy, and so on. We’re going to be using rooftops and other areas for solar. It’s a major plank that we have and we are pushing very hard.” “I think we’re at a point in the territory’s history, where we’re making major upgrades to our road system,” adds Vanterpool, enumerating yet another Ministry initiative. “We’re also doing some major works to im- prove our ports throughout the territory.” He continues: “Roads, water, sewage – on all the islands, to make sure that residents and visitors can be more comfort- able. It’s all within our plan to improve our financial services business and our tourism product so that people can have good roads to drive on, a decent air- port, good ports, and a consistent supply of electricity and water. Also, we are focusing on making our city a bit more modern than it has been – especially to keep it clean and greener. We’re building more open space parks and providing easier access to transportation through the city, as well as better pedestrian access - things for the territory to grow and develop.” In other words, the Ministry of Communications and Works is doing its job - tending to most of the constitu- ents’ key issues. Taxi drivers and tour operators receive excellence awards Works ministry planning a sound foundation for our territory