Interesting bits and pieces
I am not really sure that anything fits in a category here, other they they are interesting threads that you want mant to follow on other sources. This one on "the worth of different type of visitors" kind of a morphed into one on taxi drivers. The picture if from the BVI Beacon and the thread is from BVI Platinum discussion board
SO before everyone groans, I want to relay what I read the paper recently. In light of the topic, "do taxi drivers have too much power", I found the article (one of two parts) in the beacon interesting. it posted 2006 tourist expenditures in the paper and on line. according to the government's own surveys:
cruise ship and day trippers made up more than half of the 825,603 visitors in 2006, but accounted for less than 9% of the total tourist expenditure. or just over $47 million. while overnight guests, including those staying in chartered boats, hotels, owned or rented accomodations, spent about $1375 per person totalling $490 million. Charter boats created the most revenue at $240 plus-million.
So for 9% of the economy, the government is willing to spend millions in infrastructure, pollute beaches, take the trash, sell the water, tolarate the traffic and pedestrian crossings which hold up the lines of traffic (which no traffic light can solve), so that taxis, t-shirt and souvenier shops, bersers on the boats, and certain gov depts will get some of the pie. the rest of the population is inconvenienced, and have had shipments held up for days because a ship is using port purcell. when Hon. Lavity opened the doors (with Cyril) the rule was only one ship a day. then it was supposed to be three ships (what size ships?), now, woops! over-booked.
in the meantime, I worry about those loyal returning visitors (for the last 20-30 yrs) who have been pushed out of cane garden bay and other areas. even the camp ground in brewers is being crowded out. The other problem is - if charters (in the sailing capitol of the world) are being crowded out themselves and quiet bays are being eaten up with new EXCLUSIVE 5-stars, there is nowhere for charters to go to have an adventure. The destination areas are being gobbled up. BVI so far have regularly been getting international awards as "nature islands" and a top ten destination. It would be very short-sighted to jeopardize the charter industry, yet they don't organize the way taxis do for fear of being penalized. most owners, who contribute greatly to the economy, are on permits.
So there needs to be balance in tourism. But taxi drivers are loud. the government needs to see this and reassess what kind of tourists they want. and I'm sorry to say that maybe the taxi newcomers may have to suppliment their job. One fellow stated his educational references making him well- qualified for other prospects. I'm sure there are others who have credentials for additional professions as well. the major reason for all the ships is to support the drivers, the way I see it. but interesting article. I can only guess what part two will be, given the rep of the paper for promoting government agendas. hopefully, it will think bigger. (Hey- the topic was in the paper!)
"quite frankly, the taxi drivers are doing themselves in. I have been renting a vehicle on each visit for the past few years as the fares just bounced around from driver to driver. I had one who wanted to charge $70 to take 3 of us from WE to Cane Garden Bay...SHARING the cab with 2 other passengers! As I explained I only want to ride in his taxi, not buy it, he got miffed and said "go rent a car". So I did,best thing I ever did. And the car doesn't sit idle either. I give ANYONE a ride to/from WE if I'm not busy, just to beat the taxi."
"YouWantWhat, You are so right , wish it had more like you. It is total shame the prices are down right outragous."
"Cruise tourism does seem ill suited for a territory and market such as ours. Shopping, sightseeing, and events are limited so cruise ship tourists very quickly become bored and can often be seen wandering aimlessly around town picking up the odd key ring, postcard or high value item (t-shirt) here and there. Alternatively, they are bused in large numbers to the beaches which soon become congested with visitors and vendors alike.
It seems that no one has stopped to consider the environmental impact that this type of activity is likely to have. In the Cayman Islands, complaints have been made about coral reef degradation from damage caused by the large ships. Belize officials have expressed similar concerns about their reefs and cays and in addition have noted stresses on the infrastructure from the mass transportation, increased air pollution in tourism and urban areas, degradation of historical sites from constant tourist traffic and acute pressures on their solid waste system.
The large numbers of cruise ships also impacts the long term/overnight visitors who must often take back seat to the cruise visitors. Overnight visitors are cheated out of the promise of a serene and peaceful retreat as advertised by “Nature’s Little Secrets” and may reconsider whether they want to return to the BVI for a product (overcrowded and noisy beaches) they could have in Miami.
The BVI needs to assess whether this is indeed the direction it wants to go in. The objective should be creating an economy and environment that can support the human inhabitants without destroying nature’s blessings. The aim of any investment should be to maximize return. We cannot measure success by counting the number of buses full of tourist in any given day. This is shortsighted and misleading. The government/tourist board needs to commission a cost benefit study to ascertain the present and future impact of cruise tourism.
By the way… why are there so many taxi buses on this small island. It seems ridiculous and self-serving that people would go out and buy these things and then expect the government to provide work for them."
"for you who have been cheated from any taxi driver thats is outrageous.I there was a taxi commission in place here in the b.v.i,you could have gone and file a report.get the taxi driver license plate number and report them.you can obtain a copy of the taxi tariffs at the licensing and traffic department. from the airport to long bay one person is $45.00 3 or more people you split the cost,every person pays $15.00 6 0r more passengers its $10.00 a person.from west ens to cane garden bay,one person is $24.00 3 or more person its $6.00 a person and to the same from road town to beef island.at the present moment they government is looking in a taxi commission."
"I have been coming to the BVI for 20 years. Finally bought a timeshare at Long Bay 4 years ago. The cruise ships are taking over the beaches and providing little to the local economy except for the taxi drivers. We have learned to check the cruise ship schedule before going to Cane Garden, Roadtown and going for a drive on the Ridge Road. Roadtown will never compete with the major cruise ports in the Carribean and I thinks most belongers don't feel it should change. Please keep it "natures little secret" and don't let the taxi drivers dictate what tourists should come to the island. The tourists who come to charter a boat, rent a villa or stay at a hotel spend a great deal of more money supporting restaurants etc than the cruiseline tourist. The government has to wake up or you will be loosing the paying tourists!"
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