For the past two weeks, a significant portion of the weekly press briefing from Government House has focused on the efforts being made to work on dilapidated roads across the territory.
The subject arose following a report by the Consortium that business owners in Christiansted were facing severely reduced footfall, and struggling with the consequent lack of sales, due mainly to what they identified as the poor condition of roads downtown, even after a year-long project to resurface them following work by local utility companies.
Last Tuesday, Governor Bryan appeared dismissive of the plight of these entrepreneurs. “There's a time and a place and a way to voice concerns,” he chastised, referencing having woken up “to an article highlighting potholes in Christiansted…at the same time we paved King Street.” Continuing, Governor Bryan scolded that “we must not let negativity over petty things divide us or blind us to the progress that is happening all around us,” before going on to list a slew of infrastructure upgrades taking place on roads and public buildings across the territory.
Days later, reports began to surface that the large pothole on Strand Street that several business owners had complained about had been filled.
This week, Government House Communications Director Richard Motta offered a more conciliatory tone while continuing to defend the administration's record on road repairs. “I want to take a moment to acknowledge the concerns that many have raised about the condition of some of our roadways here in the territory, these concerns are valid, and we hear you,” Mr. Motta said. “We understand the frustration of navigating roads that seem long overdue for repair.”
Mr. Motta assured the public that fixing roads in the territory continues to be a priority for the administration. “Since taking office, we've made significant progress on repairing and upgrading infrastructure that had been neglected for years, even decades,” he noted. However, despite the work that has been accomplished, “some roads and infrastructure remain in poor condition,” Mr. Motta acknowledged. “We are not blind to the reality that many of our residents still encounter those challenges daily.”
Like Governor Bryan a week prior, Mr. Motta went on to list the challenges facing road repair crews, including heavy rainfall. “The increased frequency and intensity of rainfall events are having a real and tangible impact on our infrastructure, stretching the resources we've budgeted for these purposes to their limit,” he explained.
Despite the extent of focused work taking place on the territory's road infrastructure, Mr. Motta acknowledged that residents may not necessarily be feeling the impact just yet. “We recognize the skepticism that often accompanies government decisions. It's easy to feel promises are made but never kept,” he admitted, before praising residents for their advocacy in this regard. “Every time a resident reaches out about a pothole, every time a community advocates for better infrastructure, you're helping us do better, and together, we can ensure that the Virgin Islands become a place where our roads and utilities and our public spaces meet the high standards we all deserve.”
