Government, Private Sector Must Unite
Policy analyst Emery Che Pemberton urged Government and private-sector stakeholders to partner in implementing the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) 2021–2036 and to expand local ownership in marine tourism during a Marine Industry Forum on 18 August. The forum drew more than 70 participants and produced recommendations on licensing, financing, infrastructure, safety and workforce development that officials will refer to relevant ministries for follow-up.
Policy analyst Emery Che Pemberton of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development has urged the Government and the private sector to work together to implement the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) and expand local ownership in marine tourism. Speaking at the Marine Industry Forum held at The Moorings Yacht Club on 18 August, Mr.
Pemberton told industry stakeholders that the NSDP 2021–2036 recognises that the Virgin Islands cannot meet its development goals through Government action alone. "Government policy and private capability have to combine, because neither side can do this alone," he said, according to a Government press release.
Pemberton explained that marine tourism sits where two NSDP priority areas meet—Marine and Fisheries, and Tourism and Hospitality—and that the Plan explicitly calls for public-private collaboration to manage marine industries, develop blue-economy opportunities, and increase the participation of Virgin Islanders as owners and investors.
Quoting residents’ priorities reflected in the Plan, he said: "We do not just want to be workers; we want to be owners and investors," a line also reported in coverage by BVI News. The discussion pointed to greater opportunities beyond wage employment: ownership of charter businesses, tour operations, marinas and ancillary services supported by policy, access to finance and capacity building.
Pemberton also emphasised that economic growth must be tied to stewardship of the natural resources that underpin the sector. The Government press release stated the Territory’s reef assets cover roughly 300,000 acres and are central to both environmental health and the visitor economy.
BVI News reported Pemberton describing the Virgin Islands as a "large ocean state" with marine assets covering more than 30,000 acres; the two reports record different figures for reef area. The NSDP sets out concrete targets to support the ambition of growth tied to stewardship, including partnerships to address coral bleaching, continued mangrove and salt pond restoration, improved marine infrastructure and the development of systems to measure sustainable employment within tourism.
Both the Government release and BVI News coverage highlighted Mr. Pemberton’s call for reliable data to underpin policy. "If we do not have data, then it basically is not a reflection of the industry. It’s not precise," he told attendees, according to BVI News. The Central Statistics Office was identified as the territory’s main data hub, with Customs, Immigration and the Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority also collecting industry information.
The forum, which drew more than 70 participants, addressed pressing industry issues such as licensing costs, access to financing, infrastructure and docking facilities, safety, and workforce development. BVI News reported that officials will refer the forum’s recommendations to the relevant ministries and agencies and will then hold focused discussions on licensing, enforcement, business support, safety, service standards and workforce development.
The NSDP is being implemented through three-year action cycles; the current cycle covers 2026–2028. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development is leading efforts to balance economic development with environmental stewardship and is encouraging stakeholders to join the process now to help shape the Territory’s marine tourism future.
Primary source: BVI Government