Move Ministries to Sister Islands — Vanterpool
Former Works Minister Mark Vanterpool has called for decentralising government services by relocating key ministries to Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke to stimulate local economies and end Tortola-centric development. Speaking on the Morning Facts show, he also urged subsidised inter-island transport and suggested Anegada be developed as an agriculture and fisheries hub.
Re-emerging political hopeful Mark Vanterpool says the British Virgin Islands must stop treating the smaller islands as secondary and should relocate key government ministries to the sister islands to spread economic activity and improve access to services. Vanterpool, a former Works Minister, made the proposals during an interview on the Morning Facts show with host Cindy Rosan.
He argued that Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke should be treated as equal parts of “one unified Virgin Islands” rather than as afterthoughts to Road Town and Tortola. As an example, Vanterpool suggested moving the Ministry of Tourism to Virgin Gorda, describing that island as the territory’s “tourism belt.” He said placing the minister and staff on Virgin Gorda would boost the local economy and give the island greater focus as a tourism centre.
He also proposed locating the Ministry of Fisheries and Environment in Anegada and placing at least some government offices on Jost Van Dyke so residents there “feel like part of it.” Vanterpool criticised the current concentration of services in Road Town, saying “everybody has to come to Tortola for everything” and he wants to end that concept.
He further highlighted the high cost of inter-island travel — particularly for Anegada residents who sometimes pay $50 to $100 to get to Tortola — and urged that transport costs be subsidised in a similar fashion to how the government funds road infrastructure on Tortola. He pointed to the subsidised ferry system between St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands as an example.
On economic development, Vanterpool suggested Anegada could become a hub for agriculture, pelagic fishing and fish exportation. He said foreign fishing vessels, including operators reportedly from Japan, have been using waters near Anegada and exporting catches through neighbouring territories — though he admitted he did not know whether those operators had formal permission to fish in BVI waters.
For BVI residents, decentralisation promises potential benefits: job creation on the sister islands, improved local access to government services, and more balanced development. It also raises practical questions about the cost and logistics of relocating ministries, staff housing, IT and administrative capacity, and the need for reliable, affordable transport.
Vanterpool’s proposals will require careful assessment by government and consultation with island councils and communities to determine feasibility, costs and timelines. The idea marks another contribution to ongoing debates about how best to distribute public investment across the territory and support sustainable growth beyond Tortola.
Primary source: BVI News