Parillon: Election Projects Have Lost Effect
NDP hopeful Aaron Parillon says voters are no longer easily swayed by last-minute infrastructure works that appear as elections approach. Speaking on the Talking Points radio programme, Parillon urged steady maintenance and greater transparency rather than rushed projects timed to influence voters.
National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Aaron Parillon says the familiar pattern of hurried infrastructure projects appearing shortly before elections is losing its influence over BVI voters. Parillon made the comments during an appearance on the Talking Points radio programme with hosts Damion Grange and Elvin Smith, after they asked about a wave of road improvement projects that have recently begun across the territory, including in his own district.
He described the timing as a long-standing political strategy that now ‘boils my blood’. He said residents are routinely left to deal with unfinished problems for years, only to see governments rush to complete work as polling day nears. 'We let the people suffer for 3.5 years knowing the fact that these things need to be done, but then we throw wool over all people's eyes and then jump and start doing these projects and we confuse the people,' Parillon said.
He acknowledged that the tactic 'was very effective in the past' but added that it is less likely to succeed today because 'people are much more educated, people are much more engaged, and have much more access to information.' Parillon used the opportunity to press for a change in approach: instead of episodic, election-driven efforts, governments should prioritise consistent upkeep of roads, public spaces and historical sites.
He argued steady maintenance not only improves residents' quality of life but also strengthens the visitor experience, saying that tourism can be undermined if the territory appears 'in disarray, dusty, bush not being trimmed'. His comments will resonate with residents who have experienced lengthy delays, traffic disruptions and temporary fixes tied to project schedules.
For a small, tourism-dependent territory like the BVI, visible maintenance of infrastructure and heritage sites contributes both to everyday livability and to the impressions of visitors arriving by cruise ship or ferry. Parillon's critique highlights broader questions about planning, procurement and transparency in public works that BVI voters may want to scrutinise ahead of future elections.
He called for governments to adopt regular maintenance regimes and to make project timing and financing clearer so communities are not left to judge work solely by how close it falls to an election cycle. Whether the electorate will continue to push back against election-timed projects remains to be seen, but Parillon argues the era when those projects reliably delivered votes is ending.
Primary source: BVI News