Residents on Anegada now have a proper facility to access a number of government services following the completion of the Theodolph Faulkner Administration Building which was recently handed over to officials on the sister island.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Premier and Minister of Finance Andrew Fahie said it was fitting that the administration building should carry the name of a stalwart who was perhaps one of the territory’s most inspiring figures.
He added that there were two distinctive reasons that made the ceremony even more significant.
He said, “The first reason is that we have restored easy access to government services for the people of Anegada. The second reason is that our hard-working public officers now have a comfortable and functional accommodation, in which to serve the people of Anegada. Like many of our public and private buildings across the Virgin Islands, the Government Administration building on Anegada, suffered damage in the 2017 hurricanes. The damage was considerable and it affected many of the essential functions of the facility.”
He added, “Restoration of this building was a high priority for your government when we took office in 2019, not in the least because we understand the difficulties that residents of the sister Islands face when it comes to accessing the services they need. One of the things we campaign on was making sure that no district was left behind. We said that we would ensure that each island gets the attention it deserves and this has not changed.”
The leader of government business also said he was annoyed when he discovered that the funds for the rehabilitation works to the Administration Building was approved under the former government, yet nothing was done to have the building restored.
He said his government did what needed to be done to get the building fully restored for the people of Anegada.
Contractors commended for job well done
Meanwhile, District Representative Vincent Wheatley commended the contractor No Limit Construction who completed the rehabilitative works, which included removal of floor, ceiling and wall tiles, electrical and plumbing works, installation of handrails, repairs to the cistern and exterior cosmetic works.
He said the Administration building is just one of the many projects his government has completed in Anegada to date and revealed that there are other projects to come on stream in the near future.
“The completion of these works is a signal of the continuous improvements being made to benefit this community. I am happy that we have been able to partner with the RDA to see to this administration building being repaired,” Wheatley stated.
The administration building houses the district office and Police Station and was repaired through a partnership between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Recovery and Development Agency.
Who was Theodolph Faulkner?
Theodolph H. Faulkner was a fisherman from Anegada. Following a disagreement with a medical officer regarding his pregnant wife, Faulkner protested and criticized the government of the day. His oratory struck a chord and a movement started. Led by community leaders such as Isaac Fonseca and Carlton deCastro, a throng of over 1,500 Virgin Islanders marched on the Commissioner’s office on 24 November 1949 and presented their grievances, which ultimately allowed for the reformation of the Legislative Council.