John Everitt
Presents
BUILDERS OF TORTOLAPeter Bailey Peter Bailey comes from the Wirral Peninsula in north-west England which is bounded to the west by the River Dee and to the east by the River Mersey, going to school in Wallasey (not far from Liverpool). He came to Tortola in 1976 via a circuitous path. After serving with the Royal Navy (didn’t want the Army!) in World War II, Peter studied Oceanography (or Marine Science) at the University of Liverpool. This led him to a series of careers, mostly involved with the sea.
He worked in dredging in Kuwait (with Westminster Dredging, one of the largest dredging contractors in the world) before coming to the Caribbean and spending eight years in Trinidad, working for Regent Oil (later part of Texaco UK). He was concerned with dredging the terminals (to 32 feet) for the larger ocean-going tankers that had been built after the closure of the Suez Canal following the British-French-Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. He later moved back to the UK (in 1960) to teach Maths and Physics at his old High School on the Wirral (for eight years) before spending a further eight years as warden of Hilbre Island. This is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest at the mouth of the estuary of the River Dee that Peter knew from his youth. A tidal island, Hilbre can only be reached from the mainland (on foot) at low tide, and his children went to school on horseback.
A fortuitous boat trip led Peter and his wife, Barbara, to Tortola in 1976 after a short stint working with a friend in the USVI. Barbara said “this is where we should be”. While waiting for a work permit Peter did “odd maintenance jobs” and his wife taught school, before buying an interest in a 50-foot charter boat, Valhalla. They were captain and mate until 1980 when Peter began work as Project Engineer with Guinness Leisure Services in the development and building of Nanny Cay. He left the job after Guinness sold their interests in 1986.
Moving to Great Camanoe Peter went into another career (in his late 50s) as a Property Manager (something that he still does today to a limited extent at 82 years of age). He looked after peoples’ houses, boats and vehicles, particularly when they were off-island, working more-or-less full time until around 2003-4. He also managed Village Cay for 18 months, and worked on occasion for Bill Hirst (another interviewee in this series) as a Marine Surveyor.
Needless to say things have changed a lot in Tortola over the past four decades. The number of vehicles has grown immensely. Peter estimates that may have only been around 500 in 1976! When he arrived electricity was only to be found in Roadtown (and a couple of other locations). There are many more stores and a lot more buildings. There may have only been around 15 police officers, now there are many more, dealing with the increase in population and crime.
Peter particularly notices changes in the “expat-community”. With the rise of tourism there has been a large increase in the number of ‘black expats’ from many other islands – such as the Dominican Republic. When he arrived there were relatively few ‘white expats’. Most seemed to be from the USA. Most of these were 40 years old and over. Today there are many more and much of the increase is in the younger age groups (often only here to work for a few years in the finance industry). Mostly Europeans. It may be harder for older people to find a niche in the present-day BVI, but the young people are less likely to stay.
Although he has been involved in some volunteering, Peter’s contributions, to the BVI have been more work related. His wife Barbara has contributed differently, teaching prisoners in H.M. Prison for instance. They also adopted a local boy and he lived with them for many years.
Although there has been ‘inevitable progress’ by any definition over the years Peter is glad the BVI are not like the USVI. There are better roads, better vehicles (but many more of them!), better (if not always more attractive) housing, with higher building standards, and despite its problems, a better water supply. But conversely, there is more crime and many more murders. Although electricity is more widespread it still suffers major challenges. The sewage system is also still suffering difficulties. But the country has come a long way.
Now living in the East End, Peter wouldn’t do much differently if he “had things over again”. He has no plans to leave the BVI.
Draft of December 8th of interview of December 4th.
Builders of Tortola Guide