Michael Burrill  

Originally from Bristol, UK, Mike spent time in Cardiff, Wales, before settling in Ireland. There he trained as an architect, bought a house, bought a sunken ship (a freighter built in 1901 and wrecked in 1903), and also ran a restaurant. One day he met some charter boat people from the BVI. They agreed that if they stayed with Mike in Ireland, he could sail with them in the BVI as a quid pro quo.

He came out in 1979, went back to Ireland to settle his affairs, and returned with his family to Tortola as a charter yacht skipper. He ran charters for seven years, originally out of Marina Cay (when it was closed as a resort/restaurant), but later living in the East End and McNamara. He made good money when he came out of charters and repairs. He currently lives at “Turtle Crawl” in the East End, on the Tortola side of the Queen Elizabeth bridge to Beef Island. He saw a “For sale” sign, and quickly bought the land. He loves living on the seashore. He built this house himself, and has lived in it for twenty years. He also did some engineering for Delta Petroleum, worked at Pockwood Pond, and built an oil terminal in Nevis. He then got into building hurricane shutters. A long-time resident, Mike is also a ‘belonger’.

Hurricane Hugo was a Category 5 hurricane that in September 1989 killed 109 people across the Caribbean and left over 100,000 people homeless. It caused $10 billion in damage making it the most destructive hurricane to that date. There had not been many recent hurricanes in the BVI and Hugo acted as a ‘wake up call’. One result was that there was a demand for more protection – such as hurricane shutters - and Mike Burrill saw a business opportunity. He started out working from home, then moved to Sea Cow Bay and since 1989, as owner of SCAFFCO, has “gone a long way towards shuttering Tortola”. He also produces ‘missile-resistant’ windows, screens, and related home building materials. There was, for a time, a branch of SCAFFCO in St. Thomas and he also has shipped to St. Kitts and Mexico. But a lull in the economy, plus perhaps a shortage of recent ‘wake up calls’ on Tortola has led to a recent contraction of his business. Unfortunately (business wise) for Mike Burrill he is in one of the few enterprises that can suffer if there isn’t a hurricane!!

Since coming to the BVI Mike has seen major growth in the finance industry – which helped to spur housing growth and business for SCAFFCO. He has also seen a realization on the part of government that yachting is a “major earner’ in the economy – something it did not appear to always believe. There has also been a realization throughout the country that the sea is an important resource that needs protection. Mike remembers when buildings in Roadtown could not be higher than the coconut trees. This, of course, is no longer the case.

Although Mike recognises few negatives since he came here, he has seen some environmental losses with increased pollution and a diminution in the fishing industry. However, recently, the treatment of the reefs has improved. He has also seen a major increase in government and in government bureaucracy. The proposed new labour law gives him some cause for concern. People are leaving the islands and it might be difficult to get them to stay – and you need more people (within reason) to bring in more money. Mike thinks there is value for the BVI in till being a British Territory. The “British’ part of the name is important – implying backup and support from Britain.

Mike finds that it is now easier to operate his business on Tortola than it was in the past. Materials are easier to get. He is established, and the Internet has helped a lot. He feels that the people are friendly and kind, he has run into few hassles, and has generally been well treated. In return he feels that he and SCAFFCO have helped Tortola and the BVI to protect itself from some of the dangers of hurricanes. Conversely he believes that somebody “like him” coming to Tortola now might have a more difficult time making a living. It is harder to start new companies in part because there are now so many companies already here. It is tough to find a new niche in the marketplace as he did with SCAFFCO. In addition the local people are more educated and more qualified, and are providing more and more effective competition – they are more aware of business opportunities and better off. In addition, lots of things have now been done compared to 1979 – so there are fewer possibilities for newcomers. If he were to come now he would go into “something environmental” where he still sees scope for growth such as solar water heaters and solar electricity.

When Mike first came here thirty years ago, he said, “this (place) is for me”. It still is. Nearly 70 years old Mike is “trying to pull back” in terms of his working life, and wants to do more sailing. But he would never move from the BVI – this is his home.

Draft of March 27th 2010, of interview of March 22nd, 2010.

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