|
Presents BUILDERS OF TORTOLA |
Jerome (Jerry) Edmunds Jerry comes from Franklin, New Hampshire, which had a population of 8,405 in the 2000 US census, making it the smallest city in the state. In addition to living in Tortola Jerry has also had a property in Highlands, Newfoundland, Canada since 1966. Highlands is a village southwest of Stephenville (6,600 population), which is southwest of Corner Brook – which has a population of 20,000. Suffice it to say, Jerry is not a big city person, and this may well explain his affinity to Tortola. He now lives at “Whispering Soursops” on Luck Hill, a property he named, somewhat facetiously in honour of many of the oddly named estates in New England, with his wife Erzsebet whom he met in the Roadtown Botanical Garden in 1992. Jerry is also the occasionally outspoken owner of The Paint Factory, at Port Purcell, Roadtown. This area is owned by development company JOMA, and is probably “reclaimed land”.
Jerry first came to Tortola in 1983 on vacation, staying at the Campground at Brewers’ Bay (which was by many accounts in much better condition – Jerry says it was “fantastic” - twenty-five years ago than it is today). He had planned to go to St. John, but his reservation in the USVI was cancelled, and a friend recommended Tortola as a much better place to visit. He camped in Brewers on vacation until 1990, although he bought, and rented out, a house in Great Mountain in 1988 (sold in 1993). Coincidentally he met ‘Judith’ at Brewers Bay in 1984, later buying his present property from her. In 1991 he moved to the BVI permanently, renting a house in Belmont as well as what was to become Whispering Soursops. He also lived at Tobacco wharf and at Great Mountain.
In his early years he did some contracting work, but in 1991 was hired by Mark Hooper “who was good to him” to manage Island Paints. In 1993 he left Island Paints and did some small scale contracting while setting up his own business as The Paint Factory, which opened in June 1995. His business has flourished and grown over the past fifteen years, although its basics have not changed. It sells paint. His involvement with freighters and customs have not changed either, they still produce the same challenges as in the past. He also still has issues with electricity (The Paint Factory has its own back-up generator), and mail. Like many businesses on Tortola his customers come to his store to pay their bills and he goes on tours of Roadtown and Tortola to pay his. We are still too small it seems, for a North American-style local mail delivery system.
Although his business runs in a similar fashion to when he began, paint has changed. It is “completely different from what it used to be”, produces better finishes and lasts longer. In addition technology has made mixing a more precise science, has led to much less wastage, and has produced accounting systems that make everything run more smoothly. You can even see your house ‘on the computer’ and paint in a variety of colours and styles until you are satisfied with the virtual image, and want to turn this into reality. Jerry also finds work easier now as he is more experienced, less hands-on (leaving this to his staff), and more managerial – “I should have done that years ago” he jokes.
Jerry’s cites his major contribution to Tortola as being, like so many people, his job, where has (sometimes literally) given his blood, but he suggests that his “thought for the day” that he has often posted on a blackboard in his store, has given pleasure to many people. Work wise he plans to continue into the foreseeable future as he enjoys the work and, “in order to keep an income”, although he admits to slowing down a bit. He would do “very little differently” if he had his Tortolan-life over, but might have got into a business specializing in brakes, tyres, mufflers (silencers), car washes and oil changes. Kind of Minute Lube meets Midas Muffler – a gap he still sees in the local market. As it is he plans to continue to keep The Paint Factory competitive in a growing marketplace. Look out for a rebuilt store, new auto and marine paint products, and a new web site in 2010!!
When asked about the development of the BVI since he first knew it, Jerry is characteristically outspoken. An academic debater at heart! He argues that despite the increase in numbers and size of buildings, despite the increase in mileage of roads, and despite the increase in the number and size of stores, that there has in fact been little or no development – the way he might define it. He points out that when he arrived there was a much lower population, fewer vehicles, and fewer stores, but that in many ways the overall infrastructure may have been better – in the sense of being more user-friendly.
In 1983 there were, he points out, no traffic jams, less crime, fewer murders, and fewer traffic accidents. So are we now better off he asks? We now have more “stuff” but have the lives of the average Tortolan improved as much as some people claim? Perhaps not. In addition there is still no acceptable sewage system, there are ongoing problems with education, crime, drugs electricity, water supply, garbage disposal, mosquitoes and even potholes. Perhaps the facilities we have to work with now are poorer than twenty years ago. In addition, many aspects of the physical environment (particularly along the coast [e.g. mangroves, and swimming conditions near sewage outlets]) have deteriorated of late.
It could even be argued that the present-day society, the cultural environment, is more dysfunctional than in the past, with ongoing challenges regarding growing numbers of black and white expats, and the relative drop in the number of belongers. Certainly many people preferred the less complex Tortola of earlier days. There is an at-times challenging pattern of laws with different regulations for different groups of people that lead to what the newspapers sometimes term ‘human rights’ issues. This causes difficulties for the inhabitants of Tortola as well as those who have to govern them. It all constitutes what university textbooks term ‘progress’ but is it really development? And what will happen if the Financial crisis deepens further?
Jerry has his own opinions on these issues, which he would probably be willing to share with you, at length, You can find him at The Paint Factory until further notice.
Draft of December 24th of interview of December 23rd 2009.
Builders of Tortola Guide