Thousands of vehicles were considered derelicts after receiving significant damages when Hurricanes Irma and Maria tore through the Virgin Islands in September 2017. Many of the vehicles were left scattered across the hills and valleys of the territory.

“The war on derelicts is still on,” Honourable Malone said on the VIP Let’s Talk Radio Programme held on April 6, 2021.

“We were able to go to Anegada again, or we took advantage of the barge that was there, and we were able to bring a number of vehicles down. What we are trying to do in doing this is, there are about three to four additional units to be collected on Anegada. Then we will go to Virgin Gorda; we want to make sure that we get all the vehicles so that the last trip to Columbia could be had and we can get it done.”

Honourable Malone said a tremendous number of derelict vehicles have already been transported to the Latin American country.

Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) said his ministry is still very engaged in the removal of derelicts stemming from the 2017 weather events in the Virgin Islands.

Scrap metals

Meanwhile, in January this year, the Minister announced that his ministry was entering into a sales agreement with companies that were interested in purchasing scrap metal from the government.

He informed that Cabinet approved Tortola Concrete Products to handle the processing and export of these derelict vehicles and other scrap metal out of the Virgin Islands.

Government has undertaken an initiative to reward persons for turning in derelicts.

'Bounty' on derelict vehicles!

Hon Malone also announced that another initiative the government is undertaking is to reward persons for turning in derelicts.

“All remaining derelicts on Jost van Dyke, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Tortola will have no hiding place. An $80 bounty would be paid on any derelict that is spotted, marked and transported to an approved location of each of the islands.

"Once delivered to Pockwood Pond, we expect to completely remove all derelict vehicles and scrap metals from the temporary derelict vehicle site in Pockwood Pond and the temporary dumpsite in Cox Heath, which were both created as a result of Hurricane Irma,” Honourable Malone stated.