Photo Credit: aquaventurebvi

Photo Credit: aquaventurebvi

Pointing out several ills that have taken place against the local environment, Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group believes that the environment is the BVI's greatest asset and not tourism.

An article penned by Sir Richard and published in The Business Day noted the UK businessman's contribution at a recent conference in the Virgin Islands where he was asked to imagine the BVI was one of his new companies and what would he do to help it perform better.

"As a cautious chairman, I would make sure BVI's other source of income - tourism - was secure, sustainable and growing. Despite the global competition, 500,000 people visited this country in 2010 to enjoy its outstanding beauty both on land and in the ocean. So it is not tourism that is the company's greatest asset, but the environment," Sir Richard noted.

Sir Richard, who has made Necker Island his home, said he would review assets, protect income, focus on the priorities, adapt to the Territory's size and create the right environment.

Sir Richard noted that the environment is threatened by development, pollution and human activity. He said that the first thing a tourist sees when arriving by boat at the North Sound of Virgin Gorda - a resort area for sailors, is a new road that has been bulldozed out of the beautiful hillside, creating an ugly scar.

According to Sir Richard, once landed, a visitor will encounter litter, a sewage system without treatment plants and few opportunities to recycle.

"If that person goes for a swim, he will see reefs seriously damaged from runoff and over-fishing. Altogether, this does not make for an entirely pleasant visit. The economic implications of our deteriorating environment are very serious. This slow destruction could ultimately jeopardise BVI's most secure source of income, but it's not too late to implement solutions," Sir Richard pointed out.

Sir Richard noted that he would protect the BVI by drawing up a list of action points based on this assessment of its strengths and trouble spots.

"I would ask the management team to continue to encourage necessary development, but to make sure that every development enhances the country's natural beauty. If a road absolutely must be built, we must include plans to plant native trees and shrubs alongside to block noise, prevent erosion and preserve habitat; and perhaps increase it," Sir Richard stated.

The businessman noted that when he and his wife Joan first visited the British Virgin Islands in 1976, it was a fairly sleepy place. He recalled there was one office building in the capital Road Town, the financial services industry was not yet established and there was little tourism.

"While the country is very different now, in some ways the Government's approach does not seem to have changed, especially the emphasis on the short term, as seen in the degradation of the environment," Sir Richard stated.

He said small companies that have grown larger often make the mistake of relying on processes from their early days, not realising how much things have changed.

Sir Richard said when new management takes charge, executives should take the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and create a new set of policies from scratch, based on new realities.

With expanding responsibilities and growing numbers of stakeholders to consider, Sir Richard noted that a good leader needs to be a great listener.

Sir Richard shared that he asked local entrepreneurs to describe one change that would make everyone's job easier. He said a few pointed to hoteliers' struggle to obtain licences to hire foreign workers. Business owners, Sir Richard noted, have been supportive of restrictions on work permits to prevent overcrowding and to protect local people's prospects.

"However, most feel that the current system of rules governing immigration and labour is not working. This system is in need of an overhaul, which would help employers build a loyal workforce and bigger customer base," Sir Richard stated.

He stated that the British Virgin Islands weathers the hurricane season every year, ensuring its infrastructure and people are protected. "In much the same way, a company needs to be protected against the current financial storms," Sir Richard pointed.

He said that his plan would serve a start-up, a large company or a country equally well in assessing potential challenges and successes ahead.

According to Sir Richard, there are skills a CEO can bring to Government in terms of providing decisive leadership, creating accountability and guiding long-term planning.