BVI must defend its reputation despite Fahie’s arrest
Despite the shame and negative attention the BVI endured in the wake of the arrest of former premier Andrew Fahie, the territory must do all it can to uphold its reputation as a top financial services jurisdiction.
That’s the position taken by Minister for Financial Services, Labour & Trade Lorna Smith, who was recently asked how she plans to prevent further damage to the BVI’s reputation when Fahie goes to trial in the US in July.
Smith also added that the Virgin Islands stands ready to respond if allegations are levied during the upcoming Fahie trial.
“That matter of Mr Fahie’s trial is one for the US courts to determine and it is for us as a jurisdiction to make sure that we continue to uphold our reputation as a leading jurisdiction,” Smith stated. “We will respond if there are allegations. But as I’ve said before, this is a matter for the US courts and not for the BVI.”
Fahie was arrested in the US in April 2022 after a months-long sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA alleges that he was conspiring to traffic cocaine from the BVI to the United States.
The arrest sent shockwaves globally and brought unwanted negative attention to the territory. Locally, it paved the way for the early release of a damning Commission of Inquiry report by the UK government, which threatened to take power from elected representatives.
Still, most elected representatives have been careful not to speak on Fahie’s arrest in detail although most have admitted that the arrest of the former premier did much damage to the BVI’s international image.
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Lorna Smith destroyed her husband’s legacy with the NDP to continue Fahie’s legacy when he re-formed the VIP. Every single minister of government except her was handpicked by Fahie and Fahie still has power over them. This is what Lorna Smith joined for the sake of power
The election is over and this country needs to move on. People need to stop picking on Lorna who has done nothing more that joined the VIP for the sake of country. She was with a group who had no use for her; who placed no value on her and saw her as just a woman. What a feminist bunch of men! This country has a lot to do following the COI; we need to get our economy going so that we can get monies to fix our infrastructure; health systems; water woes; social issues; and waste management to name a few. IT IS TIME TO STOP BLAMING LORNA FOR EVERYTHING! SHE HAS DONE WELL!
DR.SMITH AND THE PREMIER ARE CLOSE COUSINS SO NO WONDER HIS WIFE CROSSED THE FLOOR AND JOINED THE VIP AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, ANOTHER CLOSE COUSIN DANCIA IS TIPPED TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE…watch the game people!
Your immature response, like that of Fraser will not serve the BVI 1% as well as Mrs. Smith.
And maybe just maybe, she will be the change agent. I think she will effect positive changes.
Deceipt, you really have a problem with Lorna. Your words are going nowhere. She will perform and the BVI (and even you) will benefit.
The people to blame are those who voted for the VIP together with the infighting opposition that couldnt even put up 13 candidates to stop them.
After the election result it was either Fraser as Premier or Lorna as deputy. At least we have her in there watching them.
Without her the corruption would have rolled on as usual.
from last years arrest of the BVI’s Premier, Port Authority manager and her son is the now famous low standard of honesty in all the BVI’s financial activities. Wealthy investors will simply invest elsewhere; e.g. Bermuda, Cayman, etc. and bypass the BVI’s tarnished financial industry.
That previous Gov told them all what Fahie was up to and Wheatley and all of them told him to get lost as they just wanted the power. Turning a blind eye is as bad as doing bad yourself. Shame Lorna decided to turn the blind eye too
If the opposition parties couldn’t manage to form a government after the election, can you trust they could’ve run the country for four years? She had the good sense to jump ship. They should’ve sorted all that out before the election. People over power is the way to lead.
Head Coach is the Poster Child for poor education in the BVI. Raised and educated in the BVI, math teacher, Minister of Education, yet he still needed a calculator to calculate 10% of $68million when he accepted the bribe from the Cartel.