BVI News

BVI, non-white OT’s being kept down intentionally — Hodge-Wright

Guest host on the Talking Points radio programme, Maris Hodge-Wright, said she felt the UK may be intentionally suppressing the BVI because of its advances in the financial services industry.

While contending that the BVI has a relatively small money laundering footprint, Hodge-Wright suggested that it was the United Kingdom (UK) that should perhaps face greater scrutiny of its financial services industry.

“I think it’s almost intentional as a way of keeping us in line; the stuff that they do with due diligence and money laundering,” Hodge-Wright said.

The BVI has faced intense scrutiny over the years for its financial services industry – one of its two main economic pillars. Hodge-Wright suggested that UK Overseas Territories that are predominantly non-white are being targeted unfairly and said this was insulting.

“London and England has one of the biggest [banking jurisdictions], but they have put all of these restrictions on the Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, Cayman, Anguilla — wherever it’s done by countries of colour,” she argued.

“It’s like, ‘let us keep them down because … they’re advancing too fast in this’, and I think that it’s an insult,” Hodge-Wright added.

Meanwhile, Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Luce Hodge-Smith said she felt the proverbial goalpost was constantly being moved for the BVI in relation to its financial services requirements and responsibilities.

“What I’ve recognised is that, whenever they move the goalposts with financial services, we are very quick to address those issues,” she commented. “And whatever they bring forward to us and say, ‘this is what I want you to do’, we do it. But then when we do it, then they move the post again and then they decide that this is what you need to do.”

However, Hodge-Smith said she felt confident in the abilities of Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and Deputy Premier Lorna Smith to represent the territory’s interests in that arena.

“The industry people that we have are very astute,” said Hodge-Smith. “And they know what they’re doing and I am very confident that we will address [any issues].”

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12 Comments

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  1. who is this woman says:

    I had never heard of this woman before a week or so ago when she suddenly started expressing views on all sorts of issues. None of her views appear to be original, and I am not sure that we need a new ‘social commentator’ spouting 6th form level political views.

    Like 27
    Dislike 2
  2. Really... says:

    Its not them keeping us down, its ourselves, how can you not see that. When we wasting money on fruitless projects. we need to invest in our people, our schools, our infrastructure. Not all this stupidness, the greedy politicians taking 3 years salary and 200,000 bonus after they leave. Craziness, airline that don’t fly, wall that should be made of gold. Now tell me who holding us back ….

    Like 43
  3. Trust says:

    Can you Balme them for not trusting us as our former Primer sitting in USA jail for cocain

    Like 32
    Dislike 2
  4. yeah yeah says:

    SPOT ON!

    Like 2
    Dislike 13
  5. ISLM says:

    @yeah yeahYou are a blind A$$

    Like 12
  6. Circus says:

    Why why why whyyyyyyy is her hogw@$h being published????????? And the lil bugg@ is so full of herself smh

    Like 16
  7. Resident says:

    It’s those Brits that stole all the billions of government revenue paid in to the BVI since the 1980s. It’s because of those Brits we have sewage in the streets; open burning at Pockwood Pond, and poor public education.

    It’s because of those Brits we had the barges for security at vast expense; instead of the Royal Navy ship, for nothing.

    I won’t get into the rest of the CoI evidence or the Head Coach saga.

    Where do they find these people?

    Like 22
    Dislike 4
  8. Stormy says:

    Well sah, dem ain’t got time to work on the marriage,but have time to be up and down chatting p¡$$….who KNOWS know what I’m talking about. Want to be walking around high and mighty,But their own household in disarray LOL

  9. Indigenous BVIslander says:

    I agree – the Brits have been oppressing us for ever.

    Like 1
    Dislike 13
  10. That's herrr says:

    I’ve always heard the term “educated j@ck@$$” and I now totally understand the meaning LMAO!!! She need a good f@#& and then maybe she wouldn’t be so MISERABLE.

  11. BVINEWS Please STOP! says:

    Posting this woman. If she was on the radio, then good for those who choose to listen to the rabid dog, but please don’t force her views on those who visit your website. If she want to be in thing, let her go create her OWN show or website. As much as I don’t like the yellow site, if I see another post about her on here, I’m switching over.

  12. @Resident says:

    Sarcasm at its best, never a truer word spoken!

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