BVI painted unfairly as criminal haven – Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has rejected suggestions that the BVI is a haven for criminal activity, saying such characterisations are false and do not reflect the territory’s values or reality.
Speaking during a recent broadcast of Virgin Islands Voice, Dr Wheatley denounced sections of a UK-commissioned law enforcement review that he said misrepresented the BVI.
“We reject criminality, we reject crime, and we also reject the characterisation of the Virgin Islands as a place where criminality runs rampant,” Dr Wheatley asserted.
He said the review, conducted by Sir Andy Cooke, contains recommendations that do not align with the territory’s governance structure or lived reality.
“Just the fact that you did a review doesn’t mean that that automatically becomes government policy,” he explained, noting that decisions on policies rest with the Cabinet and House of Assembly.
“This is one of the safest places in the world,” Dr Wheatley stated, adding that residents are often surprised at how freely he moves about without security. “They say they’ve never seen it in their life.”
The Premier made it clear that the BVI government will not support recommendations that undermine the territory’s autonomy, particularly in law enforcement and financial services.
“We are a responsible player, a responsible society, and also a responsible finance centre,” he said. “That is the role that we play, and we will continue to play globally.”
Premier Wheatley emphasised that the BVI remains committed to tackling any areas of concern. “It’s not to say that we don’t have challenges. Yes, we do. We have to work hard to eliminate those challenges.”
He said the government is working with the National Security Council and the Governor’s office to review the report’s recommendations carefully. A letter outlining the territory’s unified position has been drafted and is expected to be signed by all 13 members of the House of Assembly.
Dr Wheatley also pointed to the territory’s broader constitutional goals. “We are going to negotiate very hard with the United Kingdom to ensure that we are able to maintain control of our immigration department, maintain control of our customs department, maintain control of our financial investigation agency,” he said.
The Premier added that the Virgin Islands must continue on a path toward greater self-determination. “We cannot stay in the position where we are forever. We have to be able to advance, we have to be able to move forward.”
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Stop trying to put a band aid on it. The BVI is indeed a criminal haven. Anyone from the outside can step into the Territory and do as they damn well pleases.
No the BVi isn’t a criminal haven but it can veer in that direction if existing protocols are ignored or not followed. It does not help the argument that the BVi is not a criminal haven when Head Coach photo hangs above S!0wW@nde’s head at HoA. But he is S!0wW@nde and eventually gets it even if it takes 10 years he’ll get it
If somebody stealing money out of the public purse without knowledge of the cabinet to pay a friend $250,000+ for an unsupported party/concert,allegedly, is not a criminal, then I don’t know what the heck is! And where the bloody hell is the report talking about the returns, or lack thereof, on our tax money following this party/concert. The breach of trust offence gone out of style now, or what?
Unfortunately, the BVI is a haven for criminal activity. The BVI’s economy is based on three main pillars: tourism, international finance, and cocaine trafficking. The drug trafficking in particular generates a significant portion of government revenue.
While the BVI is a transhipment point for drugs, please elaborate on how the government earns revenue from it else stop chatting “factual” s#!+.
I will ask this question again……Show me anything in the BVI that the public as a whole is benefitting from that was built using drug money. Show me the hospital, the hospital equipment, the school, where something was repaired. Just show me something.
Drug money benefits drug runners and others involved in the trade.
Show you anything. People selling guns and ammo. People selling scooters. People selling fuel for scooters. Drug runners feeding themselves, fixing and fueling boats. Kickbacks and handouts and hush money. Gold and jewelry shops make a lot of money. Haircuts as they got to blocks sharp. Clothes stores and grocery stores. Bars and strip clubs and prostitutes all used by drug runners. Mechanics get paid to fix scooters and boats and cars and trucks. Drug users buy the product. All of this people pay taxes on aomtimes. DMV sometimes get licence money. Boats when licenced pay. Easy to show Drug money in the economy. It practically is the economy alongside the big boys bin the financial services working hard to hide beneficial owners of money laundering and tax avoidance. More money there.
have you seen the business owned by these young “businessmen”
don’t those business and houses and cars boats etc pay into tax to the government?
I am agreement that there are persons and private entities that benefit. I said that already. I already said that it benefits those involved.
The original poster said that a significant portion of government revenue comes from drugs. Show me how. Don’t tell me about a vehicle rental business that has one secretary where only employee tax if any is collected. Or ten vehicles registered at $100 each ($1,000). They bought land and paying $20 per year. Thats to their benefit.
Name something that right now that any of us can enter and benefit from. Don’t tell me about a car dealership where I’m spending my money.
Perhaps the Hon Premier could explain to all patriots the political structure envisioned once self determination is achieved. Presumably the word ‘BRITISH’ will need to be first removed from usage referring to the place name. What would the process be to elect a head of the new State, presumably ‘President of the Virgin Islands’
Ha ha ha ha. Let us over look our criminal premiers. We still hanging posters in celebration of &reW in our H.A H.A H.A. p487 is a bit lost really.
Bro our Prime Minister is doing 10 years for narco trafficking. What did you expect?
you can’t say ‘our’ and ‘Prime Minister’ in the same sentence. If you were one of us you’d know he was the Premier.
criminals are embedded in BVI society. The recent Law Enforcement Review by the UK is extremely fair and contains numerous recommendations to eliminate these criminals and end ALL the corruption in the BVI government and financial services industry. The best recommendations are for the UK Governor to administer the FIA, Customs and Immigration.
The Governor currently administers the Civil Service, Prison and Police. How are those going? Why weren’t the Police part of the COI when they were involved in the BVI’s biggest drug bust in history? You can fool some of the people sometimes, but……………………
Blank expression in denial .
Look no further than your immediate predecessor!
Memory loss?
The former Premier that is doing time with the FEDS IN THE USA SET THE STAGE FOR THE CRIMINAL HAVEN DON’T YOU THINK? HIS PICTURE IS STILL SITTING UP ON THE WALL OF THE HOA. WHAT IS THAT SAYING? DON’T COME ON HERE PLECKING S..T. YES THE BVI IS A CRIMINAL HAVEN/PARADISE. YES SIR IT MOST CERTAINLY IS.
Anywhere that does not have proper border security in place will become a criminal haven. Tortola borders is wide open and can be accessed easily from every angle and the criminals knows that.
The BVI
‘S in your face refusal to secure its borders is evidence of its criminal participation in addition the routine practice of not identifying criminals by photo.
Why do you persist on insulting our sensibilities each and every time you open your mouth…You are truly a bizarre no account individual.
Incidentally,any update/ accounting report on Vybes Cartel Concert receipts as you promised several months ago which you singlehandedly sponsored using the people’s money,amou tingvto hundreds of thousands.?
last premier in jail for drug running, multiple offenders in government positions, billions gone since FS started yet the country is in a shite hole state
I wonder who paint it so? maybe our own actions made that picture? maybe they way yall behave towards reforms did that
maybe when yall keep paying andrew while he in jail and kept his photo up in HOA till this day…
maybe cuz yall got so many rental, laundry mats etc with “business men” who have unexplained wealth but there nothing in the news for cases like money laundering etc despite all the boasting of our financial services.
maybe it was the greedy bill and grant schemes and scholarship schemes for fake fishers, farmers, fake students etc
maybe it when yall pay all the tax money in rent to friends and family while you refuse to fix infrastructure….
maybe when yall gave free duty charge to reduce cost of goods during covid but our local stores laugh and take 2 cents off their crazy price and yall continue to tackle the real issue a proper price control
Maybe is when yall hired advisors and paid them crazy amount of money to do literally ntn
maybe is when police getting big drugs bust and and when they investigate is young “businessmen” it leads back to and they report their boat missing coincidentally the same day they got caught.
Maybe is when drug runners get caught and release they are killed by their own for messing up their run
maybe is when customs make the news for harassing tourist but never in the news for drug bust like police….
Maybe is when coi came yall had the urge to get lawyers and pay our tax money not yall own to defend “YOURSELF” not the country. guilty conscience killing yall.
maybe is when yall give a convicted rapist citizenship but have honest hard working expats wait 50+ years…………
maybe is when andrew get locked up with hard video recording evidence and yall still took him as innocence and sent a letter without any word from UK to release andrew fahie immediately…………………
maybe is the fact our annual budget increases every year with the US Currency but we still look like a 3rd world country’s compared to other Caribbean islands having big infrastructure , big highways, big named business sometimes they look like the states….. compared to our pothole ridden sewage water run down hog pen park all “anywhere” country
should i continue? picture paint yet? GREED
We may have to take your paint brushes off you. Your picture is an amazing representation of the VI and it’s criminal Pot Belly.
“We as a people- forget too fast, forgive too quickly, accept too often, and negotiate in favour of the oppressors every time. This is the reason, we as a people, will continue to suffer and remain dormant, while the oppressors continue to prosper, align themselves in positions of power and authority, and call the shots.”
I can agree with some of these comments. People who are departed from various countries like the USA, Canada, England comes here with different Identity. Our Government need to do a back ground check before any status grant to them. Some people do not know their grandparents name.most of them had wrong informations on their documents just to get status. Because the Goverment not checking in on their hometown background. The government need to start do that search before grant Residents/ Belonger.
THE FORMER JAIL BIRD PREMIER HELD THE HIGHEST POSITION IN THE BVI AND GOT CAUGHT UP IN AND WITH THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD,ENTERPRISE AND ELEMENT. MR. PREMIER YOU TRAVEL A LOT AND YOU HEAR THINGS BUT YOU TEND TO PLAY THE FOOL AND DEFLECT REALITY. YES, WE ARE A CRIMINAL HAVEN. THE BVI IS A CRIMINAL PLAYGROUND. THE BORDERS IS OPEN TO ANY KIND OF BAD ELEMENTS IN AND OUT NIGHT AND DAY. WE ARE IN SOME SERIOUS TROBLE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR BORDERS IN THE BVI. WHEN SOMETHING DRASTIC HAPPENS CONCERNING THESE OPEN BORDERS IN THE BVI, THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OF THIS TERRITORY IS THE ONES THAT IS GOING TO PAY THE PRICE.THE INNOCENT ALWAYS PAYS FOR THE GUILTY.
This is one of the safest places in the world,” Dr Wheatley stated, adding that residents are often surprised at how freely he moves about without security.
Touch him and you will feel the “Weevel in dey Toloma”.
BVI painted unfairly??? hmmm…”fair is foul and foul is fair” , it all depends on witch point of view is given…neither the GOV’s Inspector in this report nor the GOVI have the credibility to paint the BVI in one way or the other vis a vis criminal activity.
Objectively speaking there are too many indicators of criminal activity and corruption for any of us to say with a straight face that this activity does not exist here at an unacceptable level….especially for a population of less than approximately 35,000 people.
IN ADDITION, the BVI Gov and HOA need to articulate their position on this report in a clear, level headed and fact based manner NOT clutching their metaphoric pearls, chest beating and/or feigning ignorance as to criminal activity by making ridiculous statements to suggest that such does not exist here OR there is no basis for the observations made in this report….SPARE US THE THEATRICS AND FAKE OUTRAGE…just on 2 key metrics that come to mind : (1) number of unsolved murders AND (2) our previous Premier being convicted recently in the US for drug trafficking/ criminal activity : there are reasons for alarm and urgent need for radical & transformational change.
By the Grace of God alone, we have not seen more widespread criminal activity. The mere size and openness of the VI should mean that we have a much higher bar in relation to rule of law, law enforcement AND a much higher level of intolerance towards criminal activity in ALL its forms and ‘collars’.
Lastly, the views expressed in this UK commissioned law review AS WELL AS the views of the BVI Gov reflect varying positions on the issue of the level of criminal activity we face…these are either disingenuous, exaggerated, biased or misleading and as a result, unhelpful. A tempered, more mature & solution based perspective with a view to applying the ‘modern partnership’ in dealing effectively with this issue is urgently needed.