BVI News

BVIPA’s company in Miami just an outreach location; probe continues

Deputy Premier Kye Rymer

After reports emerged of a limited liability company in the United States registered under the name “The BVI Ports Authority, LLC”, the minister responsible for ports, Ky Rymer, sought to quell concerns; expressing that the Miami based office space is only to provide an outreach location for the Authority to conduct cruise business.

The company became a concern because the public was only made aware of its existence days after former Premier Andrew Fahie and BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) boss Oleanvine Maynard were arrested in Miami on drug and money laundering charges.

This left people to wonder whether there were any connections between the two situations but speaking at a press conference last Friday, Rymer said that based on his investigation, the physical location of the company was also used to host the BVI Tourist Board and the Shipping Registry.

“It was intended to be a multi-agency space for the purpose of marketing and promoting tourism, ship registration and perhaps in the future serve as a base in Miami for Virgin Islanders, residents and students requiring assistance while abroad,” Rymer said.

“In addition, it could potentially serve as a business hub for BVI entrepreneurs requiring office or meeting space during travel. The office is strategically situated near to the Miami airport,” he added.

Rymer, who is also Deputy Premier, said the company was registered not to engage in any revenue-generating business. And according to the information he said he’s received, the establishment of the company required a minimum of three directors.

“The Directors’ names are Roxane Sylvester, Deputy Chair of the BVIPA Board, Kenesha Sprauve; Member of the BVIPA Board of Directors and Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board; and Oleanvine Maynard the Managing Director of the BVIPA. These persons are holding the shares of the company in the interest of the BVI Ports Authority,” Rymer said.

Furthermore, Rymer stated he was advised the COVID-19 pandemic meant the office has not officially been opened but it was managed by the BVIPA.

“In 2022, the BVI Tourist Board positioned a Business Development Manager responsible for sales, marketing, and promotion of tourism in the Southeast Region of United States. The space has also since been utilised for government agency meetings whilst officials were on duty travel in the Miami area,” Rymer said.

“As Minister, I am conducting further inquiries, I have requested certain documents and information from the BVIPA, and when these are received and reviewed, I will be in a better position to determine whether any further action would be required and what that action should be”, the Deputy Premier said.

Too speculative

He admitted it would be too speculative to make further pronouncements on the matter without a more detailed investigation. However, Rymer reassured the resident the findings from the ongoing inquiries will be made public.

“I will, of course, advise the public on whatever further action – if any is necessary – is to be taken so that the public can be confident that its interests are secured,” Rymer said.

In the meantime, Rymer indicated that are steps are being taken to appoint to terminate the appointment of the current Managing Director (MD), Maynard, and appoint an interim MD “to secure the integrity of the BVIPA and that of the Virgin Islands ports”.

The government has been taking steps to ‘clean up’ the governance and management of the BVIPA. And last Wednesday, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley announced the resignation of the Authority’s chairman. He said at the time that efforts will be made to compose a new board when the tenure of the current board expires in a few days.

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35 Comments

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  1. Just an outreach location? says:

    Just like Andrew Fahie was a Premier of “Just a Narco State?”

    Like 20
  2. jim jones says:

    kye hush yuh l*in sk**t..how only now it come to light. them need to lock you up to. you acting like your hands clean but they just as ***. only who know know.

    Like 24
    Dislike 4
  3. Negrito says:

    This is why UK will take over cause these people will not tell the truth. The dumb know this is one of their laundering instruments.

    Like 36
    • Crazy Joe says:

      There is no requirement to have people own the shares. Shares in companies can be owned by other corporate entities and by governments. Why was this owned by three people , one of whom is the disgraced , in jail, former MD? Why are the other two in bed with her in this secret enterprise? What was the real purpose of this company? To launder drug money?

      How much more of this rampant corruption lies hidden?

      How much longer do the people ofthe BVI have to put up with this ?

  4. smh says:

    The BS continues with the :NEW UNITY GOVERNMENT. Truth is second on the list of priorities.

    Like 29
  5. confused says:

    Something is not right here. Mr Rymer is conducting “further enquiries”? Did he not know anything about this company when it was set up? If not, who authorised it?

    “In addition, it could potentially serve as a business hub for BVI entrepreneurs requiring office or meeting space during travel.” This c**p and he knows it! Why don’t we set up in NY and other places just in case our entrepreneurs want to stop by?

    Like 31
  6. Just maybe says:

    This was not the only US company set up by nefarious BVI civil servants since 2019. This is a serious matter that needs further investigation by the UK and US governments NOT the fake HOA members. Please permit the professional investigators handle this probe and step aside for the good of the BVI.

    Like 39
  7. YES TO UK says:

    I really don’t know what the UK is waiting for this BS government can’t do the job, no point in waiting any longer UK.

    Like 36
    Dislike 3
  8. WE NOT STUPID says:

    THEY HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD FRONT TO HIDE THEIR CLANDISTINE ACTIVITIES , AND THEY BELIEVE WE ARE DUMB ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT SH*T / EVERYTHING IS UNRAVELING SLOWLY , AND THEY TRYING EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN TO CONCEAL THEIR CLANDISTINE OPERATION

    Like 22
  9. mejente says:

    Willie Peely was suppose to run this office

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  10. Nonsense says:

    Regardless of the intended purpose, board members cannot just form subsidiaries bearing Government entity names on their own just like that, this is crazy!

    Like 40
  11. wow says:

    This dude l##ing thru he teeth

    Like 19
  12. Inspection time says:

    Let’s have a closer look at the accounts and money through that “business”.

    Like 30
  13. Lodger says:

    How much is it costing us? Under what budget heading is it listed? Are there others? Is it the DEA that uncovered it?

    Like 19
  14. Deh Watcha says:

    This unity government isn’t going to investigate a thing.

    Like 20
  15. Irma Chisit says:

    Meanwhile, back at the ranch! Vincent complained water and sewerage has No office in VG!
    Roadtown W and S is a shables and we pay for near redundant space in Miami. Lol. What do we keep there? I am entrepreneur but knew nothing about office space I could use in Coral Gables!

    Like 28
  16. stinky says:

    What about the million dollar property in London? Posh neighborhood, How much is that costing us per day?
    What a waste!
    By the way. FIX THE DUMP… WE ARE GETTING GASSED HERE IN WEST END

    Like 17
    • Popeye says:

      Is the BVI property in London owned or leased? What are the costs? Why does it exist? What official meetings took place there? Is it a Narko Den?
      We need to get rid of all those Narkomen with all their guns and drugs.

  17. Not intended to make money, you say? says:

    So why is it registered as an LLC and not a nonprofit. Dude if you don’t have first-hand knowledge of why it was established don’t try to defend it. It could cost you your reputation and that is all you have left.

    If students, and others you say it was intended to be used for eventually, are not associate with ports isn’t that using port authority funds to pay rent for a space for unauthorized purposes? You are showing your naivete.

    Like 23
  18. Tolaman says:

    More new twist and turn down a dark road.
    It just looks and smell fishy in every turn on this road. Office space in Carol Gables (Miami Area), is NOT cheap. I know the area. More deep diving and cleaning for the UK government for corruption and what else is been hidden. Every day is something bad coming to light. A office for the BVI people in Miami, but they not aware of it??? What king of rubbish been spurred at people? The unity Government is already in the same deep trouble, they help created, and knowing what’s going on, but we must have trust an confidence in them?? THEY going to FIX things, but still misleading and pretending like they any better? Same person, same lies and corruption going on. Time for uk to disband the Un-unity Government, come in, suspense the Constitution, explained EVERYTHING about all who is in the Cookie Jar, have an election in 2-3 years, after EVERYONE come clean. So sad that greed gets us to this. Remember the American tv show,” American Greed”? Netflix or some other network will have “BVI GREED” on tv by 2023 or 24

  19. Youth says:

    I smell a rat. Doesn’t look good for us.
    I just can’t understand if we have a united party, why oh why? the opposition is not deputy premier. How can we sit down and watch things crumbling before us. I had enough, we have many changes to changes and many of us have been deceived by this government. We need to hand this country over to the UK (yes it breaks my heart) to get this beautiful country back.

    We need to look at ourselves personally and asked ourselves if we are pleasing God. If we don’t we are going to go through a lot a heart breaks.

    Repent

  20. We need answers says:

    1. Who is the ‘business development manager’ employed there and what is their salary?
    2. As a space being paid for by OUR tax money and it being suggested to be somewhere that BVI entrepreneurs could use to hold meetings there should be a clear procedure to follow for anyone wishing to conduct business there. There should also be a published schedule to show who/what is using the space and when.
    Though I respect Mr. Rymer this nonsense has to stop. This is clearly another waste of taxpayer money.

  21. heckler says:

    Is this an unconventional unity government too?

  22. De Silent One says:

    Something still aint adding up, isn’t Port under his Ministry, and are trying to tell the public that he didn’t know of the formation of the office

  23. Mufeng says:

    This Unity Government got to go. Too much waste.

  24. Licker and Sticker says:

    These parties and their members are trash. I can’t support any United Th**very Party (what we have here). They need to go sit down

    • Gerry Doc Paul says:

      The UK needs to take over the entire BVI Government and clean house. Fire every G*d -damn one of them…they are all allegedly on the take…feathering their own nests! Andrew Fahie won’t see the light of day along with his cohort Maynard. The US will lock them up and throw away the keys. The same should happen to the rest of the thugs running the show! They know their days are numbered. Scotland Yard will have a showdown with their sorry a**es!

  25. Gerry Doc Paul says:

    The UK needs to take over the entire BVI Government and clean house. Fire every G*d -damn one of them…they are all allegedly on the take…feathering their own nests! Andrew Fahie won’t see the light of day along with his cohort Maynard. The US will lock them up and throw away the keys. The same should happen to the rest of the thugs running the show! They know their days are numbered. Scotland Yard will have a showdown with their sorry a**es!

  26. Pam can’t wait says:

    This unity party is a devastated party so it has to go also. Yes to uk

  27. Anonymous says:

    Corruption in government exists in every Caribbean island as well as Central Anerica.

  28. Lionking says:

    Corruption in government exists in every Caribbean island as well as Central Anerica.

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