BVI’s marine industry not unheard or left without support — Premier
The notion that operators in the marine sector are unheard and left without support has been roundly refuted by Premier Andrew Fahie.
The Premier said he believes this perspective may not be a consensus view held by most yacht operators in the marine industry, as is being portrayed.
“We have a way of saying in our country that a lot of people say something. There are about 40,000 people here, so we have to see what the ‘a lot’ is,” the Premier told reporters at a press conference last week.
“When we say a lot of them are leaving, I also say that we have to just name the problem, and not say who’s leaving or who is coming. Because where I sit, a lot more persons have requested licenses and also other resources that they have asked for to come in [to the marine sector],” he added.
Commercial boats without insurance risking lives
According to the Premier, several areas were flagged as the BVI recently emerged from its Instruments Implementation Code (IIIC) evaluation by the International Maritime Organisation.
In the process though, the BVI was able to retain a category-one registry status which permits the territory to register vessels of unlimited tonnage, type and size.
“We have to maintain the category-one shipping that we have. If we lose category one shipping, we now would lose the potential to make millions of dollars in a new area which we have already started with heavy tonnes of ships asking to be registered in the BVI since they have seen how we have undergone our assessment,” the Premier related.
“Now a lot of commercial boats were out there without insurance. So there was a lot of yachts being rented to persons without insurance. The law enforcement saw that that was flagged in the audit,” Fahie stated.
He added: ”So we now had to address that. But let’s be for real, how could you be operating commercially with yachts, with boats, with persons lives at stake and doing so without insurance?”
The Premier said now that this is being enforced, some persons have been saying it has become a problem.
Symposium to ventilate concerns
He said his government continues to be in conversation with the marine sector and has made compromises, allowing for payment plans for some persons given the financial restraints faced by boat owners.
While stating that he understood the concerns held by some of the yacht operators, the Premier promised to hold a symposium of law-enforcement officers and the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry to further ‘ventilate’ those concerns.
He said the symposium will also be attended by himself and some of his junior ministers and will be open to the public and the media.
The Premier stated that the challenges are not insurmountable and promised that his government will get them fixed.
Our operators haven’t gone to USVI
Premier Fahie has also consistently challenged the view that the BVI‘s marine industry has been largely yielded to its neighbour in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) following the implementation of curfews and travel restrictions emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, the Premier said the BVI has been able to manage its imposed curfews in such a way that the economy has begun to boom again.
“More yachts are in every harbour, hundreds of yachts. More businesses are reopening, yes we are managing the COVID,” Premier Fahie said.
He also said that taxi drivers and car rental establishments have seen increased business as a result of the upsurge in arrivals to the territory.
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Why don’t you make half an effort in checking all the local fast boats who actually traffic large quantities of drugs, guns and women..
why check them when they all are part of that drugs and guns
More hogwash
BS: “He said his government continues to be in conversation with the marine sector and has made compromises”
He has refused to speak with the sector who offer up continuous recommendations. He turns his back on the very industry that has made the BVI great.
What an embarrassing failure of a man
You keep talking, but you don’t know what you are talking about. Changing rules and not telling operators about it until after the fact, then holding their boats hostage until they comply isn’t good policy. You need to present the changes, explain when and how they will be implemented and then work with the operators to get into compliance. It is not hard, until the govt makes it hard. They keep changing the rules of the game while it is being played. That is what is upsetting businesses.
No wonder boats have left for the USVI.
I’ve seen about 100 boats here who’s crew say they will not return to the BVI. How sad for you.
Guns and dogs on the docks supporting the Marine industry. Nice.
40,000 people here lmao. It was reported last month 21,000 here
Fact check
Foreign flagged commercial are not just checked for insurance but also Business license, Financial documents, registration certificates, BVI Trade license, BVI work permit….just to get a charter license to operate in the BVI.
Can anyone in authority produce a document/announcement from Government outlining the procedure changes, new requirements??? NO
I can tell you that the boats are not in the BVI…. they can’t keep up with the BVI BS of rebuilding it’s economy by keeping the paperwork so difficult and changing from day to day!
Can you imagine Labour having to process another 200 permits a week for foreign flagged charter boats!!! NOT THEM….
Bye Bye industry… why isn’t the commercial ships under the same scrutiny, all these foreign flagged local barges? Why aren’t cruise ships that stay for multiple days?
What is the difference between a private jet and a private yacht…. all foolishness.. making work for the civil servants who can’t work and don’t care about deadlines.. bye bye BVI….
Bye loser!
All good for USVI. Those boats are all here.
The Premier and his party have definitely lost my vote. Turning the junkyard dogs at HM Customs loose on charter yachting is a HUGE mistake. If the Premier wants to rebuild the economy, this ain’t the way to do it. He’s talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Vote this man and his whole party out. They have no idea what they doin
Some of you are stupid and unkind. There are rules for everyone conducting business in a country to follow. What drugs have to do with persons operating business must be licensed and Insured. That policy is applicable to all.
It is better to be thought of as dumb or clueless than to open your mouth and confirm it!
Confirmed clueless!
They are killing the very industry that brought the BVI back from Irmaria. What on Gods earth are they thinking, to suddenly enforce rules that have NEVER been enforced before overnight. Ohh yes as you were audited by the MCA and it didnt go too well , so bring it down on the little mens Our tourists have made expensive plans and now a lot are left high and dry as shipping and customs departments cant with the amount of paperwork. Why did you not do this and say .. ok you have all a few months to comply meanwhile make some well overdue money. The BVI was closed for 18 months and you implement this just as everyone gets busy .. pure stupidness .. You need to be voted out and many for sure will not vote you back in.
This is what u call pure BS, Premier ur barking up the wrong tree, boats has been operating in the bvi for years with out an Commercial boats without insurance, Premier name me one time that Commercial boats are risking lives, it’s so funny how u come out with these kind of foolish idea, boats will leave and return when the VIP is out of office cause we all see what this VIP party is all about and it’s MONEY, premier you and all ur rest of ur friends all ready th**f all the tax payers money now you want to go after the Commercial and Charter boats, just remember the lord don’t sleep and money is the root of all evil
This man don’t know what he is doing .the marine industry bring in more dollars to the country than the cruise industry . So what you are going to do kill it
The season started 2 weeks ago. Either lead, follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY!
I have villa guests that booked guided power boat charters in Leverick Bay (with deposits paid). Now they are being told the licenses are pending – having been turned in a month ago. The guests come in 2 weeks!
Money is going to have to be returned and the guests are not going to be able to tour the BVI and spend money on sister islands. The charter company has already sunk money into getting the boats ready to run for the season, and now they have to give money back!
This money is going to VANISH from the BVI economy…you can not make it back.
Please Lead us out of this mess. Grant the licenses conditionally and audit them as the season goes on. We have to get the tourists back. We are all dying; and you are killing us!
Whatever new nonsense you come out with, Mr Premier, it’s too late.
Word has gone around the boating and marine tourism industry worldwide that the BVI is a hostile place.
Since most of those marine operators had to struggle here before, due to crazy rules and rude treatment by BVI authorities, this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Better for them to go to the USVI, Antigua, Grenadines, Bahamas. They don’t need BVI nastiness.
And we all here will suffer when the business they brought dries up and industries/operators associated with them go bust.
And for the life of me I can’t find anyone who understands why you want to push away such an important part of our economy. It doesn’t make any sense. What’s your little secret?
He’ll never get it
I don’t understand why the government is not doing everything in its power to help people get back on their feet. They seem intent on frustrating every industry right now with as much arrogance and lack of humility as they can muster. Companies and employees went months and months without any income or government help. On what planet does it make sense to then introduce rule after rule which makes any chance of recovery possible.
This government has become so out of touch with its people it’s tragic.