BVIslanders vastly outnumbered among RVIPF officers
New statistics show that BVIslanders are vastly outnumbered by expatriates in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
The statistics show that, presently, of the 285 officers in the force, only 60 are BVIslanders. The other 225 officers were employed from the Caribbean and other countries across the world.
Some 66 officers are Vincentians — making them the largest group of expatriates in the force. The other major nationalities are Jamaicans -38, Dominica –28, and the United Kingdom – 17.
Commissioner of Police Mark Collins told BVI News that 12 of the officers from the United Kingdom are working on investigations linked to the Commission of Inquiry while the other five are mentoring local officers.
The rest of the officers in the force are from Antigua, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Lebanon, Montserrat, Nigeria, Philippines, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.
Recently, former Police Commissioner Michael Matthews revealed that during his time in office, he identified mistrust among the several nationalities that make up the RVIPF. He said this made the job of policing more challenging and was something he was concerned about throughout his tenure.
Matthews also said he isn’t sure if he accomplished his goal of reducing the resentment and mistrust among the different nationalities.
The overrepresentation of expatriates in the RVIPF is similar to the rest of the BVI’s labour force, where expatriates are said to represent some 70 per cent of workers.
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The same situation exists at Airport Security, prison, and general work force. It real. Who to blame? The prison is particularly interested. Virgin Islands people make up the majority of the inmates.They do not talk that.
Whose fault is this. Is there a large number of Virgin Islanders that are unemployed. It is time for a study to find out the number of unemployed virgin Islanders, those that are seeking employment, those that are employable, training and experience and job related skills. IT is misleading to just go about with figures about the number of expatriates if there is not enough local and competent people to fill these jobs. To the best of my knowledge, it is a small number of locals who are seeking employment and remains unemployed. There are also quite a few of this unemployed lot that does job hopping and are basically unable to keep a job because of attitudes, tardiness, lack of skills or just plain outright lazy. Face the facts there are three times as much jobs as locals. So, lets just use the expatriates labour force to develop the country and make things better for everybody.
And I’m sure Bvislanders are treated unfairly in that force.
because yo gah a islandman doing all the recruiting…island people who only want work permit exemption and free medical…outsiders {with kids} who are married to bvislanders, wanting benefits for those kids etc etc.
I agree with everyting you are saying, but what they need to for other caribbean ppl or look to marginalise those ratios among the expatriate workforce when you have 1 or 2 set of ppl outnumbering the others you have to question the fairness within the system some of them hiding ting for other ppl becuz they come from where they come from even when they are wrong there needs to be an investigation or a COI within the force to much going on.
If the government’s of the day were paying the RVIPF, HMP, Immigration, and Customs an attractive salary package, more Virgin Islanders would have been employed. Being patriotic can’t put food on your table or giving you a better quality of life. This misguided notion no longer makes any sense. If the successive government’s really wanted to see more locals in the police force, they would have make it attractive. Other Caribbean persons who accepted the job is because it makes better sense to them in comparison to their countries. I am also sure if the RVIPF was govern by a Ministerial post, they would have make it more viable and attractive so Virgin Islanders would have more say in the security of their country.
The government of the day nor them of the past is in charge of the police force. It is the Governor. Stop letting this man off the hook. The down fall of the force is part of their design to take over in all areas.
Wow! As a Virgin Islander I am troubled by this and every VIRGIN Islander ought to be. That said, young Virgin Islanders are simply not interested in joining the Police Force. I don’t see that changing anytime soon if ever.
In Case you Forgot. There is a reason…everyone is related to everyone here. No local wants this job.
Let the non-belongers do this work! The best part is that once they arrest, nothing happens when it gets to the courts!
Win-Win
Stop you complaining!
Conficious,your point isn’t valid because, if an expat can come and earn a salary in the bvi and pay the same bills in the bvi as a belonger does and still afford to send money back home. Then why can’t a bvi islander afford to comfortably live on the same salary. Let me tell you why, because some bvi islanders want to live above their means and are never satisfied or content with what they have.
This has always been the case. BVIslanders always gets thumbed their nose at policing. It is not in their DNA. Even in the 1900 when there were or v three police they were from updeislunn. Mainly Antigua, police jail and prison was always manned by updeislun staff. Any hanging was done by an updeislun hangman.
Honestly, they just need to stop choosing overweight, under educated, non-community minded people to be officers and then putting them in leadership positions.
I watch the police up here pass law breaking citizens daily.
That’s my concern.
Responding to VI.
no need to be troubled. Policing/fire/guards have always been regarded as left-over jobs that no respectable parent would wish upon their children. That’s the kind of job that “those island people” would do. We’re more focused on all things USA – all things American – I want to move to one place or another as long as it not British. After all, that’s why folks from our sister islands to come here – the U S dollar.
There is no other place in the world, that you would witness this injustice as it relates to a country’s national security. This is alarming and it needs investigation. How is this recruitment justified?
I am tired of the age-old antics that there are neither any qualified VIslanders to fill these roles, or none are seeking employment. How are they being recruited? I see no conscious effort placed on local recruitment of frontline national security and this is inclusive of Airport security, HMP Prison officers, and the list goes on.
How much longer can our elected representatives sit back and not see a cause for concern in this? I am tired of the talking quite honestly and I need to see results that leads to consorted action. Stop making this about one nationality vs. another, this is a concern of frontline national security and it needs to be addressed with immediate effect.
They hire expat officers, why? work permit revenue.
I would like to know how these background checks are conducted on these expatriates being applied for in the police force? What are their credentials? What is their background in law enforcement? What is the timeline for living in the BVI before even qualifying to apply? So many unanswered questions.
Yet we hammer locals without account claiming they don’t want work, give me a break!
THEN THEY WONDER WHY ALL THESE CRIMES. THEY DON’T HAVE THE COUNTRY BEST INTEREST AT HEART. NO INCENTIVES FOR THE LOCAL
We just do not have enough qualified or interested locals to take on many of the positions that are available in the country so what’s our next option?
Until we can do better, let’s just be grateful that we are able to get some of our brothers and sisters from elsewhere to come and work for us.
The number of expats is high – yes, but if we look at a place such as the U.S,Canada and the U.K,millions of its people are migrants. Let’s just embrace the diversity and use it to our advantage.
Maybe it’s because BVIslanders can make so much more money operating a distribution system or a transshipment depot for the products that make up the third leg of our economy. Heck, even the former Premier figured that one out.
Very difficult to find qualified and ETHICAL belongers.
West end police [station] closed saw six officers out liming in the truck bunch of loosers
but facts is facts..many dont want to work but jump on a boat running around with drugs..where is the lie..
How do we expect this to change if BVIslanders do not want to apply for the job? Maybe the package isn’t attractive enough or maybe they just don’t want to become police officers, either way, don’t blame the other nationalities for taking the opportunity to do so.
Bvolanders can’t arrest them fam..don’t you understand
Don’t bring that here, as you and yours are nobetter.Infact you are and have been proven worst.
It is very difficult to ignore the history of unethical personell on the force, whom have not been broughtto justice just because theywere white, UK citizens and placed in positions of authority. Don’t think some don’t know now.
Just as well frankly – just imagine what the police force would be like if Bvislanders formed the majority of the work force – it would be an absolute disaster!
St vincent nationals top it and they also the worst officers in the force . They’re rotten cops cant be trusted and evil. Do this government do back ground check on them because i know two vincentians officers have a bad record home . They forge fake police record back in st vincent dont talk about the drivers license imagine my coworker girlfriend sint went back st vincent in 4 yrs stay right here send her money back st vincent getand next week her license was sent to her never had a license in her life she buy that one .they need cease from hiring officers from vincy there are the wordt and talkative u cant trust any u will soon hear about them one by one exposion
No duh. Who honest virgin islander wants to lock up their brother sister cousin uncle and grandpa for smoking cannabis
We really need to think. Instead we get mercenaries for officers who will do the task for money in a foreign land.
and out of the 66 that are BVIslanders, only 2 want to work shift duties; the majority of expats are on the grinding mill hours.
Can someone tell me why this is News. No one is stopping Bvislanders from joining the force. Absolutely no one. I wonder if I should continue to speak on this topic. I won’t. After spending almost 10yrs in there and knowing what I know I beg you all Bvislanders to please stop it.
I left because of situation beyond my control.Family issues and I had to leave to migrate,not that I was forced to leave or things were bad.
How comfortable and effective will local police officers be to apprehend, investigate and present factual evidence to prosecute their friends, class mates, aunt, cousins and uncles. We have already seen one officer interdicted for tipping off prospective targets of a raid. In such a small society outside police officers may be a plus or the community. However, we sre sll human beings lets just live together. Too much them against us.
It does not matter where they are from as long as they are professional, fair, have ontegrity and do their job.
St Vincent police officers are the worst!!!! Rude, don’t know how to speak with ppl, it crazy that so much of them still have a job. Investigation need to be done on them
@WEW…It’s difficult to find qualified ethical people to work period.
Do any locals want be a police officer?
It’s simple. BVIs is a small place. Everyone knows everyone. There’s a strong code of silence. No one wants to arrest their cousin.
Those locals who are without job especially male I would say them lazy. Its either they dont want to work or they have a bad reputition that persons dont want t hire them as for the female one mart just opened at two locations im sure most unemployed local female could have gone there and work until they get their dream job.
Police Officers are work permit exempt!
I do not blame the locals for not wanting to join the force where you are only paid a stipend and the Caucasians officers are being well paid, the lowest ranked Caucasian is getting more than the DCPs. Waste of time better u make 2 run on the water and set yourself straight.
Pinpoint or list 25 police officers past and present included, who you or the territory could honestly say were men and women of outstanding qualities such as Polite, Orderly, Loyal, Intelligent, Courteous and Efficient. Do not be fooled by those looking smart in their uniform. Look at those who discharged their duties in accordance with the law and are held in high regard by the society.
Easy on the chop suey. It is patently obvious why the RVIPF do not target more BVIslanders for recruitment. It does not need spelling out.