Customs detains over 100 vessels at the Moorings for non-compliance
Her Majesty’s Customs has detained more than one hundred vessels at The Moorings for lack of compliance with government regulations; stating that the charter company was given ample time and extended lenience to get its vessels compliant with regulations.
Yesterday afternoon, officers from Customs and Virgin Island Shipping Registry (VISR) conducted checks on vessels docked at The Moorings to ensure they had a commercial license, safety certificates, and insurance.
Speaking with ZBVI, Senior Customs Officer Sassoon Fahie said non-compliant vessels will be detained until they comply.
She said The Moorings is one of the territory’s largest charter companies and it possesses one of the largest fleets of boats. However, Fahie also said many of its boats have not met Customs’ policy requirements to a standard that would allow them to operate or remain in the territory.
“Our regulations changed in October, and we had a lot of symposiums on what is required to operate on a commercial license and what is expected of your vessel to operate here. These symposiums Moorings attended, and they were aware of what was supposed to be done in order to meet our compliances. However, these were not met,” the Senior Customs Officer said.
Guests and visitors need to be safe
She said most of the vessels had issues with safety certificates or small commercial certificates. For compliance, the Shipping Registry conducts safety checks with high water alarms, propane detectors to ensure the boat tourists are boarding are safe to be in the territory’s waters.
Fahie said since the importers are the VISR, the laws must be enforced, and vessels must meet the requirements of all entities to continue operating.
The Senior Customs Officer said operators at The Moorings have said the supply and demand change along with the number of vessels they have has hindered them from being fully compliant with Virgin Islands boating policies.
“As you know, the traffic season started from November 4 and we are here in March. The Department has been lenient and understanding but at some point, the department must take charge and make it so that everyone has a level playing field. We have other operators that are compliant and it’s only fair the Moorings are complying,” Fahie said.
Over 60 detained on Scrub Island
She said while persons are calling for the boats to operate without the proper paperwork, that cannot happen as there is no price for the safety of tourists.
“If we cannot ensure the safety of our guests when they enter the BVI, we are going to shut down the operation. We cannot put a price on someone’s life. We get a lot of revenue, but we must ensure that any guest or tourist that enters the BVI or go sailing in our waters are safe and the vessels we authorise The Moorings to use with these charters are safe. In terms of revenue, there is no cost to life,” Fahie continued.
The Senior Customs Officer said The Moorings is not the only place the operation is taking place as more than 60 vessels were detained on Scrub Island on Monday because of a lack of compliance to policy.
Offenders in the BVI for more than six months
Fahie said the bigger charter companies have been using the supply excuse to not comply and Customs have been lenient but at some point, the agency must enforce its laws and regulations.
She said The Moorings knew of the situation beforehand and had time to regulate and reshuffle their booking systems to accommodate the checks by Customs. She also said the boats that are in the dock have been in the territory for more than six months and the charter company had ample time to sort out compliance.
Under the territory’s law, a $5,000 fine is applied per vessel for operating without a commercial license or for a private vessel without temporary importation or not imported.
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They are also fading out the local captains for the white south African, that is the next thing the government needs to look at…
When I get my Nigerian inheritance, I gon buy the 100 boats
Partna your picture on the Facebook scammer page big and broad. Yuh need to stop that f@!×
You need help dawg before you try pay people you owe and fix your apartments, you up and down but Nigerian inheritance
He want 2 hard thump when he down western union
Look what you come to smh and always acting boastful
Nigeria or Ghana???
Premier Fahie told the territory during a press conference on March 11, 2022, that the changing of the Cruising Permit Legislation and enacting the Cruising Permit and Home Port Act, 2021 have given “BVI-Registered home-based companies owned by Virgin Islanders” the competitive advantage to create and secure jobs for Virgin Islanders.
Is this the reason for shutting down Moorings in the middle of the season?
why you even defending non-compliance.
bet you not from here
The entire BVI is non-compliant
– Government does not follow its own rules (SEE COI)
– Government burns waste open air
– Government does not maintain roads
– Government does not audit annual financial accounts
– Government does not maintain buildings
– Government does not insure their fleet of cars and truck
Shall I go on?????
The government is their own enemy to the BVI
Do as I say, not as I do!
You are 100 percent correct.
Seems unbalanced that the yachting industry is being crucified with over-regulation and rules while tourists travel in overloaded homemade safari busses with no seatbelts. And we are being stopped for propane sniffers.
Nonsence that the charters companies not in compliance have to pay a fine. If the boats are at the dock because they do not have clearance to go out why are they being fined. It’s not like they went out without a permit and break the laws. They are at the dock being detained. Its not that the companies dont want to be in compliance. Stuff to be in compliance were not available for local purchase. I dont think they are available to this day.
Good defense. If that’s the case their lawyer has an easy task. However, I hope they can prove that the boats at fault have not been in charter.
If one is paying attention you will see the boats close to the road going and coming sometimes the area is empty then at other times there are lots of vessels.
It is for humanitarian reasons only.
They were looking for a bribe like any other offcial in the BVI`s.
The captains all have to pass a licensing exam, not an easy one… BVIslanders and guest workers alike. If the local captains don’t have a license, no insurance!
I’ve had it with that white south african, always swaggering around with his white south african..ess. I know a white south african, I wonder if he/she is THE white south african.
Another racist belonger
One of many. One of way too many……
It seems that you are racist. Why not just say South African?
Same reaaon you all say black American
Did you mean African – American?
The boat manufacturers made a separate place for crew the locals need to start using it and not to be in a cabin made for the guest. If the SA person accepted to sleep in the crew quarters and local refused to who you think would get the job???
For God’s sake. Post constructive criticisms.
Yup.. and some, of them so blinking disrespectful… it’s sad… (white South African captains that is )
Mooring come down in the island and pull out from the British virgin Islands
We not so harsh
Everyone must comply,no matter where you are from.
Good to know
Don’t you love it that in the last 40 years customs has not touched a single fast boat in the territory for ‘compliance’ but happily disrupts a licensed business and holiday plans of hundreds of visitors. Makes you wonder who actually pays the head of customs..
Of course they issue warnings to the owners of go fast vessels. The difference is that the owners may have only one vessel and he compliesvwith the requirements to remain in business.
somewhat clueless you are? I was referring to our treasured 3rd pillar..
Customs get who they can! Why don’t the moorings go fast too? It’s as simple as complying with simple rules.
Ask the ferry owners if they could operate between the us i and the Bvi without having everything the us I requires. They too have to get inspection certificates annually and if a “t” is nit crossed they will not receive that certificate until it’s done.
Why be upset with customs for enforcing regulations. This is the easiest place to get anything.
Shooting the goose that laid the golden egg?
In this market there are many geese producing golden eggs.
One goose producing rotten eggs can’t stop the show. It simply makes it stinky and spoils the show .
The Moorings and Dream yacht already have opened up bases in the USVI, they can operate the majority with very little red tape.
Remember the Moorings we’re originally based in St Thomas and if I were on the board of directors I’d be looking at how the USVI stayed open during Covid, has direct flights in from the US and has substantially invested wisely & heavily in making the USVI much more charter friendly with the Federal grants it’s received.
It’s only a matter of time and I have to say it’s much easier to actually charter. You can fish, jet ski, catch your own lobster….the writings on the wall BVI
Where they going sail? From st Thimas to St Jihn and back
They recently announced you could sail freely between USVI and BVI
No they didn’t- different thing. If you are compliant you can come to BVI from USVI. If you are a US national you can work commercially in USVI. The recent announcement was just about a licensing agreement that will only affect water taxis. Not the regular charter boats.
That’s the mistake they made. They wasn’t to please everyone and putting nails in their coffins without realizing it.
Prob with usvi is the sailing and the island destinations it offers does not compare to the island destinations the BVI offers
Tourist and folks know all the best things in life are more difficult to obtain ?
St Thomas is a great destination, great sailing, fabulous moorings available and certainly less hassle than going to BVI. Slaying the golden goose!
Takes you under 2 hrs to clear in at Sopers Hole, and a short sail from Cruz Bay. Hell, lot of the BVI yacht charter guests come in from St Thomas in the ferry already because the airlift is so inconvenient.
I just got back from the BVI. Flew into Beef through San Juan and water taxi this morning from the moorings base to Red Hook. BVI is far more fun and interesting and they have made it better and better as the years go by. Give me a st Thomas or st John comparison to Foxys, soggy dollar, Willy T, Saba Rock, etc or the natural beauty of the baths, dogs, Indians, caves. The BVI is the better destination for sailing, fun, nature and the remote feel. and I will ONLY fly in/out of BVI from now on. The transfer is a absolute pain and you have to go through security 3 times before you finally get on a plane and not to mention STT is an absolute nightmare.
Been sailing our 30 groups of 10 in the USVI for the past 2 yrs due to BVI lockdown. It’s been awesome. The hikes in St John are better, the snorkeling is incredible. Want a challenge sail? Go to St Croix. Don’t have the baths, but it’s a small price to pay for a seemless sailing get away. They are adding 100 more mooring balls this year! Believe me, I look forward to getting back to the BVI, but not until things calm down. This appears to be the opposite of that.
Hey Ad, I’m from STT I can pick up and drop off your guest for you.
They will be in Good hands retired Police Officer,
340-642-4949
Hey Ad, I’m from STT I can pick up and drop off your guest for you.
They will be in Good hands retired Police Officer,
340-642-4949
The Moorings were originally based in the BVI’s.
https://www.moorings.com/about-us/company-history
Your premair recently said boats from St. Thomas can come over. ? So what if those companies just go over to St. Thomas and sail in the BVI?? How about that??
I work as a captain out of the USVI for many years, there are still boats that operate illegally here. For example a boat carrying over 6 passengers needs CVLA inspection. Moorings and Dream Yachts run demise charters, or bareboats, but they also operate crewed boats. If its crewed it needs proper American crew with inspection. Bareboats are still a grey area.
A license business whose numerous infractions and noncompliance deems it to be unlicensed.
A worthless license is simply a piece of paper with no value indicating noncompliance.
NOT TRUE
This is one of the largest employer in the BVI yet we harassing them
The two largest companies moorings and dream.
Who are they employing thought????
They are employing whoever Labour department see fot to do the job?
So you couldn’t have achieved the same thing in a meeting with the Moorings? That 100 out of what 300-400 boats they have in their fleet??
they had symposiums.
you know what that means?
They were offered the opportunity to meet with the Moorings and the offer was not taken up
Somebody going sue somebody…Either guests, moorings, sunsail or government
These are my sentiments as well.
Exactly they going get sue this is nonesense that is a high charge
Do all those Go Fasts of the Colombian Parcel Service have all the necessary certificates?
No one ever checks to see of course because that might interfere with certain peoples real business.
Rubber duck, it seems like you just came up with a new business venture. Why don’t you check and pass on the information to the task force!
VIP killing tourism, fishing and farming…………….Killing the goose that lays the golden egg
Please elaborate on how VIP is affecting farming, fishing and tourism?
(We don’t hear much about the BVIs on St Croix).
The Moorings has been getting away with a lot and its time to crack down on them but this is the wrong time remember two wrongs don’t make a right. when Customs make a move like this its hurting the BVI more than the Moorings or any other charter company, the VIP government is driving the charter business away. The government spend a lot of money advertising the BVI only to turn around and do something like this. If the Moorings brake the law yes they should be punished but not in this way we are hurting ourselves.
How go you suggest it is dealt with? It seems like they had many warnings that we only just heard about, but they failed to make the necessary changes, so what was next?
I bet the vessels they moved to the USVI are compliant.
Well, for one thing, Customs and VISR could have announced their new policies at the beginning of the low season, rather than the beginning of the high season. That way, there would have been plenty of time to comply whilst keeping a smaller number of boats active. But, this has happened before, when VISR announced, in a December, that certain rules would need to be complied with by the New Year, compliance requiring a haul out. There was no way that all the boats could be hauled out by the New Year, and the Holiday Season is the busiest two weeks of the chartering year. Fortunately, wisdom prevailed, and a much longer period was granted, and boats complied. Apparently not, this time.
pick on all..or none.
Moorings/Sunsail please send us all your non-compliant BVI yachts. We need more down here because our charter business is booming. The yacht builders and the insurance companies for the past 50 years have allowed only safe yachts to charter here so the USVI does not have any superfluous legislation, licenses and fees to burden our charter industry. Thanks again BVI for inducing more charter yachts to base in the USVI forever.
Hahahahahahaha safe yachts. That is the funniest thing I have seen all day. I guess you don’t actually know anything at all about yachts…….or safety.
Apparently you don’t become them said companies were allowed to operate just liked for decades. Suddenly its a problem now. Dream and Moorings lost so many boats by Irma the companies trying to get back up. The marina for dream was so damages the had to move. The companies arr trying to be in compliance apparently some of the stuff needed are not available they have tp be manufactured.
I Will repeat again, you say you doing this to save lives???????
What about your residents in the West and your fuc …..garbage burning ?
Anything to harass and make money. I hope they close and move to usvi. That will be your lesson
Not to mention that BVI taxis have never seen a day of maintenance running of the road and killing tourists. No one sees those reports. Moorings has 300+ boats, do you think they could all be compliant in 5 months when it takes 4 MONTHS to get ONE work permit renewed? Stop the madness!
Solution- Moorings stay and this government goes!
Effectively, BVI Customs are shooting the BVI in its own foot.
The mafia at HM Customs are solely and only here to feed the treasury. They wear blinkers when it comes to the egregious effects of their damaging enforcement policies on the economy as a whole. The atmosphere Customs has engendered can only redescribed as “adversarial”.
No good will come of this.
To feed their treasury you mean.
Shooting themselves in the foot to feed their Treasury… which likely someone, or many someones are skimming. So true!!
BVI is destroying their reputation and yachting industry.
I personally know of six yacht buyers that have been shaken down in the last three months by BVI Custom’s “temporary import fee” scam. Whereby the government magically has zero paperwork or records of fees paid, so if one cannot produce a back record (consisting of pieces of paper receipts from over the years and through hurricanes) then they must pay the full 10% hull value import fee, plus a $5000 “fine” (read bribe) or have their new boat impounded indefinitely. The yacht brokers know this and aren’t telling buyers because they know they would lose the sale!
So every buyer leaves with this taste of “BVI Love” in their mouths and an empty wallet… Is this a proper way to operate a country? No, and word gets around. These people are criminals, using extortion.
Yes, @Customs is corrupt.
Since this is only about the money, why does Customs have to cover their sham operation with soooo much paperwork, other than to justify the existence of the bureaucrats employed in this scam operation.
If it’s only about the money (which it is), collect the money and give them a receipt and send them on their merry way, but stop – Please stop! – trying to drown the BVI in completely bogus bureaucracy, red tape, and paperwork. That part of this is what’s criminal.
Is this BVILOVE?
BVI Customs missed the BVI Love memo.
Yeah, because they were too busy filling the coffers with their own form of “love”!
It not wha yo do, its how and when yo do it
Oh Boy – The level of incompetence is staggering. Lets see what you did here. You ruin a few hundred tourists vacations. Cost the local economy big $$ by messing up trips to bars and restaurants…for safety.
Give me a moment to check how many boaters have been injured from not having a safety certificate aboard…Number is in the high zero’s
What about doing this – inform Moorings that operating the boat without required documentation will result in a $5000 fine. Fine them for operating the boat every time its chartered. Trust me Moorings would move heaven and earth to comply in record time. Result would be Millions in government revenues, Tourists not alienated and Moorings being compliant. The lack of imagination is clear – All Fahie’s must go!!!
@Genius Customs wrote: “Cost the local economy big $$ by messing up trips to bars and restaurants…for safety.”
Not for safety in any way, shape or form. Don’t kid yourself. This os only about money. BVI Customs could give a flying ____ about boating safety. $$$ is the only thing they see.
self appointed superior ones are at it again.
Nothing irrates them more than having to follow the rules of and pay money to a Black man….
An uncomfortable truth they are not matured enough yet to accept and change.
Just do an analysis of the comments to find profound push back against self imposed priviledge, false superiority, underlying and implicit hatred.
But the racist belonger is in charge…
If not them, then who? You and yours? Will we not be then, the recepients of unspeakable racism and more?
Yet another example of white people thinking they could do what they want in OUR territory.
I bet you are a lot of fun at parties.
Is them who bring the second set of indigenous here
What a display of BVI LOVE.
Happily winning a battle while losing the war.
Surely we are better than this.
Only the priviledged mentality thinks in such a manner.
The laws and rules of a, any all countries must be followed by all, not just a few, while others come and do as they please.
Customs has full right to enforce its laws, just as any other country would.
But they dont, do they. Non payment of land taxes, employees contributions to income tax, social security, NH, ALL GO UNPUNISHED.
Customs don’t handle those! Obviously they would have been dealt with. Different strokes for different folks!
I hope the BVI Tourist Board has assigned more than just one person full-time to deal with every damaging move that BVI Customs makes.
How about enforcing rules on wearing helmets and insuring motorbikes? We have about several deaths per year on actual accidents..no enforcement to be seen by customs when these bikes are imported illegally!
“None Sense “ agreed but punish the company not our visitors.
isn’t drug running a commercial operation ? Lets check them for licenses & insurance
It is a shame!! The country is heading for a COMPLETE Daiaster . We give this government a chance to
Prove themselves. But they are the ruin of this country ,
Breaking down
Fattening themselves with allowances
Giving contracts to their friends
While the rest of the country go hungry
Wake up BVI we are in big Trimble
@ I love your comment because I was thinking the same thing.
@ None Sense, Do you feel the same way about the Scooter Rides who brake the law everyday and nothing is done about them? instead of making the BVI money they cost the BVI money.
So its ok for a company to break the laws of the Virgin Islands because they employ so many person and etc. I think they had adequate time to get in order and I am sure this was not the first time they were pressured to get in order with the compliance. The BVI has an culture of allowing law breaking because of wealth or what this or that person did for who, at the end of the day the law is the law and no where should be breaking the law be justified. Cause might as well I start driving up main as I did in the pass. The Cycle got to break somewhere somehow.
We love breaking the law and being non compliant…. do as I say not as I do …. our government is the biggest example.
We always bounce back!
Andrew Fahie, You just lost 1000’s of votes. Give you a chance and ruin it. And the hurtful part is you don’t even care. Greg Romney…I really don’t know what you’re trying to prove. But every dog have them day.
Get ready for Fahies cover up on why it happened. Lol
The Govt better prepare for law suits..look stupidness.
The VIP is anti business……….Time will tell
is really defending this madness!?! There are so many other ways to enforce your policies without making a public spectacle of it. You and your stormtroopers approached this with pettiness and with a complete and utter disregard for the industry at large. In other words you missed the big picture. Yes we know you scrambling for funds so we get the fines but slapping signs with ratty tape on boats with the customs agents on the dock looking lost sends a bad message to the customers and a great message to the USVI, St Martin and the Grenadines ( our regional sailing competition). You should be ashamed of yourself and your stormtroopers!
Boats being sold and sailed all over the world since over 25 years without any major issues and complying with International Standards are considered a risk on a tiny island in the Caribbean. What an arrogance. What about cars? Is Does a new Volvo or Mercedes pass their safety standards?
when it comes to the commercial boats. There are local rustbuckets with no discernable safety equipment, waved through by VISR, only caught if they go to USVI or PR by the US Coast Guard. The cruise ships are allowed to burn their incinerators in the middle of Road Town. Level playing field indeed!
What I don’t understand is why now? Since October they had the symposium and then here you are 5 months later at the back end of a busy comeback season and you seizing boats? Would it not be better to wait until the end of the season which is in a Month’s time to take such action? If safety was such an urgency you would think it would be better to organize this before the season?
They were not listening. Stuff to be in compliance were not available for local purchase. They few that were here maybe the smaller companies rushed to purchased them. Also newly bought fire extinguishers still have to be inspected and tagged at the purchaser expanse.
All this comes as the United Nations gets their claws into our country. International regulations! Global governance. Soon your children will be taught “Gender Studies” in school. Mark my words and wake tf up!! Ultimate agenda of “you will own nothing”… look it up!! Only the ultra wealthy who own businesses in foreign countries will be permitted to travel freely because its “on business”… how will our tourist industry fare then. No worries they will have all you on universal basic income .(look it up).. digital so they can control how you spend it. Welcome to agenda 2030 or in our case Agenda 2036 because we slow and they want to milk us for so we are worth.
Honestly I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. This region has and always will rely on tourism dollars to keep their economy propped up. Remove that/spit-in-the-face of those providing that money, and they’ll happily take their money elsewhere and not think twice as the BVI’s economy withers away. Frankly I look forward to it, and good riddance. Blame your elected officials. You’re the ones causing your own demise
Try breaking the rules in the USA or any other civilized country and see if you can negotiate your way out of a fine, beg for a meeting, or tell them it’s busy season.
So the boats are in the marina sitting and yet being fined. They had no permits so it’s not like they went put and break the rules?? Just wow. The affected workers should go to custom and the premeir office at the end of the month for their salary.
BVI, charter companies can no longer be trusted because their government’s judgement cannot be trusted. When a family puts thousands of their dollars into a charter that is ruined without notice they tell all their sailing friend who tell their friends. The multiplier is probably 10X in a very small community. Next will come negative coverage in the sailing and trade press. The internet archives of these stories will pop up every time someone researches chartering for years to come. As many others have noted USVI, and the down islands will all benefit. The timing couldn’t be worse since the islands are still in fragile recovery from devastating hurricane damage.
I say this as a frequent, 100+ day charterer. I no longer trust a BVI Charter because the BVI govt. is tone deaf to the harm they caused to the families they stranded and the the reputation their islands once had.
You are 100% correct. The pissed off charter clients will head back home and go on every sailing forum, facebook etc discussing the BVI govt incompetence and obvious corruption. BVI already left a bad taste with many sailors on how they handled Covid. This will not end well.
Ms. Fahie you l**ng the charter companies showed you the receipt of rhe local businesses they are using to import the stuff for them. You saw the date when those stuff were ordered. The local businesses informed your department that because of Covid those detectors and stuff have to be manufactued. They are not using the excuses you mentioned, overseas and local businesses did not had them in stock. So no one using excuses but your department.
The company is not in compliance and we totally understand that. But do not let the guests suffer. Customs is playing a major role in the downfall of our tourism industry. Plenty of locals are in the tourism industry because yall only like to hire yall family members in government post. Our (CURRENT) government is our own enemy. Deal with Moorings privately as well as all other charter companies. Don’t let our tourism industry suffer. Don’t let our local people suffer. We took a hard blow through the pandemic now this. Not good for elections.
Then look at the HOG them they have working in Customs. Disrespecting the Moorings guests on the docks.
Mr Andrew Fahie plz give the boating industry until 2023 to get their stuff in order we just been through Irma Maria and a pandemic call of the dogs customs need to relax. The college is backed up with people trying to get their license…
Give them more time again..get outta here with that crap… they have gotten away long enough…
One term govt. They got to go and we don’t want NDP or none of them that ran already we need a whole new party
I arrived from New York ro ouck up my charter qith my wife and 3 hapoy excited kids from Moorings . We cannot gain access to the boat and we are not only deeply disappointed bur we read here of tremendous discrimination of “white people” we are not only affected by the situation but by the discrimination here. We have canceled our hotel and left for USVI NEVER to return here where you dislike our skin color to add insult to injury.We will never return. The New York times has read your comments. Thank you for your honesty . Now we know hownyoubfeel about us . Disappointed American family
Yawn
If this doesn’t read as the fakest comment on here….
The head of Customs destroying the tourism sector single,handedly. The Rom..y boy following his every footstep. Power hungry ..unk
Bull shiggidy shyt!! The customs officials are doing their job. They are doing what any human, in any country, US, EU, AF. Carib or other are tasked to do.
Last, why do some people feel entitled, think and behave that they are above the law of another man’s country, so they can go in it and do as they god damn please?
Sorry about how you took this the point is that we must abide by the laws of the land. No Bvi belonged dear go to the USA and operate a business without following protocols and get away with it. They will be jailed for a very long time. Some of the things those charter companies are failing to do are simple but they have been getting away for too long. What is difficult about having fire extinguishers and life vests for the number of guests a vessel is licensed to carry and other minor things. They are just willful. You sir, should take up your issues with the moorings and make sure they have a properly compliant vessel to give you. Don’t take this personal. Customs did not know you were coming to the Bvi.
I truly hope you enjoy your vacation in the bvi
I fully support these moves by government for two reasons
#1 If a tourist dies on one of those vessels god forbid and it’s found that government agencies have not been enforcing the correct safety standards including certification, then the VI could be faced with one single law suit totaling over 20million which is the current total of all lawsuits we currently owe.
#2 y’all and seemingly especially foreigners love complaining about the lawlessness of the VI, now you get what was asked for. Ask those companies make so much profit they are going no where, and they usually hire forgeiners instead of investing in the local high schools and community college to prepare young persons for participation in this lucrative industry.
Oh and to the offended visitor…. We are not racist for pointing out discrepancies.
I however am severely offended when your police KILL blacks on the street with no court case or in their homes with botched racially profiled raids.
Tell the New York Times to recap “I can’t breathe” – Eric gardner, New York
“I’m dying” – George Floyd, Minneapolis
Not to forget Muhammad Aubrey chased down by super racist white people and killed simply for jogging in their neighborhood.
You know what I’m also offended about the bombs y’all dropped on innocent brownskinned middle eastern and North African people including their children up to last year, oh wait I mean this year.
Please don’t lecture us about racism because the mess y’all create globally is too long for me to regurgitate and there is currently still rampant racism in America which you should probably look at cleaning up instead of judging persons by online comments instead of interacting with local people on the ground who would have been more than happy to help you enjoy your unexpectedly upturned vacation.
let the New York Times feature that please I beg.
Your careful examination of the facts is impressive indeed for someone who probably only recently learned how to read.
@Bvi lander
It’s clearly NOT about safety. Remember, it’s BVI Customs – Their sole concern is throwing good money after more good money down the gaping maw that is the BVI Treasury.
The damage is already done. They done messed with tourist vacations even with all the COVID hoop silliness. Now the government is just trying to “punish” The Moorings. There is a small person somewhere in government that wants to feel bigger.
Moorings Website Today:
“The Moorings is aware of the ongoing situation in the BVI regarding the changes to industry-wide customs regulations which are causing delays and cancellations for some charter guests. We have been working closely with the BVI Government to comply with the updated requirements and are progressing as swiftly as the process will allow. Due to the size of our fleet in the BVI and the relatively short time frame, a number of our yachts are still awaiting the requisite documentation.
We continue to work with our partners in the BVI Government to resolve this short-term challenge as swiftly as possible. We sincerely regret the impact this is having on some of our guests, and are actively contacting all those affected to discuss their options.”
Also on Moorings website today:
“We are happy to announce that our St. Thomas base is now open.”
They Mornings should have had no more than 10 vessels noncompliant because they should have been able to switch life vests, fire extinguishers, tanks or whatever from those 10 to make the others compliant while they wait on their supply. It appears as though none of the vessels have holes or damaged masks etc., so it cannot be that serious for them to have so many noncompliant vessels. Some of it is carelessness on the part of management.
A lot if those vessels are privately owned and the mornings act as the agent, so I wonder if the owners even knew that their vessels were deemed noncompliant.
The UK codes that require propane gas sniffers aboard french built and other charter yachts is a clear over reaction by bureaucratic ‘experts’ with no experience or knowledge of the engineering science in the design and construction of a sealed propane system for heating and cooking aboard a yacht.
Our nose are good enough lol. Also they are refusing type 11 lifejackets that are already approved by us coast guard.
I think we should applaud this department for doing their job and condemn the other departments that are not doing theirs.
We just got back from a 2 month charter in BVI. After 1 month we had an appointment to get an extension. It was the most degrading experience I have had since grade school. The Lady could not have been ruder to me. My wife wanted us just to go home and forfeit our 19,000$ we had already paid for the first month. I wont be coming back to your islands, which is a shame I always give outsized tips to everyone, because your people have beautiful souls.
I love the BVI but it is a place where the government, white collar people, the government,and even the taxi drivers will nickel and dime non-belongers in order to bleed them to death.
The immigration in the air port sucks they act like u going to usa a little island ? like that the stupid black people
U perfectly right
Blessings
As usual, most of the comments here are irrelevant BS. What’s the deal these days. Everyone has an irrelevant opinion on a unrelated topic. If they’re in violation then they need to get into compliance. Same for government buildings, vehicles, etc. Focus on making things right not just pointing at someone or something off topic.
More $$$ for us in the USVI…..LOL Thanks