Customs was under COI pressure; integrity questioned — Premier
Public officers — particularly those within Her Majesty‘s Customs — were under some degree of pressure from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) before last week’s crackdown on delinquent vessels in the charter yacht industry.
Premier Andrew Fahie gave that indication during a joint press conference with the Commissioner of Her Majesty‘s Customs, the Director of the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry, the Director of the BVI Tourist Board and the Vice President of Operations at The Moorings.
Several companies, including The Moorings were heavily fined and penalised last week for being delinquent with government regulations.
“The public officers have been under quite some strain over the last year or so, especially Customs, from the Commission of Inquiry stating clearly certain areas that they were questioning on whether the enforcements were being done or not and questioning in terms of what I would call the integrity of the organisation to some extent,” Premier Fahie said.
He expressed that where there were clear laws to be enforced, the Customs Department did not just enforce those laws, but continued to work with all the agencies to ensure that they fell in line with new and existing regulations and gave a timeframe for them to do so.
While adding further clarity to his remarks, the Premier stated: “All public officers, including Customs, were under the microscope to see if they have been true to the letter of all policies and all laws.“
As a result of this, he said officers would have been mindful to ensure they stayed true to any policies or legislation that was in place.
However, Premier Fahie denied that this pressure is what led to last week’s crackdown.
Meanwhile, the Premier said it would be difficult to say what time was most appropriate to conduct a law enforcement exercise, adding that he had seen persons inconvenienced through the actions of law enforcement all around the world.
“When it happens in the BVI, we are smaller and it’s mushroomed and I understand the question from a tourism angle. But I would say that it’s a challenge when these things happen but we also have to look at safety,“ the Premier said in response to a question about whether last week’s crackdown could have been handled differently.
He further noted that the issue of the Virgin Islands’ reputation was also at stake and suggested that the flip side of the safety of all stakeholders needed to be examined.
According to the Premier, the issue of law enforcement in such instances is almost a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” business.
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So this is the excuse being used for such an arsinine decision to hurt our charter industry? Do you understand the ripple effects in the local economy of your heavy handed and short sighted decision? BVI we picked the wrong person for Premier
You can’t be serious??
Sheep
So the safety angle eh? Out of all the accidents on boats in the BVI I would say 99% are down to credit card captains who are allowed to take out a boat with zero qualifications and little experience.
@ Wrong choice.
I still don`t see what the COI has to do with the Moorings or others. So if Fahie didn’t call for the COI, What would he have done about the Yachting Industry.
Earthquake = COI
Hurricane = COI
GAS Prices = COI
Bug up his a$$ = COI
Itchy b@lls = COI
So, who will put the pressure on the customs officers who help the criminals to import drugs,guns,humans etc.?????????????????????????
How many charter companies owned by locals were fined? Did they pick up all the canceled charters?
‘Scum, just like cream, settles at the top.’
customs is allegedly corrupt to the core and it starts at the top
You cannot make that up. Now it is the COI fault? None compliance should have been handled in a diplomatic manner without ruining Tourists vacation. We spend millions on advertisement to end up with incidents like this to do great damage to the charter-industry. If the Moorings and DYC were not compliant they are not going to admit to it and blame the Government for not having the booked yachts available for their guests. That will taint our reputation not the so-called safety violations.
Those companies were just asking for 2 to 3 more weeks to get everything in place. The local suppliers could not met the Hugh demands by those companies thus the equipment had to be manufactured. yes even overseas did not had them so the had to be manufactured.
So you don’t know you were to put things in place before now what about people’s lives
It’s for the children right?
The horror
THE VIP HAS GOT TO GO
Who will replace them, not saying I am a fan of this current government because I am not.
Because all past government before this one had their ups and downs, their good days and bad days.
But the question is WHO will replace them. Is it you, is it Marlon Penn, how about Mitch Turnbull.
They both in two term was with NDP and did nothing while their party also many things last election Airplane deal millions gone, High School building we all know what irma did with it and up to now still have a half destroyed building still sitting on campus in town
Sewage in problem in east end years can’t get fix Now Marlon on the opposite want to be bringing it up
Dude when you and your party was in you should of been pushing to have that done
Pollitrics and the games they play.
So yes REALLY this whole system ish need to done away with
Which all past Government? May I remind you that the only other Government ever in power was the NDP who in total did 3 terms (12 years), compared to the VIP’s 40+ years of ruling this country. None better than the other but enough of the comparison! We can all agree who is the worse of the two evil. VIP GOTS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, Amanda Milling, the UK Minister for the Overseas Territories is certainly seeing life in the BVI fast lane during her visit. The arrest of a substantial part of the BVI Charter fleet, a fatal accident involving a scooter and a police vehicle, and, shooting outside a supermarket. I am sure she will return to London with fond memories of her visit.
Did he really say that?? Customs is under scrutiny for being crooked. There are people in customs as part of the joint security council that made questionable decisions during Covid which showed they were likely crooked and this was flagged by the many people in the yachting industry who had been helping provided security via radar around the territory.
Boats running and being called into the ops room but nothing being done about them on a consistent basis. The entire crackdown on the marine industry is payback.
Andrew we give you one chance and you messed it up
Are you really blaming the COI for this? Unbelievable
I don’t believe a word of that.
Customs very much ought to be under scrutiny by the CoI. Some shenanigans there.
They hassle charter yachts, they are soft targets, but do nothing regarding the vessels supporting the “third leg” of the local economy.
Hon. Premier, don’t kid us! This has nothing to do with vessel safety, it’s all about the money – “Show me the money!” said Customs.
If your pitbulls at Customs had given fair warning to the charter fleet Hon. Premier, not a mere ten days before season kicked off, perhaps compliance could have been achieved. If the CoI nails Customs – good on them!
Make no mistake, BVI Customs wrote this script all by themselves with pain being the intention, and they are thrilled to be dumping fines on people, all the while singing to h_ll with our tourism product.
Premier are you referring to the COI that YOU pressured the Governor to bring here.
I’m not seeing the link up to this idiotic Customs move. But ok.
You fools keep making everything political. The COI have all government departments under investigation. People keep saying give this charter company a break but the laws are the laws. Customs were interrogated by the COI for the disappearing money and the security barges. We have seen government under scrutiny for not following procedures and laws. The charter companies had a 5 month break how many chances do these businesses get before somebody start to say they only get a break because this person got shares in this or know someone that works there. We know y’all people well. Just a bunch of fake outrage but let some gossip come out then y’all would turn on government for giving a break if they did.
Call election now,had enough of these fools.
On March 17 2022 this is what the Premier said was the reason to detain over 100 Moorings boats:
“The Government wants to ensure that local and visiting customers who vacation on the boats are safe,” the Government’s statement issued today, March 17 indicated.
The statement added, “The Government cannot afford to put the lives of the captain, crew and clients in jeopardy; and run the risk of having a major maritime accident involving loss of lives in BVI waters – especially where non-compliant vessels were licensed for commercial use by the Government. This will project a negative image of the BVI commercial recreational sector as an unsafe maritime destination.”
One week later on Monday March 21 this is what the Premier said is the reason to detain the Moorings boats: Public officers — particularly those within Her Majesty‘s Customs — were under some degree of pressure from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) before last week’s crackdown on delinquent vessels in the charter yacht industry. The public officers have been under quite some strain over the last year or so, especially Customs, from the Commission of Inquiry stating clearly certain areas that they were questioning on whether the enforcements were being done or not and questioning in terms of what I would call the integrity of the organization to some extent,” Premier Fahie said.
Andrew Fahie you tell more untruths than a 5 year old, you must be thinking that we are all stupid people, you need to stop because most of the people don’t believe a word you say.
What I can’t understand is why Shipping Registry is pushed aside from doing their jobs, they are the ones that check the safety on boats and all of a sudden its customs. When Captains first took their STCW they were told it’s a onetime thing I was told by a friend now when you go to renew your captains license you have to renew your STCW at a cost over $700.00, your government is killing the people of the BVI. What you did last week will put a stain on the BVI for a long time if the UK don’t step in.
Lol so the UK will step in because government enforced their laws lol. Only then the COI would be a joke. The UK is happy that no curry was favored. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. It’s good to see government finally doing something right. The law should not be based on emotion or biases. It isn’t based on how it affects the economy or any individual. It’s supposed to be neutral. The laws should not be flexible. Until the law is changed it must be enforced for all. It’s not right to ignore it. This should be simple now especially after the COI has put the spotlight on the BVI for ignoring laws and policies. The COI will be pleased to see the improvement.
Couple of things:
1. Of course the “law” IS flexible. They keep changing it.
2. Level the playing field. Local commercial ships and ferries have been thumbing their noses at safety “law” for years, at risk to their customers.
3.This is disgraceful posturing by the Premier, whose fingerprints are all over this action.
4. Don’t expect the charter industry again to single-handedly re-invigorate the economy with hundreds of millions of investment dollars, as they did after Irma, after this bungled PR disaster.
Foolishness Getting at Moorings because they offered their boats for Free and you looking bad because you give all tax payers Money to the Midnight Robbers So now you making it look like Moorings Boats Couldn’t to the Job.You to D**n Pettie like Pettie Bettie The Goat. You should stay West End and Manage your House Project and the Bridge work. Leave Tourism to the Exports in the City.You will Kill every money maker for Government if you Don’t Keep out the City. You knows nothing about business..
If you were really concerned about safety there would be police out on the water enforcing some basic rules of the road… must have lights on boats traveling at night.. Speeding in no wake zones… how about just at least a ticket of some sort if you run someone over… even when they die nothing happens here if you are local… BVI Love should be changed to BVI Money
this BIG guy called for the COI now he got it , he blaming them ,he needs to be in Hollywood / what next ?
We the people of the BVI need a government with department heads that are pro business, not pit bull heads of departments. These pit bulls are destroying the lucrative charter industry and tarnishing the image of the BVI in the worldwide sailing community. When will they ever learn…….
The COI is looking at customs for not doing their job during pandemic. Sitting on barges not going after drug runners. not putting in radar stations on land because they dont want to catch the Drug runners.
I will not be coming back. 25 years sailing in the BVI> The BVI will be without any viable livelihood without the sailing community. No one will be willing to invest in any future endeavours if they see the charter industry been shaken down as it has this year.
I will not be coming back. The BVI will be without any viable livelihood without the sailing community. No one will be willing to invest in any future endeavours if they see the charter industry been shaken down as it has this year.
I will not be coming back. 25 years sailing in the BVI> The BVI will be without any viable livelihood without the sailing community. No one will be willing to invest in any future endeavours if they see the charter industry been shaken down as it has this year.