Expat looters to be deported

Deputy Premier Dr Kedrick Pickering has said expatriate residents who were involved in post-hurricane looting will be deported from the British Virgin Islands.

While speaking during a recent community forum, Pickering said the government has already held discussions on the issue.

“We have all agreed that those persons should be dealt with according to the law and we’ve also said that where the governor has powers to deport such individuals that they should be deported. So it is an issue that has not gone unnoticed and it is one that will be dealt with according to the laws of the country,” Pickering said, adding that a number of perpetrators have been caught.

So far, some offenders have been sentenced to several hours of community service or a fine.

But under law, it is said the governor ‘may’ order a deportation of any non-Belonger convicted of an offence in the territory that is punishable with imprisonment of three months or more.”

Stricter penalties; gov’t workers looted too

While noting that BVIslanders also participated in looting, government minister Marlon Penn called for stricter penalties for local offenders.

“Some of our own people took part in that disgusting behaviour. Persons that work for the government looted rum shops; looted all these establishments. All these persons should be brought to court, brought to justice, and dealt with accordingly,” Penn said.

“I would support us even raising the penalties for some of these people. I will champion that as well. So you have our support. All of us as elected members are disgusted by this behaviour and we cannot allow this to continue in our territory,” he added.