Immigration bottleneck ‘a good problem to have’ — Premier
Tourists have been complaining about the BVI’s capacity to process travellers at the West End Ferry dock, and Premier Andrew Fahie has described those bottleneck concerns as ‘a good problem’.
Tourists and boat operators were recently held up at the port of entry and have since made calls for Customs and Immigration officers as well as health officials to extend their hours to accommodate the heavy influx of passengers.
Asked at a recent press conference how his administration was responding to the challenge, Premier Fahie said the government is currently discussing how to deal with the matter overall.
“It’s a good problem to have compared to where we were,” Premier Fahie said. “It’s not a good thing to have the problem, don’t misunderstand me.”
“We are putting things in place to deal with that matter at the West End ferry and other areas because when we are finished with the plan that is on foot — that is now starting to come to fruition — you will see that we have many ports of entry for international travellers,” the Premier stated.
He told reporters that his government is also looking into getting ferry boats that will be coming to and from the West End port. The Premier explained that this was a means of jumpstarting West End-based small businesses such as food vendors and taxi operators.
The Premier said his government stuck to its plan, despite claims from detractors that they gave away the BVI’s marine and tourism industries to its next-door neighbours in the US Virgin Islands.
“We needed to have these mitigation procedures and protocols in place to help our people to be able to make it through COVID-19 and we saw that they were very onerous on private sector especially — and even on government — because we didn’t have any revenues basically coming in to any large extent like we’re accustomed to. So we went through some very serious financial times,” Premier Fahie added.
Despite the challenges, Fahie said the BVI was one of the few Overseas Territories to report that it was not in deficit spending – a feat he described as admirable.
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That vaccine got the premier talking out of his head?
Can’t blame the VAXX, he lost the plot a long time ago.
More likely the other end.
Listen to this … man we have for a leader. Disorganization is a good problem to have? Are you serious dude?
Not sure it will be a good problem when they don’t bother coming back in future years after their experience
How can making it difficult for visitors to enter be a good thing? They will not come back.
Hello friends, you would need to travel to othere countries to appreciate the challenges facing nations across planet earth especially in Immigration and Emmigration. It is no mean feat to get the economy jumpstarted the way it’s been done in BVI. I want to believe that most of these comments are unintended sarcasms or lighter moods and nothing to be serious about. On a more serious note, BVI is fortunate for having Andrew Fahie in the saddle of power in the BVI.
The economy hasn’t been jump-started by the Government. It dropped 19% in 2020 and the workforce has contracted. The BVI has not done well compared to other countries with superior planning. If it were not for financial services, over which the Government itself has little control (thank goodness), things would be much worse. Going forward, we can stay cocooned, isolated and drifting, or plan, invest and move ahead.
Nuts. Gov. where is UK? We need them NOW
When you outside looking you see every hole but when you in your shadow blocks the hole. It is easy to face the key board of your smart phone and criticise the government for not doing this not doing that and you will be the same ba**ard to bash 5hem for doing what you want them to do. I am not a big fan of them too but we need to understand that philosophy ” you can’t please mankind. A few months ago we were bashing the government for not opening the country now the open the country is an other problem. Please use the blogs as well to remind your friends, families ,visitors to adhere to the covid-19 protocols for to have a good Christmas and a wonderful new years.
It’s really stupid to make a statement like that.
I heard the Premier is pushing for this project to become a reality but he has big bolders In his way…He need the support. Get those bolders out of the way,, The People responsible need to get working. Make it happen…It’s a good thing..
Wow, just wow. What a Clown a** comment