BVI News

Local legislators want immediate lockdown! Cabinet to decide today

In light of the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the territory, most legislators in the House of Assembly are calling for a more stringent curfew order such as a 24-hour lockdown.

In a statement issued close to midnight] on Sunday, August 30, Premier Andrew Fahie said the public would be informed of a decision on the matter by today, August 31.

He said the decision will follow an informal meeting of the Cabinet.

“The House of Assembly (HOA) held an emergency informal meeting to discuss matters related to COVID-19. All Members of HOA were in attendance on the online meeting,” the Premier explained during his address.

“The meeting was fruitful and concluded with recommendations such as but not limited to an emergency meeting of Cabinet being held to consider options for a more stringent curfew order for the territory to assist in the containment of COVID-19. Other recommendations from the majority of members included but were not limited to the immediate implementation of a new 24-hour curfew of the territory for a minimum of 14 consecutive days,” he added.

More recommendations 

In the meantime, Premier Fahie further said discussions were had surrounding using local expertise to temporarily fill any gap while affected police officers are in quarantine and recuperating. 

“I thank the HOA members for the healthy discussions and recommendations. We are in this together. Given that HOA has a crucial role to play in managing the affairs of the people of the territory, I saw it fit to inform the public of what is being proposed. I, hereby, request of the public that you be in a state of readiness in the eventuality that Cabinet endorses the recommendations coming out of the informal meeting of the House of Assembly,” Fahie stated.

He continued: “I can assure you that whatever decisions Cabinet makes will be in the best interest and safety of the people of the Virgin Islands. Currently, Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Monday at 4 pm, after which the Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Carvin Malone, will officially inform the public of the decisions taken by Cabinet to combat COVID-19 in the territory.”

There are more than forty confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in the territory and the majority of those cases are active.

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40 Comments

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  1. Dictator says:

    Stop using Covid as a pretext to control the people and financially wrecking them, you know the mortality rate of Covid (0.006%) enough of this ridiculous lockdown

    Like 48
    Dislike 27
  2. make it law to wear a mask... says:

    wearing a mask does little to protect the wearer but does a lot towards preventing the wearer to expel the particles. Persons who do not wear a mask or wear it incorrectly are f SELFISH

    Like 31
    Dislike 7
  3. razor blades says:

    13 blind mice…see how dem run deh country

    Like 34
    Dislike 17
  4. Killers says:

    Kill the country already

    Like 16
    Dislike 13
  5. Jokes says:

    Outrageous!
    Let the testing and tracing have a chance.
    Do we even have anyone seriously ill?
    Panic leadership, the worst kind..

    Like 35
    Dislike 17
  6. Looking forward says:

    I’m ready and looking forward to two weeks of peace and quiet. I don’t have to see or deal with anyone.

    Like 30
    Dislike 12
  7. Green Light says:

    The majority of the public also want an immediate lock down.

    Like 33
    Dislike 33
  8. Anyone says:

    START IMPOSING FINES OF $200.00 on anyone who is caught without a mask in public. Start imposing fines on people who is caught or seen in groups. Maybe this time they would adhere to the rules when you hit them in the pocket.

    Like 23
    Dislike 7
  9. Styles. says:

    Dear Andy Foi

    1st. You knew all along that people smuggling was going on into the territory. You didn’t act because they are your friends and turning a blind eye was convenient till we kept bringing in covid with the borders closed. You were advised to monitor the borders strictly but you didn’t do anything with the advice.

    2nd. You knew all along that the first wave of belongers that came in didn’t adhere to the mandatory quarantine. You didn’t action against them, you decided to take it out on the expats even though they didn’t to anything wrong.

    3rd. You were hesitant to do territory wide testing and chose to go with the fake narrative of low/no covid in the bvi even though with a more extensive testing program you would have identified months ago that there is more covid than you thought. You were adviced to do this,but again you ignored the advice.

    4th. You talk alot about social distancing and wearing masks. Yet you and your friends were seen playing basketbal without any social distancing or face masks. You talk but you don’t show the right example.

    5th. In the first lockdown you handed out curfew passes to all your friends and relatives. When people saw everybody was out and about they didn’t care either. People follow your example not just your words.

    Conclusion….. you are to blame for a lot of this.

    Perhaps listen to someone instead of “proudly” thinking you know everything better.

    Like 76
    Dislike 10
  10. input says:

    Let the civil service take our place no work no pay and we take their place stay home and get paid and lets see how quick they cry lock down

    Like 28
    Dislike 4
  11. Love says:

    Please open Western Union an money gram even for a day so people can send money to there love ones

    Like 17
    Dislike 3
  12. Strupes says:

    Why is a major bank not open today and the machines barely working. They need to rectify before any lockdown happens.

    Like 19
    Dislike 1
  13. The plan on the ground is working says:

    Whats the rush… Whats the pln after the 14 days lock down..The reason Why we discover all these cases is because the plan on the ground is working, bettrr border security, contacr tracing and testing..Why abandant it now.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  14. 2cents says:

    Don’t you know by now you can’t run from a virus? You definitely can kill the economy and ruin people financially for years to come. Wake up people start reading @alexberenson and @SWAtlasHoover on Twitter. You will begin to learn about how lockdowns don’t work! You need to learn to live with the virus, need herd immunity. Protect the vulnerable. US CDC just reviewed death certificates of Covid deaths. Only 6% were strictly from Covid the rest were from Covid plus co morbidities.

    Is the plan to lock down the country every time we get a new case? How long can the government survive without revenue? By the way its sounds they are in a world of hurt now.

    Like 25
    Dislike 6
  15. smh says:

    Another lockdown will only make things worse… Look at the supermarket lines today…

    Keep what we have now but be more strict on the rules…

    People should be allowed to exercise and buy their groceries.

    Construction (and hurricane prep) employs a lot of ppl so should continue.

    Food takeaways should be allowed as will keep some restaurants going.

    Bars must stay closed and beauty shops, garages and all other sort of business.

    Don’t hurt ppl and the economy even more…

    Like 28
    Dislike 4
  16. Unfair says:

    This is unfair to the general public. We did our part and the government, the governor and the police force failed us. Keep locking down a country is doing far more harm than good.

    Like 24
    Dislike 4
  17. Yawn says:

    The World including the BVI have already proven that lockdown works. Even if it’s just a coincident the results show that when lockdown and curfews were relaxed cases started to spike in the BVI and USA. A little common sense goes a long way. If partner wasn’t allowed to party in those bars how could the virus spread if he was only at home. Right now at least 6 bars are known hotspots due to one patron. The government tried their way lockdown it worked, then they tried our way and opened up every bar and business and it failed so who to blame. We can keep the businesses open and let nature take its course like some are saying. Let the numbers rise and hope that we don’t have any serious cases. At the end of the day remember hope isn’t medicine. When the cases begin to lower then we can reopen and start the process again and people can do what they need to do to prevent further spikes.

    Like 2
    Dislike 12
  18. @ Green Light says:

    Of the 35,000 people when did you conduct this survey to come up with the majority of the public wanting a lockdown?

    The same people who was lax on practicing social distancing COULD BE THE SAME ONES WHO NOW WANT A LOCKDOWN THEN WOULD BE MAKING NOISE WHEN THEY RUN OUT OF FOOD.

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  19. No nonsense says:

    Lock it to fxxx down and reap havoc and desperation later. Ask mental health and the funeral home if they have availability on the premises!!

    Like 11
    Dislike 2
  20. Trouble reach says:

    More house arrest ! 🙁

  21. VG Proud says:

    Lock down Tortola if you must. Please leave the sister islands alone.

    We have been following the rules.

    Like 6
    Dislike 10
  22. Ausar says:

    We want to save lives, but can the economy sustain such a continous onslaught?

    Can our people’s finances sustain this?

    Cruises are slated to sail in early November, according to US Virgin Islands’ tourism officials!

    So there’s not much movement on this side, for at least the next two months!

    I just don’t understand, why there must be gatherings of more than twenty, anywhere, in the BVI!

    The public has disobeyed good sound practices listed as steps for survival, and now we all must suffer!

    SIGH!!!

    Like 2
    Dislike 3
  23. Indigenous Virgin Islander says:

    Essential services must be kept open. Entertainment must be strictly prohibited. Stimulus package must be released. Many new persons now in the hunger line. People are low on food, give ample time for notice so those who still can afford it, boy groceries. Many are now running down their savings to keep head above water.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  24. Anonymous says:

    Were it not for these brainwashed can’t prove that god exist fools, whose only intelligence come from one book only, but who have sufficient influence to fool whole societies why every business can open except a bar.. Yet, most of them are closet drunks.

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  25. STOP BEING LIKE TRUMP says:

    A number of the legislators do not have the expertise to decide whether we should go into a lockdown. A lot of people are in their ear and they have their own fears.

    LISTEN TO THE ADVICE OF CDC, WHO, DR. POTTER AND DR. GEORGES.

    CDC is now saying a 14 day quarantine is unnecessary.

    Like 13
    Dislike 2
  26. Zagred Smith says:

    This government doesn’t have a plan for the way forward, lockdowns are like trying to put a bandaid on a bullet wound

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  27. concern says:

    Yall need a lockdwon, then when is too much cases you going be crying watching the old die and complaining how tola so was call bless, take one for the team man.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  28. JUAN PING says:

    Lock it down and let these NDP trolls who here blogging crap all day stay them behind home.

    The have noting good nor will have nothing good until they have the kitty in their mouth.

    Like 2
    Dislike 5
  29. Read a dictionary says:

    Can everybody please look up what the word indigenous means.

    There are NO indigenous BVI people.

    Stop giving yourself a status that is factually wrong.

    It only demonstrates what you are… illiterate.

    Like 5
    Dislike 4
  30. Officials. says:

    If they shut us down before the 4th, will our electric and internet be shut off during the course?

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  31. Active does not mean SICK says:

    No one is seriously ill. All except 2 cases don’t even have symptoms. If they tested everyone in the BVI I wonder how many would be positive but no symptoms. This disease is not the big killer that it was made out to be, flu kills more people in the BVI! We can’t go on in this panic of shutting us down every month or two forever, at some point we have to learn to live with this. Our best defence is keeping illegals out who can’t be tested. Otherwise, it’s starting to look more and more like giving in to the ignorant and going along with panic.

  32. 2cents says:

    NY, NJ and PA in the US had the strictest lockdowns and the highest death count. Why? Because they didn’t protect the elderly population. The sunbelt AZ, FL, Texas, GA had protected their elderly and had a lower case/death count without destroying the economy. Sweden–no lock downs at all, fewer deaths per capita. Do not succumb to the fear mongering. Do the right thing, be respectful of others, stay home if your sick, practice good hygiene, protect the vulnerable and get on with life!

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  33. @ Read a dictionary says:

    The popular people who have social status and ignorant followers are on their high horses and don’t know any better.

    They’re quick to claim they’re Africans but refuse to embrace that their former generations came to the BVI from other islands.

    At the end of the day, this earth will be destroyed on Judgment Day and it’s some of the same one-day “Church-flowers” who fail to forget we should not love the things of the world.

    1 John 2:15-17

    Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

    For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

    And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

  34. @ Anonymous says:

    Atheism can’t explain existence. Atheists live by science, but science (always) changes. God and the Bible (always) remain the same.

    Atheists are going to say, “well who created God?” God is not in the same category as created things. God is not created. God is the uncaused cause. He is eternal. He simply exists. It is God who brought matter, time, and space into existence.

    If Atheists believe there is no God why are they always so obsessed with Him? Why are they worried about Christians? Why do they view things about Christianity just to mock? Why are there atheist conventions? Why have atheist churches?

    Colossians 2:8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

    1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

    1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are meaningless.

    2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god (satan) of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

    Like 2
    Dislike 3
  35. Reply says:

    @ Read a dictionary. Thank you for that post. I was appalled when I read that lie years back on another site and even mentioned what you pointed out here years back.

    Some people have been miss-educated to believe they are indigenous to these shores which is nothing further from the truth.

    It’s really sad that some people do not understand what that word indigenous mean, and lends me to believe that there is plenty of work left in these neck of the woods to educate people about who they are.

  36. Avalon says:

    The territory could spend several billion dollars on lockdown, border security, stimulus, lockdown again, curfew, wear masks, social distance, lockup, curfew again, more doctors, more nurses and wake up the next morning and the next morning and Covid will still be there. It will still be there by design… until it has served its purpose.

    It would appear that the lack of plan is to continue to follow the WHO dictate (UN NWO) to the inevitable culmination of the Covid Vaccine. Whist claiming that all of the above measures are in the best interests of the people, along with destroying the economy at the same time.

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  37. ???? says:

    @read a adictionary.
    What does this have to do with the topic?

  38. @????? says:

    It was a response to someone who claims to be indigenous in this same thread.

  39. Anonymous says:

    I am an indigenous BVIslander. The real indigenous not the fake ones who were introduced to the islands by their masters. My family lineage is that of the Caribs, native Indians that inhabited these islands way before Europeans took over. We killed Arawaks and took their canoes and would sometimes sail to the other islands.

    Like 1
    Dislike 4
  40. Want all says:

    No Virgin Islander is coming to your country to tell you who you are. You people are just loco. The US dollars have y’all losing your minds. But I blame the genorousity of the Virgin Islander. They welcome you gave you an opportunity that you did not get in your own country and now look you want it all. It is disgracefull

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