‘Money transfer services will reopen after economy mushrooms’
Premier and Minister for Finance Andrew Fahie said local money transfer services will be allowed to reopen as soon as the British Virgin Islands economy mushrooms once more.
Premier Fahie said his administration made the decision to keep money transfer services such as Western Union closed because the local economy has fallen into a fragile state since COVID-19.
He gave that rationale amid strong backlash from certain factions of the public.
“We made our decision on a sound, economic stand and the sound economic stand is that we are going to do a soft opening and allow certain businesses to reopen, to reassess every couple days or every week, and then make some more decisions for more businesses to reopen which we have done and we will continue to do,” Fahie said in a recent JTV broadcast.
Nothing against Caribbean expats
He further said the first phase of the internal reopening is strictly for businesses that contribute to making the ‘national flow continue’ after being shut down for weeks.
“It is nothing against people from Caribbean countries. That’s ludicrous. Those who are using that now we’re on the other side of the coin of the argument when we were regularizing persons from the Caribbean who were here for 20, 25, 30, 35 years. Western Union will open, MoneyGram and their money services will open, but we have to make sure that we kick start the economy again by making sure that there is an internal flow of rebooting our economy because it is a new normal,” Fahie stated.
Keeping agencies closed also a ‘safety decision’
The Premier further stated that keeping those services closed was also a matter of safety.
“We have a lot of social measures that we are putting in place. We cannot put that in place if everywhere open one time. Then we would have open the same way we closed down and create a situation where the spread of the virus would have been even more significant to happen,” he said.
No set date has been given for the reopening these money transfer institutions.
Some members of the public have accused the Premier of being a xenophobe since his administration’s decision to halt these services comes just weeks after introducing legislation that taxes persons who send money outside of the territory. The majority of these persons are expatriates.
Premier Fahie has, however, said he forgives any person who spoke out against his government in light of this decision. He also said he believes in free speech.
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I heard people will have to spend more to send money out of the BVI soon. So you who sending out money, brace yourselves for the increase.
The Territory is now like the old companies that paid people slave wages, made them live in company housing and buy food at the company store so that the company kept all the money. This was a form of slavery that used to be practiced. Now the BVI is practicing this slavery. Pay the expats slave wages, live in Belonger owned housing, buy food from Belonger stores and any money that’s left keep in the Belonger land. What a rotten people the Belongers are.
There is some obvious confusion on your part. Regardless of where a person is from, if you work in a minimum wage job you get minimum wage pay. This concept is the same in other countries.
Many of the belongers you speak of were not born in the BVI. Some are your fellow countrymen. They acquired status after living here or marrying a local. Expats can businesses here too. Before you make those ridiculous claims do some research. Either you are unexposed or trying to be malicious.
You speak of the 5%. What was stated is correct. The intent is to keep the money earned within Belonger land so that the Belonger can get their greedy hands on it. If this wasn’t so then why keep people from sending THEIR money home. Why don’t you stop the wires to your offspring living abroad. Sit down and STFU
@@@like…Only the Belonger greedy? Dont pass your dam nerves to me.
You expat are the greedy ones. Want to come In another man’s country with you hand stretch out grabbing what you want to plunder back. You all sound like modern day pirates. The BVI’s economy was built by BVI for BVI. If you don’t like it build your own eceonomy to suit ya self instead of raping another man’s country. The whole Caribbean is being built on the back of the BVI.
You are extremely ungrateful! I have no issue with people spending their $$$ where they please. However, the economy is now extremely fragile and you are angry because you can’t get to pump $$$ out of the territory at your leisure? It is not permanent! If the economy fails you will also loose your livelihood. Have you thought about that? I love the BVI! If being here and doing your part is so offensive to you, I suggest that you make it your business to be on the FIRST plane out once the airport is open. I have no issues with expats but I do resent blatant ingratitude.
@exactly. Haha them foolish to bad. Just so we doing it. Close up all the want
When him and his buddies send their kickbacks to their offshore companies shouldn’t they be keeping the illegal gains in country till the economy blossoms? LMFAO. Oh maybe offshore corporations are still considered “in country”
If you need to send money and Foy says no then simply put the cash in an envelope and take it to Fedex and send it. Cheaper than the cost at Western Union and Foy’s tax. Label the contents documents (which is actually the truth) and send it on. May take an extra day but if it absolutely needs to get there. Not to worry about it getting lost. Fedex record of on time and getting their packages there is the best in the world.
Really? Cash will get hold up. Use money order.
After long experience I wouldn’t trust Fedex with ten cents.
are you crazy?
IT IS ILLEGAL TO SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL OR COURIER!!!
It’s not illegal at all so long as the purpose is legal (which applies to everything else you mail).
That cant stop notten people do what they want with there money is there,s bad mine kill people that is an old saying. Cant wait for it to open all u bring the camera & com
I am a lover of the BVI, but I find it funny how England uses the natives of the virgin island in there capitalist war against other nations, all Venezuelan seem to be welcome in the BVI to undermine their government while other Caribbean nationals are discriminated against by the natives of the BVI, whose elected official can only tow the line of Britain as slaves enjoying a conspicuous consumption in the house.
They want the control the money YOU work hard for….cause paying rent, light, water,internet etc. isn’t enough for you to spend here SMH I’ll be back for the comments because I realize the yellow site,only post comments bashing expats….
We are in this together. I have always used Western Union money transfer online. People please go online and sign up. Use a US address please. It’s simply and way cheaper than when is currently be charged. The wicked can’t stop us. It’s out duty to feed our friendship. Make sure you have a Debit Card with the Visa logo. It works.
Well guess what I just tried to send money INSIDE TO BVI and this is the message I got on Western Union website:
“We’re sorry, money transfers to British Virgin Islands have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Please check back for availability.
I screenshot the page too.
One of my neighbors from Antigua needed to send $200. 00 for her mother to pay for her high blood pressure pills. I contact my daughter in the States and asked her to go go to a Western Union and send the money to my neighbors mother. My neighbor give me back the money and I put it on my account and transferred it to my daughter.
Get a Debit Card and make sure it has the VISA LOGO, NOT MASTER CARD LOGO. For every situation, there is a solution.
We open our doors welcome you in to our house allowed you to work and make money to send back home and here you are disrespecting our leadership and in your home you could not make it you couldn’t disrespect your leadership if you don’t like what my leaders are doing for there country I think as it is open you need to catch the next plane out of here I could have never disrespected your leadership of your country your leader is doing what they think is best for your country and my own is doing the same so go back to the leader that is doing the best for your country
I didn’t even know there was a place by the name Tortola. I was requested to enter here. To spend a total of (3) months. Within my first month here. Management of the company asked me not to return to my home country. He admit. The volume and quality of work I was producing. He was in shock. He then send home the locals for under preforming. If I’m lying. I drop stiff dead.
You are lying about not knowing a place name TORTOLA. Straight up lying, but that’s where your bias and ignorance lies.
People
First things first this is not a real local this is a fake.
Ignore these comments that want you to fight against each other instead of look at what the government is doing to ALL of us.
Remember “hodgie” from the gun incident, proof of the agenda to spread hate online.
Second we do not have respect for leadership when it is leading us in the wrong direction.
Ask asleep at the wheel about it.
That is why you dont see many locals in the police force, babylon money cant change what the majority know in our hearts to be right or wrong. They get mercenaries to do the dirty work.
This ‘people’s man’ is turning into a dictator who will not get back in come next election.
@BVIslander shut your piehole, I bet you’re one of those fat cows in East End cousins, us locals need to give the down island people a damn chance, but no it’s all about entitlement and jealousy, they come here work hard but the locals want everything for free.
Get over ah you damn selves, trifling set of deplorables
Pleass bear in mind that some of these people uses the money transfer as ways of getting funds to their families to take care of them. We must be a little more understanding. Everybody deserves to eat!!!
Shut up
Thanks for the tip I signed up and it was easy, i would suggest that everyone else does the same
Hahaha tell them all you have choices in getting that money to mama. Let him eat his heart out cHoices brother choices he thought he had us bum
We know of other choices for years, no secret. A lot of you are behind.
or encourage people to open a bank account. You can do wire transfers from bank to bank especially if you bank with CIBC.
You to wicked. Only come to take
I was just eating some crackers and cheese it is very tasty delicious actually. I will cook now resume my eating later.
I have been reluctant to be critical of our government for two reasons:
1. We are living in unprecedented times where unusual decisions have to be made.
2. The government has done many things right to address the pandemic, with a few notable exceptions.
IMO, those exceptions are:
1. Shutting down the ports in such an absolute manner that prevented some people with medical conditions who normally get medications from overseas unable to do so thereby jeopardizing their heaths.
2. Rolling out the curfew in such a manner that many people did not have sufficient time to stock up on food or other supplies.
The days they were allowed to shop resulted in long lines, and increased the risk for potentially catching or infecting others with covid-19 as its was clear social distancing was not always followed as people waited in those long lines in the hot sun.
The subsequent delivering of food to needy residents with the extended curfew was also a bungled mess. The infrastructure for such an enterprise was simply not there.
IMO, it would have been preferable to allow grocery stores to remain open albeit with limited hours, whereby they would have been required to follow the ubiquitous 6 ft social distancing guidelines, and the wearing of face mask. In that way, there would have been no long lines and increased risk posed.
…and
3. Delaying the reopening of Western Union and Money Gram. The Premier can dress this up as much as he wishes, but this looks bad. Despite his pronouncements, this decision looks like another slight against those “island people” who are sending all their money out of the country as per some.
The governments position on the money transfer services makes no sense to me unless one is subscribing to the thinking that “those island people are sending money out of the country’.
If their reopening is dependent on when the “British Virgin Islands economy mushrooms once more”, then that would not happen anytime soon.
No one can reasonable expect the BVI economy to “mushroom” any time soon when every economy that surrounds it is contracting as we speak and heading towards recession.
Money transfer services are a two way street. Surely, there is money being sent via those services to the the BVI as well. I know of many BVI parents who sent money to their children abroad using those services. What about those folks? Why hurt them?
Any money that comes into the BVI at this point in the pandemic is good for the BVI economy. Furthermore, any money sent out is still good for the BVI economy also, as the government taxed outgoing transfers 7%, in what looks to me as a slight of the hand yet again towards the ex-pat community.
IMO, these services should be re-opened. I do not buy the safety concerns. If indeed there is one, it can be addressed with social distancing measures.
Keeping those businesses closed is damaging those businesses and running up the employment numbers. That’s not good for the economy nor its’ recovery.
There will be no mushrooming of the BVI economy if it is not re-opened up in a common sense, practical, and non-arbitrary way as oppose to a selective and what looks like on the surface a spiteful one.
Correction:
Keeping those businesses closed is damaging those businesses and running up the un-employment numbers.
Mushrooming economy?What kind of mushroom, there are very many species, some are edible, others are poisonous, and then there are magic mushrooms
One kind of mushroom is round in shape and explodes when mature and goes up in an explosion of spores, much like the economy
The kind that causes widespread destruction and surrender.
The BVI has no internal economy!
We produce nothing we can sustainably support ourselves with.
We import all our goods (Vegetables, meats, everything) and we simply do not have the capacity (land, labour, attitude) to do this ourselves so we will remain dependent on economies abroad.
Cutting yourself off from the outside world seems like a brilliant idea for the short term. But in the long term putting a wall around this country will diminish it quickly.
Please try a long term vision mr. Premier.
Everybody needs to stop sending money in if it cannot be taken out again. Inward investment about to stop. So foolish.
The wealthy can continue to use the bank to make transfers, there is no tax on money transferred via banks. This is an entirely ill conceived piece of legislation which penalises the unskilled and low-paid. Ask yourself, What Would Jesus do? I’ll tell you, it isn’t this. So as much as government loves to evoke His Name they have missed the key message of Christianity. Love They Neighbour.
Tax on the poor? Real poor people can’t afford to send away money and can hardly feed themselves. Poor people tell their friends and family that they can’t afford to assist financially because guess what , they don’t have and can’t afford it. Anybody that is sending away their money isn’t poor. What poor person is dying for Moneygram to open to send away money. Most people that line up for Moneygram and Western Union aren’t There to receive money. Poor people are the ones that line up for FSN to feed them and wish they had someone to send them money.
Hon.premier
Ur soooo correcsith ghis measure.Remember aSt.vincentian/guyanese caught with illegal activies a few weeks back.That was out of respect during these tryong times so respect is due
Go learn to read and write.
Caribbean people are very hospitable and endearing, within recent times many bvislanders have traveled the length and breath of our countries,truth be told,many of you are even married to Caribbean nationals,have common law relationships and have even studied.in many of our institutions. It is very heartrending to hear some of the things that are being said.people remember ,not so long ago ,the hurricanes struck here with the most devastating effects ,and it was the caricom member states that responded unhesitantly to render assistance. We are quickly approaching another such season,we will need each other,for ” the stone that the builder reject,shall be the head corner stone” the premier is also becoming famous for ” putting his feet, in his mouth ” he needs to be careful with that,if you profess to be godly,then partiality is not of God.so examine yourself, because you are causing irreparable reproach to the people who helped to build this place.for your Information, a mass exodus is planned, when the airports are open, and persons will also be informing their respective heads of Government, as to the kind of policy being practiced by you and your Government. In the meantime,if you are truly a man of God,you will search.deep in your conscience, and realize What you are doing to people is not right in the sight of God. Persons have families, including young children and the elderly, who are depending on these remittances. Tax, NHI,social security,electricity, water,rent and internet is already paid. Heaven sake, open those service or open the airport and let the Caribbean people start their exodus from this xenophobic state.
There was a massive exodus after the hurricane but that didn’t last for long. Many returned to earn $$$ and some saw it as an opportunity to get in.
Furthermore, please remember that the BVI has also supported many Caribbean countries when they had been devastated by hurricanes. In fact, the BVI sent $$$ to Dominica after the effects of 2017. We were flat on our backs but we gave to our neighbour despite our own circumstance.
Utter nonsense!! Crime have no face or nationality
Mr plain truth, as a local who went to Mona in Jamaica, I was treated like royalty, so I know that the down island people has class, but our locals are lazy fat and nasty.
Class for the locals are like a one room Amish school house in Nicklemine PA.
As the Jamaicans would say, ” The man who sh$t out ah road doesn’t remember but the one who step in it never forget the stench.
The Bajans say “All under games will be played again.
The Trinis say “life is a cycle, it would draw you a circle.
The Vincys say “what goes around come around, the world is round.
The Antiguans say ” today for you tomorrow for me, I can hold on an on but the best one for BVIslanders is the way the Anguillians say it,” One fu$k don’t kill cu&t.
God don’t like ugly and he care very little for the pretty, us BVIslanders have it coming or God will have to apologize to Sodom and Gommarah, but that and a green money we won’t see nor hear from God because he doesn’t make mistakes..
Be forewarned my people.
PROUD of PREMIER!!!
Look here premier cud lock dis place all he want he cud do wat ever he want but dat will still not stop expats or anyone frm sending money out he think dat if he keep it on lock dat will force people to spend d money internally watch and see ha ha premier need to rethink if u want dat half of dat money to circulate in d country den give these people a reason to invest it here u think these people wud invest in here if it was benifiting dem look at it dis way day prefer to save in their country instead of here day build houses in day country dat some may never live in and day live here day openly wud spend day last dollar to travel bac to their country to suport all festival and hardly suport here ask urself y premier says be creative but cabinet needs to b creative
Utter nonsense!! Crime have no face or nationality
As long as America and Europe battles this disease, forget about this economy reopening anytime soon.
Cruise tourists arrive from America and Europe, for the most part.
Forget about this year becoming a mushrooming, of bounty, within tourism!
We all know this disease ain’t going no where, no time soon, at least, not without a vaccine!
And to punish a community for receiving or sending remittances; quite sad indeed!
You may want to rethink your position on this, Premier!
IT NUH LOOK GOOD!!!
We all know this is really about hurting the expats,for years it have been like that.why then you all requesting for people to pay more money just to send out to their families?you all hurting your very own people too.what about a bolongers child whose away studying?why bvi preventing children of expats who born in bvi not to get a passport one time?expats are the ones that build the bvi but most of the belongers hate expats and this needs to stop.
Stop fussing SKB. If you are truly from SK, we have the fastest growing economy in the Caibbean pack your bags and come home. We’ll welcome you with open arms. Opportunities are limited in the Virgin Islands.
He just wicked.
My goodness he have nearly 2000 of ya rights like me a few months ago.U didn’t know he was.wicked then.
If the banks are open, why are the money wire services businesses not open? Any country with a large immigrant sector remittance is big business. Remittance is big business with approx $7B remitted globally. India is the biggest recipient followed by China, Mexico, Egypt…….etc; the US is the largest sender. According to government information, approx $80M leaves the VI annually.
The BVI has a large expat population and as such their sending money home to their families is the cost of doing business. The total business should be opened, albeit consistent with curfew hours. Ok. You don’t want money leaving the country and being taken out the economy but at least money come in. Why limit money coming in to the country. People will now use the work around through banks. Are money leaving thru banks taxed? Antigua for example permits money to come in. Many families outside of the territory depend on heavily on remittances. Let’s show some compassion. I have no dog in this fight.
Be nice to the hand that give you bread nah mannnn!!
The Governor shall withhold his assent from this Bill until Consumer Protection and Whistle Blowing legislation are introduced, debated and passed in the House of Assembly.
Pursuant to section 79 of the BVI Constitution
God Is Great
If you were paying attention you would realized one of those same bills you mentioned passed months ago. I deliberately didn’t tell you so you can do your own research since you have free time.
The Governor shall withhold his assent from this Bill until Consumer Protection and Whistle Blowing legislation are introduced, debated and passed in the House of Assembly
Pursuant to section 79 of the BVI Constitution Order.
God Is Great
Mr. Premier what make you think people will spend the money…they will save it until they can find a way to get it sent..this will back fire. Please rethink your decision.
Whether we agree with this decision or not if you really need to send money , Money Gram and Western Union are not the only options. Those that are complaining have you tried wire transfer, PayPal or even mailing a cheque or cashier’s cheque through a company that does expedited shipping? If the money is so urgent you have to think of an plan b. BVIslanders send money abroad too.
His Former Boss had preferred a different arrangement of the party; (and there were reasons why); but not to cause confusion reserved from passing the Baton in his lifetime; letting the chips fall where they may;..and so they did. Dead man tells no tales. The destructive forces of the catastrophic hurricanes in 2017 hasn’t changed anything and Corona-19 likewise wouldn’t. May God and his angels continue to keep their watchful eyes over us.
I rather liked how the premier answered that reporter. There is nothing wrong with what he is doing. Furthermore, the BVI did not always have these money transfer businesses but who needed to send money abroad found a way to do so. The banks are open.
In line 4 times for free food and first in line to send money abroad. The BVI is heaven. Stop being ungrateful.
Mr premiere you are only looking at the short term effects and not the long term. They are person on this island without a job but they still gotta pay their bills, you rather see people sleeping on the streets then? What your saying don’t make sense! The money transfer places has a large role to play in the economy right now with half of tola without work, how the money coming in eh if you keep it close? What I see is you trying to squeeze us islanders who contribute enormously to the economy , I don’t think you have our interest at heart when it comes to us!!!! How can you be so mean in a time like this where people have no money or food? Your not handing out stimulus checks to those in need! Where you wa people get money from? Common sense make before book sense!!!!
Wth people hav their kids back home to feed bills to pay what is this atol with this man yow free up the airport people leave out this mf man what’s the sense you here working an can’t send a dollar for your children to eat utter wickedness
I have news for the honorable premier, the British Virgin Islands has no such thing as an internal economy he better stop listening to himself, CNN, Bevis , Claude and surround himself with some folks who is not afraid to tell him No!
I am asking the Premier and his government to rethink this decision. This action and the legislation to impose additional tax – 7%, on such an essential service is punitive, it is not right. Especially when it affects the ” little man ” segment of the society and especially coming from the ” little man ” government.
These actions are an oxymoron, the words spoken by this government, all that we have come to expect from this government crumble to dust because of these actions.
When we voted to give BVIslanders control of this country, this is not what we voted for.
We are all in this together you say, BVI love you say. This is more symptomatic of the ugly type of politics that has returned to the USA under Donald Trump and that is practiced in other countries. This is not the BVI that we know, a bright light and a beacon of hope for many.
Let us not turn it into a zero sum game, this economy needs these people from the other countries as much as they need us.
I hope it is not too late. How can we get Jack back into the box after he has already gotten out ???
Who wants a flip-flopping Premier? The man has spoken!
The 7% goes back into the kitty and will help people from all the 119 countries who will call here home indefinitely.
Why am I getting the impression that those who are bawling the most are only looking out for themselves and only came here to reap benefits in the here and now?
And about the money transfer businesses – the BVI is not the only Caribbean country that has not yet reopened them as yet. Do your research.
Most of his plans are short notice every noticed?
The curfew is to buy time for the next two weeks or month.
seems almost like he just flips a coin to decide what to do, doesn’t inspire much confidence
This plan makes no sense, even if they sent money out with the new taxes the government would still make money, this just seems like an unjust punishment on poor immigrants
So what about persons want to collect money, I think Western union and Money Gram service was to SEND AND COLLECT, but seems sending is the only thing they care about smh
Obviously, “Collect” is not a service used in the BVI.
Playing people against people is not a good sign of leadership. Stop it now before it gets out of hand.
All you all blogging, Tow the line.
Leave every thing in God hands.
ALL of you got the Government that you all so deserved.
When a nation is wicked , I will give them a wicked ruler. It’s biblical.
I have read most of the comments and I find this to be very disturbing to see how we think as people of the Caribbean we the nationals of other islands has come to this island work and live and people of the BVI have also went to many countries in the Caribbean and the us to make a difference in their lives weather it’s 5 or 500 we all benefited from some form one way or another so to say we only come here to grab is out of context we here the people say time an time before that the bvi was bild by the people who came here long time ago and work doing bomistic works cleaning homes doing garbage building all the beautiful homes hotels and all that is so dear to natives I have live here for over 39 years I did not come here and grab I to help build this to where it is today so let’s stop all this ignorant behaviour to people of the same race who is only trying to live life the same way you all are living today because you have a lot today it’s not good to lockdown on any one unless your looking at his shoes, with this covid 19 epidemic in the world today know one is surting of the out come and we see it fit to squeeze more and more out of the people who came here and try to make a change in there lives come on people we need tink like humans and not fools to think that this place or any other place is better than the other