Moorings VP unable to explain reports of undocumented workers
Vice President of Operations for The Moorings and Sunsail, Peter Cochran said he was unable to address claims of undocumented workers that were found at the establishment sometime last week.
A joint operation involving Her Majesty’s Customs and the Labour Department led to the detention of some 138 charter vessels and the imposition of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for various infractions committed by The Moorings.
But the operation also found undocumented workers, according to Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Customs Wade Smith.
Smith described the discoveries made during the operation as “very concerning issues”.
But while speaking at a joint press conference late last week which addressed some of the issues that arose, Cochran said: “I am not able to comment specifically on the case or cases, or the two cases I think that have been brought to our attention.”
“I’m not sure whether it’s a lapse in the process from an Immigration or Labour perspective. I’m not able to completely talk to that,” he added.
Cochran said he looked forward to hearing from the Labour Department at some point regarding the issue.
We accept the situation
Meanwhile, addressing the question of heavy fines faced by The Moorings, Cochran said his company accepted the situation and wanted to move forward.
“We understand what had to be done regarding the elements of the Customs process, we accept the situation that we’ve found ourselves in. We understand that they’ve worked to the statutes themselves that are written, so we make our way forward now,” Cochran expressed.
Cochran said The Moorings is now seeking to be fully compliant with the government’s regulations; noting that it was paramount from a health and safety perspective that this was done.
Several companies besides The Moorings were also fined and penalised last week for non-compliance with the government’s maritime regulations.
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after 40 plus years the moorings good name was dragged thru the mud
Labour dept back log is crazy, people going every month for extension because government can’t do their job. Why people being harassed and made to spend days waiting in lines not getting payed because government can’t sort their systems out. labor need to be in their office sorting their stuff out before going around harassing everybody. One of my employees waited 6 months to get renewal !!! She up to re submit for next year now, system BROKE !!!
Let’s not start this and act like undocumented workers isn’t a regular thing in the BVI. Many locals will pay people to clean their homes,tend to their gardens,fix their roof etc. And it’s no big deal to them cause they’re getting a cheap service in return…how many undocumented workers helped build your homes,hospital or hotels??
Does that make it right? You know you are being an asteroid.
Just like your mama and papa
Leave Peter Cochran alone.
Hearing tourists asking Moorings to move their trips for May & June to another location…loosing confidence with BVI authorities archaic covid-19 mask, vaccine restrictions and now money hungry fines for charter boat companies ….the place sound like it’s in total chaos. Going to loose a good thing…
Come to USVI- the true Virgin Islands.
We welcome boaters, tourists and their dollars they spend.
lol, with overcrowded anchorages, almost no services on the water, way less choices of places to go…no thanks.
There is a difference between undocumented and documented but waiting for work permit approval. You all must stop blaming everything on immigration, labor and the Government. When you show compasion to people they turn around and take you for a jack ass. BVISlanders are not fools they are kind people and that is the problem.
This is what happens when you have ignorant execs – who don’t spend time or live in the islands
And won’t listen to people who do
Get rid of P, everything else will make sense.
He has treated the staff poorly for years, not to mention he was the same person who went above and beyond to terminate CM.
He used the staff to clean up after the hurricane and promised them he won’t terminate their employment. One day prior to the grand reopening, the same guy terminated 100’s of employees.
He’s no good. Undocumented staff? He wants to put all local skippers on hourly rate. If they do not agree, he’s not using them on the schedule and bringing in South Africans. He’s nothing but bad news.
INTERESTING…FOLLIWING
That man is e**l and need to be put out of moorings long time 40 years of moorings good name yea right check the books it not forty moorings. The good name left awhile now since this man .. . Been killing the moorings . He need to go or soon there will be no moorings truth be told . The man that started the moornings is rolling in his grave to see what this *** man is doing to his company and the BVI people that he loved so much . Peter … does not care about the moorings service that made it the place it was for many years . Moorings guess loved the staff and how happy they were and because they were happy and there for years many tourist saw them as family and would look forward to come back yearly to see their faces some at checking would be asking for workers by name to make sure they were there as it was a delight to them that they knew people here by name like popoeye , aurrhor , iris and more even the glass lady . But Peter does care what his guess want or like or are coming for other than that the boats but it,s not just boats that made moorings it was the people like Michelle , Malon , the people he … and dont appicate is what made alot of boat owns pull there bosts out go to smaller mariners around the service change and moorings been dieing a slow death because of this … man . Moorings for the last few years is being set up to get out all the blacks and pilas that truthly made it what it is they dont need us anymore or so they think . Because to you Mr.Peter the tourist come to the caribbean to meet and send time with us and our culture of friendlyness that you don,t like I not sure Why this Peter man still in our Island he is *** nor nice and has change the whole culture and everthing about the moorings and sunsail that made it the great place it was . He need to be stop whom ever own the moorings please check your company and see it not doing good and when it started and u will see this man is the problem him and his new design and new crew ‘A’ is his right hand man he is so *** and his face is not pleasant he walks around like a slave master makimg workers unhappy and u all think the place can be running like it use to even the guess see and they insult works in presents of guess intime the chamge in workers happy attitude that they like is gone but does he care no he call the moorings his and it not. He just a share wholer or so he tells works when they have a problem with him that they can,t do anyrhing cause he one of the biggest share wholers I don,t believe him he just like to abuse his position . He does as he like in every situation acts as if he is law and what he says goes and tells people that it,s his company, not BVI base so he have his own rules. The moorings need investing long time for alot of things . It so sad it use to be great when Burton,Tanya ,Malone was there but after them it been slowly made in to a Sad and bad service Clearly prejustice place for all to see by this man and his new crew and just used and abuses the people that works there and even the unpleased guess he tells to just go away cause this is my place and I can do what I want I dont need you more will come is his attitude he is a very cold man . I loved the moorings I miss it and I know the loyal yearly guess miss how it use to be many have left check the records . So this is not news to me this man does as he like not sure who and he is friend that makes him untouchable and so full of his self and rude . He is law so good job looking in to something he doing wrong but I would like you all to dig deeper and put things in place to stop the convertion this man is doing on the moorings many of us has help to build a good name and place for him and whom ever changing moorimgs for the worst we have alot of young men need jobs here but this prejustice man bring in who he wants and treatimg them good while the people that he didn,t fire cause he need them gets mistreat use and abuse and will soon be replace . He contract companys that come with there own crew from place that have poor white people and bring them in and give them poor living arrangments and low pay it sad but for them they do it cause they want a better life so it not only blacks has been mistreated ,use and abuse by this man and sadly so this company called the moorings mariner . The government needs to look in to this and work with that company to create work for locals and trade programs can be put in place for our youth as the moorings is the place many over sea programs come to BVI yearly to do marine and underwater training many groups but not one BVI own or local have a program there how sad . BVI wake up we got problems and moorings need to get catch and made to do the right thing . Why are we so fool all their friends they being bring in and we are getting wiped out slowly . Soon the gates will be locked they will have they own evrything big supermarket no need for anything out side Tortola is or main land and the tourism for tortola is not good for many only the out island is real getting the business by a special design and that where all the rich white people are that already did like him and trick us and bought our water rights lands from us and put a price on it we can,t aford to go there. Think about that I can go on but will stop there food for thought my BVI