Some Customs, Immigration officers frustrated not knowing whereabouts of UK naval ship
*story amended*
Some members of local law enforcement agencies such as the Customs and Immigration departments have expressed frustration regarding the covert operations of the British Royal Navy vessel, HMS Medway, in the BVI’s territorial waters.
Commissioner of Police, Michael Mathews gave that indication while responding to questions from members of the media in a press conference this week.
He said: “I know that it is a source of frustration even with my fellow law enforcement colleagues about locations and timings of the ship and so forth. And just for the record, movement of military ships are classified. I don’t get told advanced movements or where they are going to locate themselves.”
“All we’re able to do is brief Medway on what the challenges look like for us as part of the Caribbean and then they conduct their operations accordingly; working with other law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions as well as here,” he added.
Operating covert increases effectiveness
While confirming that the UK vessel remains in the territory, Governor Augustus Jaspert explained why it is essential for the location of the ship to remain classified.
“I, for operational reasons, wouldn’t be going into exactly where it is as I am sure you can understand it’s a ship that has good capabilities. But we don’t want to give those that the ship is trying to capture any advantage by knowing exactly where it is,” Governor Jaspert stated.
He added: “I am grateful for the support that it’s been given and it also has been involved in operations to capture people or drugs within our region as well.”
Governor Jaspert made a request to the United Kingdom in September for the presence of the British Royal Naval vessel to strengthen the surveillance of the territory’s borders.
The request was made after an alarming increase of smuggling incidents into the territory were reported. These incidents were said to be linked to the spike of positive COVID-19 cases during that period.
The presence of the vessel in the territory’s waters was initially met with opposition by Premier Andrew Fahie, who said he believed the BVI had enough resources to manage its local borders through their Joint Task Force which included assistance from the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Probably frustrated that they can’t tip off the drug and arm pushers.
@Really. ??
You couldn’t have said it any better
Mr commissioner you should not even answer this question because they only want to inform their family friends and the drug criminals where not to navigate some of them that suppose to up hold the law are to corrupt don’t tell them this information is classified
Check the recent headlines… Gov’t wanting more control over national security.. officers getting locked up for drugs… officers frustrated about not knowing whereabouts of UK ship…. Don’t need to say any more.
any officer that’s frustrated because they don’t know where the location of the ship is should be looked at closely.
Governor keep doing your job keeping us safe from from these menaces on sea and on land..and even in our own house.
More than 2 tons cocaine. That must take a serious group of people with access to power to handle. And it must be much more than people in the BVI could consume. It has been clear to most people that there is corruption in the BVI like in most if not all countries and territories in the world. But this amount of drugs puts it in a completely different perspective. Scary.
He did a good job at distracting the other readers from that fact, speaking about HM Medway. Tell me how your officers managed that during lock down! Checks and balances is important. Just like he wants HM Medway to be out there in the water without checks and balances, his officers were here operating without checks and balances. You MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE to somebody!!!!! It seems like ya’ll think because they in the UK Navy they won’t be corrupt to.
Somebody gonna have to pay for that bust, so it’s just a matter of time til the owners start to squeeze heads.
Wait and see who gets assassinated over this serious loss to some serious South American businessmen. Then you will know.
I bet there are some folks sleeping very badly.
2 tons is just the tip of the iceberg. There is waaaay more than this going through the BVI every year. Just shows you how much money people are making off it and why drug running is a major pillar of the economy. There is a reason the borders didn’t get shut down and the boats were running at night.
The amount of drugs that stay in the BVI for BVI Usage is tiny. The amount that is stored here or moved from border to border is huge.
2 tons is just the tip of the iceberg. There is wy more than this going through the BVI every year. Just shows you how much money people are making off it and why drug running is a major pillar of the economy. There is a reason the borders didn’t get shut down and the boats were running at night.
The amount of drugs that stay in the BVI for BVI Usage is tiny. The amount that is stored here or moved from border to border is huge.
Time to catch some big fishes now so keep it classified
Sounds to me like Medway out there in the waters doing what they want. So if you come to assist local law enforcement how is your whereabouts a secret from the same people you are assisting. We often times are mislead and misinformed and we don’t want to get informed. Do you think the British Navy could go render assistance to the America and then the Americans don’t know where the ship is, what the ship doing or nothing? That doesn’t make any sense, the Virgin Islands is its own Territory and there are laws here, the last I check HM Medway and their officers are not a part of law enforcement covered by the law. Classified sounds like a cop out to me. what Medway had to do with the fact that your officers had the largest quantity of coke ON LAND in the history of the Virgin Islands anyway?!?!?
BVI = British Dependent Territory which means UK ?? runs the route. So long as we are not independent. The Territorial Waters =12 nautical miles and that is the jurisdiction of the CROWN not the local government. Thank God for that as the borders are porous. Local police still can’t arrest all of them who robbed Banco in VG, the thieves that greet us on the street.
Local government using a bunch of mouth mouth pieces for things they are either too fraid for. Please read your constitution and other relevant laws and educate yourself.
Territoral water are 200miles off the back of Anegada….
Officers frustrated!? The nerve… Have they been paying attention to the headlines recently? The BVI needs more authority from the UK, this island is and has been filled with corruption.
Pattern you are right on point thank you
The ship has the capability to be outside of BVI water and monitor movements on every shoreline, dispatch and intercept within a very short period of time using transport that includes either marine, drone, amphibious, or high speed air to subdue and/or capture. A person wouldn’t even know what happened until they were forced to surrender.
The rats don’t know where the cheese is kept. Once the ship have something to report to the commish then he will know what he suppose to know. Nothing in BVI confidential. When the thief get tip off what going happen?
I don’t know noting about any criminal activity, but me ain’t got nothing calling BVI police to tell them because you don’t know when they take your address and name what going happen next. Nope Nope
Andrew fahie must go.
Yup, you are so correct, GO right back in office come election time! Big improvement over what we had. This thing been going on for years, and now it is time to pay the piper! God Bless Andrew Fahie.
Customs is nervous… well – thanks for the “im guilty” tip!
Nice! Mick Matthews tells everyone that ‘even I don’t know where the ship is’. Also tells the press, ‘even I don’t know where the ship is’.
Message Heard!
You bad cops are going to get caught. You bad politicians that are pulling the strings and getting kickbacks are also going to get caught.
Nice to have the British Navy on your side for once!!!
Why do they need to know? Keep it so!
Editor If you amend a story, you have to say what the previous version said.
why should you get frustrated just to know where a ship is located? ///// something is not right. Stay clean and nothing to worry.
Local officers why get fustrated the navy are professionals and well trained you can’t help them they are looking out for we decent people so just stay clean and nothing to worry about.
Obviously they must know something most of us dont know…Thats why they are keeping theid operations a secret….Yep.
you bloggers are so damn intelligent … wanting to know where the ship is simply means …where is it while all the smuggling and trafficking still going on. where is the ship.
Another racist move
Uk, bring on the chains! your subjects are ready and waiting for you to bind them up. Need not worry about their minds, they are already still enslaved. Well meh boy. This is beyond pitful.
I am still trying to figure out why the location of the ship is an issue.
BVI News have selected all the topics for the small minds and slave mentalities today. Well sah, they are feeding and feasting good to day meh boy.
forgot to mention the Uk expats, they are feeding and feasting heavily also.
If I’m putting my life on the line I will need to know where that ship is. If I do not know the personnel on the ship I need to know where the ship is. Not a man on the ship life is better or more important than mine, just different from.