Plane seized during cocaine raid can transport the sick
Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn has proposed the idea of retrofitting the small plane that was seized on Anegada last September for the purpose of transporting people in need of medical care to the sister islands.
On August 19, 2023, law enforcers seized a Cessna aircraft and over 800 kilograms of cocaine on the island. Several persons of interest were arrested and interviewed, then later released.
During the May 2 sitting of the House of Assembly this year, Penn said the aircraft could be used to airlift sick persons on Virgin Gorda and Anegada as well as transport others to Puerto Rico when they need care.
“I know there were some people who made the suggestion that if the plane is the property of the Virgin Islands, it could be retrofitted to provide emergency services for the sister islands — particularly Virgin Gorda and Anegada — and even carry persons to Puerto Rico who might not have the financing. Is the ministry considering anything like that,” Penn asked.
In response, Health Minister Vincent Wheatley said the ministry has not settled on the option of using the plane that was seized in the cocaine raid, for inter-island medical transfers. But he said the ministry is considering a number of options for emergency medical care across the territory and on the sister islands in particular.
Minister Wheatley said currently, the BVIHSA contracts a vessel when emergency medical transfers are required from Virgin Gorda and has a helicopter provider from the USVI when transfers are required on Anegada. The minister said there is no similar arrangement in place for Jost Van Dyke.
In the meantime, Premier Wheatley explained that the plane that was seized on Anegada was turned over to USVI authorities, as per a memorandum of understanding, which includes this requirement when criminal activities involve both jurisdictions.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
not a bad idea we know it can carry a heavy cargo for long distances, it has a proven track record
all you politicians in the british virgin island have ruined the territory of the british virgin islands. drugs gun crime and violence. look at the island of jamaica with millions of overnight visitors to their cruise ship ports and hotels. can the politicians in the bvi improve the tourism and agricultural and financial services industry instead of posting all of these negative news online on the internet and the world wide web? how embarrassing it is to read all of this negative news online about the british virgin islands. it seems to me that all of the politicians in the british virgin islands do not care.
The drug Lords may shoot the plane from the sky, so rotate it for one out the USA and send that in the USA for different plane of same value.
Just a little aircraft rehab that will run into the millions to create an air ambulance that won’t be used often, and is likely to become neglected and possibly out of service at the hour of need. Better to sell it, and use the proceeds to fix HVAC in Peebles, which we are told does not work because we haven’t paid vendors who came to fix it before.
Most of the security at the ports,get a better pay just to organize and let stuff pass! Especially the female worker!!
i said this the day it was seized
Is he joking?
Why are we so f**king simplistic around here? Do you think a plane is a f**king Honda Jeep? Jesus Christ man!!!!
Premiers private plane let PWD do the maintenance all are problems solved .
Research what is done to a plane to make it capable of transporting as much drugs as possible. Yall tryna kill ppl!
BVI is not a real place!
Man tired of the BS.
Out of 400million budget or whatever you all cant set aside for a plane or helicopter to carry our ill and staff it with a trained pilot.
That is infrastructure. Not some big az building that funnels money to construction.
Even if the plane is capable of being used, is this evidence in an upcoming criminal case? Just asking for a friend….LOL!
I hope so. Fixed or not, that plane will stay and rot there until the authorities see the papers and records. Also cannot be insured without them. Y take such chances with people lives
How about use it as part of a strategy to protect our territorial waters?
Remember how we used to have a police/drug plane here? What happened to that?
Use it in conjunction with Marine Police boats to interdict drugs and monitor fishing in our waters. Illegal Chinese fishing and illegal local big-man fishing operations raping the protected areas with their thousands of fish pots.
And while we’re on this line of thought, why not take some of those very fast drug boats that occasionally get seized – I mean the ones that aren’t burned or stolen back from under police noses – and turn them into a fleet of very fast drug and fishing enforcement boats, working in conjunction with the plane?
I mean, helping people in medical need is great but I suspect too much needs to be done to the plane for that, and it will see too little use.
Drugs and illegal fishing activity? Wow – that’s 24/7 in our territory!
That is a brilliant idea
But the government would not want to do it because the IDEA it comes from the opposition
Stupid crab in the barrel mentality
Is the plane going to fly itself?
How about he is the plane to get out here. He can rename it go speeed.
Love the idea. Outside the box thinking. My only challenge is why the eff we have to turn over anything to the USVI?? Cancel that MOU now! No wonder the USVI comes in here and does what it wants. Runs the criminals to the BVI during chases so we have to house and feed and care for the criminals, but we have to send the money and assets seized to the USVI? That make sense?
Those who believe that there is a real war on drugs, I have some nice land in the middle of the mangroves out paraquita bay, prime spot, for sale!
How many people commented without reading the story properly? The Premier says the plane was handed over to the USVI authorities “per a memorandum of understanding which includes this requirement when criminal activities involve both jurisdictions”. Sheesh!
Uncle Sam plays it to his advantage every time.