Public waits! Will Premier keep promise and vaccinate this week?
One week later and members of the public are still waiting for Premier Andrew Fahie to be publicly inoculated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, as promised last Thursday.
During the launch of the territory’s vaccination programme at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital on February 12, a number of public officials — including Health Minister Carvin Malone and Governor John Rankin — publicly took the vaccine.
Although present, Premier Fahie opted not to take the vaccine at the time, claiming he wanted to ensure he was not the reason any frontline worker missed out on getting access to one of the 8,000 vials of the vaccine.
“I will be doing mine but I feel within myself a sense of patriotism to make sure that they get their vaccine,” Fahie said at the time.
“So even if it has to run out because the Minister of Health and them were in the frontline with them, let them go ahead. Even if it runs out, I don’t mind on the second batch,” he added.
Premier said within a week
Although making the aforementioned statement, Premier Fahie later altered his narrative towards taking the vaccine when questioned my members of the media during the vaccine roll-out event.
Questions on why he did not lead by example in taking the vaccine prompted the leader of government business to promise the media and residents that he would be back this week to the vaccine live in the presence of the media.
He said: “Next week I’m going to be vaccinated, allowing with due respect the Governor who has worked hard with the United Kingdom to bring the 8,000 dosages and the Minister of Health and the rest of the front line, and some other members said they want to go ahead.”
“I’ve made a decision to allow our frontline to as many as possible, especially in the health care section to get ahead and next week I will be taking the vaccine. It’s as simple as that,” Premier Fahie stated.
No indication to date of taking the vaccine
Today marks eight days since the Premier made that statement and there still has been no indication from the Premier or his office as to when or if he will be taking the vaccine or whether it will be done in the presence of the media if he gets inoculated.
BVI News posed questions to Premier Fahie on the matter this morning. Up to publication time, he did not respond,
Despite the Premier’s seeming reluctance, members of the public have been flocking the respective health facilities to get their jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The latest statistic by the Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronald Georges indicate that more than 1,400 persons have already registered to take the vaccine, with more than 200 already vaccinated.
The influx of interested persons has since prompted the Ministry of Health to temporarily suspend the online registration process.
This is to ensure that all frontline workers and vulnerable persons receive the vaccine before the average healthy resident.
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The people of the BVI put their trust in someone who they knew could not be trusted. Do you expect him to keep his word on anything? Why should a true leader of a country have to be hunted down to lead by example? He took time to be cheering on people taking the vaccine so that he could be seen and heard and yet he would not take. Doesn’t this tell you the kind of person that you are dealing with?
You all do well that you still have any faith in this man. You will be disappointed constantly. The man ain’t no good! You all blind?
Maybe he has underlying conditions that prevent him from taking the vaccine. Not everyone can take the vaccine. Goodness…
Well tell him to come out and say something and stop the lying and get away from the whole process.
We are not telling him anything, he is a grown man!
Yes, cowardice.
Then don’t say you will take it….
He can say what he wants and retract if he chooses…just like you do…. let God judge him as He will you!
The vaccine has been here two weeks. They have done 200 people. That’s 100 per week. At this rate it will take a year or more to vaccinate the country. Tourists will not be coming to unvaccinated countries.
The man misspoke. There have been single days with more than 200 inoculated. Should be closing on 1200 now. It will move along faster as they figure out the registration and notification process, which should have been a priority before the vaccines arrived. Usual BVI Goverment M.O.
It’s not you nor the BVINews business as to whether or not the Premier or anyone within the territory takes this guinea pig of a vaccine! I truly believe that the Premier should not take it. God knows what it may do to him.
Additionally, I would sooner put my trust in the Premier than you or the UK and their racist suited witch-hunters. Stupid propaganda article!
I agree with you 100%. Finally, somebody speaking sense with truth. Tell the sender to take the Vaccine and put it where the sun doesn’t shine. We are nobody Guinea Pigs, Lab Rats or vaccine Zombies.
Do your research and you may find out why the premier should not take the vaccine.
Over 40 million people worldwide have had the vaccine since December 2020. At what point does the talk about being a guinea pig stop?
What more do you need?
Well, i would say that there were over forty million guinea pigs that took the vaccine.
LOL… and I would second that! Over 40 million Guinea pigs!
How many please stop talking ish…. That vaccine just rolled out 2021. January is when persons started getting vaccinated.
Sorry should be 2021
YOU DARN SKIPPY IT IS. HE IS NOT A PRIVATE CITIZEN, HE IS LEADER AND HIS BUSINESS IS THE PEOPLES BUSINESS AS LONG AS HE IS SITTING IN THAT SEAT.
Its his body his choice. They made it voluntary for a reason. Sucks to be a politician they are expected to smile and take it when others get to choose ?
So if he announces that he’s taking a p**s tomorrow you need to know where and when and how! Y’all need to grow up, get a life, and stop minding other peoples personal business!
However it IS the premier’s business to lead. This is a despicable moral failure. If he has a medical condition he should say so. If he thinks the vaccine is will do harm, he should say so. He has said neither. Another failure to lead from Fahie, who also still says nothing about the rapid descent of the BVI into a narco-state, and a cesspit of cronyism. Just more BS about the UK Governor.
His cockamamie vaccine excuse leads us to believe that he a moral coward. This man has the principles of a c**++***h. Unfortunately Fahie will go do down in history as the leader who led his people INTO the wilderness.
… and you will go down as a busybody blogger!
A man who does not keep his word is like a cloud that doesn’t bring rain, it’s biblical Fahie.
He is so … [health-wise] I don’t think he should take it.
Well as we all know…the world is filled with rain clouds each second of the day and plenty of times you yourself have caused some foggy clouds to form. Such is the nature of man… but let God be the judge for I can remember a few times in the Bible when Jesus changed his mind and decided not to bring down His judgment!
He can’t take it. It changes the black man to white.
22 February and Fahie has still not demonstrated leadership and taken the vaccine..
I thought the racist governor was your leader? So worry about him and leave our elected leaders alone!
What is opposite of pros? This is exactly the kind of man who we elected to lead us.
PREMIER, DON’T TAKE PRESSURE…DON’T TAKE THAT VACCINE EITHER.
I take the Premier and his reasoning for not taking the vaccine to date by his words.
I anticipate he will in due course.
I am not at all concerned whether the Premier takes the vaccine. However, when will the rest of the population be able to be vaccinated? The vaccine has been in BVI for over a week now, and we are still dealing with frontline workers? What are we waiting for? We should be done by now. The Government has had months to plan and the roll out has been a shambles. The Government is to blame for that.
It has been here for more than 2 weeks!!!
A lot of the frontline workers that took it are experiencing side effects and are calling in sick. No jab for me please!!!!
Crap.
Do you have children? If so, did you take them for their shots when they were babies? Didn’t they get a fever and were irritable for the first few days? That means the vaccine is doing what it’s supposed to do. It’s sad that so many of us are blinded by these conspiracy theories and stay lost in a mindset of nonsense.
Really? Which ones?
it’s not a big deal at all
Hon. Fahie, you’re a man of God so don’t let ANYBODY pressure you to do anything. Lead by God. Whenever the Holy Spirit leads you to it, you follow. God is in Control, not MAN… God Bless our Premier and all the elected Ministers and Our Beautiful Virgin Islands.
There are many Gods. Which one is he a man of?
Wrong? there are many ‘gods’. The god of jealousy, the god of envy, the god of racism, the god of inhumanity, the god of segregation, the god of greed, the god of selfishness…
There is only one ‘God’ “Jesus the Christ”. He serves the one and only true God!
Who do you serve!
Amen!!
I believe in science not fairytales.
Then you believe in the god of ‘self’, and self-knowledge! You believe that you are ‘your own god’ that your Big Brain rules your world! Because of your prideful nature you have banded yourself to a god that makes you worship the fairytale world of self-deception!
I second that! These Euros always trying to bully their way around the world…for centuries now!
Why does anybody care if the Premier gets the vaccine or not. It isn’t mandatory and it’s his choice. If people were genuinely concerned about his well being then it may have been different but people are just looking for something to complain about.
Why should he take it? Because if he doesn’t he remains a source of the spread. Even if he didn’t have any bad symptoms himself or even none if he caught it , he is much more likely to pass it on than if he had been vaccinated. By taking the vaccine you are not only protecting yourself but the vulnerable members of your family and contacts.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-9216639/Cut-transmission-Oxford-vaccine-holy-grail-pandemic-fight.html
You don’t even like our Premier, always blogging some crap! Mind your own business you racist, evil good-for-nothing peace of a human.
Hello Andrew.
I’m not saying that he shouldn’t take it. I’m saying this is pure political mischief. They care about the Premier taking the vaccine as much as they care if Sonnel took it. They don’t really care. They see this as an opportunity to take a jab at the Premier just as you yourself jump at any chance to make negative remarks about government.
I never liked bullies in school and I definitely will not tolerate adult bullying! These disgraceful people online that are trying to bully others don’t even like our Premier.
LOOK, IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, EXIT THE KITCHEN. THE INTERNET IS VICIOUS. BUT WE ALL LOVE IT DON’T WE?
You sound like someone filled with demons!
You are a sad type of human species! Yes enjoy evil!
Exactly!!
MAYBE HIS WANTS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THE VACCINE AND THEN HE WILL TAKE IT. YA THINK.
Don’t do it Drew!
Don’t believe a word Andrew Fahie say, out of 8,000 vaccines he couldn’t take one because he claims he wanted to ensure he was not the reason any frontline worker missed out on getting access to one of the 8,000 vials of the vaccine that’s pure Bull.
The child is not a leader he shows this every day.
The man is just a walking and talking contradiction.
,,. And so are you! Next headline!
Fat Joe playing hide and seek
Worst than not taking the vaccine is the half-baked excuse he gave. I think he could have taken a little more time to think of something that was more believable. Get a sick note for heaven’s sake from any doctor. We are feeling heavy with this COI hanging over our heads and very little confidence or TRUST in our elected officials and this is what he says. It doesn’t matter now whether he takes the vaccine or not.
This man has made sure he is front line every step of the way. Why change now? Everyone knows who controls every little thing here. That makes him front line. He is at risk. The commander in chief needs to be protected for the good of the people. Vaccinate the man. We wouldn’t want people thinking he is some sort of cowardly dictator.
Let’s just concentrate on getting the vaccinations done, the way it is going now it will be 2025 until this first batch is distributed. Shows again the incompetence of this VIP Government. If he doesn’t take it and doesn’t care about infecting his people that is his business.
As long as he doesn’t exhibit the childish, cowardly behavior as The Speaker! That was embarrassing, to say the least. If you are going to run a LIVE event to promote yourselves and show leadership, you need to present leaders, nea cowering children with unreasonable fear in their hearts.
Fear is not of God. Nae Fear!
I’m certain the Premier will man up and do the right thing next week.
As someone with the same fear, and someone who is not a fan of the Speaker, I will applaud him for having the bravery and leadership to go and get the vaccine anyway. It’s ok to be afraid.
Well if you can win an election, ‘you’ can set the rules, but as you can see. The Premier controls this show!
Who cares if he gets the vaccine or not. That leaves one more jab for you or me. Let’s get it done BVI. Open the doors to the tourists so that we can get our economy going again.
One thing I cannot stand is the stupidity of BVI News and their bloggers. The man have a God given right to either take or not take the vaccine. If the vaccine was mandatory for everyone in the territory and he did not take then that will be a different story. He has not forced anyone to take. So I do not understand the relevance of this article. Please report actually news from trying to create divide and stir up unrest. Is this what news medias outlet have come to?
Sincerely,
A very disappointed youth
Scatter ayo stupid a**. Don’t tek no vaccine Andrew. Set of evil b****+ds full of s**t. Cackle and crow as much as you want brainwashed lunatics. Jumping off a cliff will cure Corona and all problems you don’t have to waste time b***hin and bashing “jus do it.” Sick of the dumb a*+ bulls**t.
Really people…..why are you making a big deal about this… The Premier, just like every other person living in the BVI can choose whether he wants to take the vaccine or not. It is NOT mandatory!! It’s ok if he doesn’t take it, I personally dont think he should. Leave it alone. And you who are criticising, are you taking it?..its your choice and stop complaining.
He is the one who said what he would do but we already know what he does well so carry on
A man is as good as his word. Your word is your honor. If the Premier saif he is going to do something we expect him to do it, including the picture evidence failure to do so means he Premier Andrew Fahie lacks honor.
To all those bashing this news site. The article is very relevant. There was once a biblical account of a father and two sons. One son told the father he would go and did not. The said he would not go and he went. The question was asked which one is the better of the two. No one used the Premier voice box, by his own admission he said he will. If there is a change of mind then say so. You can not in good conscience encourage your constituents to go and then don’t go. Good leaders would not ask their people to go where they themselves would not. What is good for the goose must be better for the gander. Those who have underlying health issues should be upfront…. All medical persons are encouraging people to take it. He looked high above the minister of health in his photo shoot. Let the minister of health loom high over you and be a man. Take the vaccine Andrew. No gimmicks it will come up at the coi if you do. Someone will inform the commissioner if you take water instead. Remember mr Premier architect of transparency.
We bash this news site because it needs to be bashed… with it’s propaganda news reporting. What the premier chooses to do with his body is his concern! God is in control of our leaders not BVINews nor these jealous, envious Busybody bloggers!
No one cares for you long story. It is still irrelevant. Obviously you are one of those that like confusion.
Then don’t say you will take it….
Why don’t you go worry about what your leaders are saying?
Excuse me? The Premier is not a POPPY SHOW he is waiting on the correct placebo to take.