Red flag! Leaked farmers and fisherfolk stimulus lists inaccurate
Premier Andrew Fahie has taken to his Facebook page in efforts to debunk two leaked lists of names allegedly said to contain local agriculture workers who received COVID-19 stimulus packages in excess of $3 million.
The lists, which reportedly began circulating days ago on social media, allegedly show the names of beneficiaries and amounts they received from government’s COVID-19 Fishing and Farming initiative doled out last year.
However, in a message posted to his Facebook page Wednesday evening, Premier Fahie questioned the authenticity of the documents and suggested names on the lists were “inaccurate and incomplete”.
He did not, however, choose to categorise the lists as “fake news” as he often does in seeking to dismiss unsavoury information about his government.
The two documents show persons receiving amounts ranging from $4,500 to as high as $22,500. It further details fisherfolk getting amounts largely in the sum of $9,000, $15,000 and $20,000 while farmers allegedly received amounts largely totalling $13,500 or $22,500.
When combined, the total amount allegedly paid out between the two lists comes in at over $3.2 million.
Meanwhile, many members of the community have responded with outrage on social media at the contents of the lists, suggesting that many of the persons listed are not actually farmers or fishermen.
Major red flag
Fahie, who is also the Finance Minister, said the lists raise a red flag and are being examined for discrepancies.
“The authenticity of this list is being examined as discrepancies have already been identified by the requisite authorities, which raises a major red flag,” the Premier said.
The Premier said that, upon completion of a review of the entire matter, further information will be made available.
According to the Premier: “The Government of the Virgin Islands continues to assist numerous persons and businesses during this ongoing global pandemic transparently and prudently that will withstand the test of time.”
Millions earmarked for ‘full-time commercial fishers, farmers’
Meanwhile, in a statement issued in March last year, Agriculture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said $2 million had been set aside to stimulate local food production and assist fisherfolk in the British Virgin Islands.
At the time, Dr Wheatley said the funding would be used for supplies “necessary to get our fisherfolk back in the water” and “to purchase the needed supplies to get our farmers back on their grounds”.
“Access to this funding means that we will ramp up production and provide the local market with the food necessary to sustain ourselves in this Virgin Islands economy,” Dr Wheatley explained at the time.
Dr Wheatley, who is also the Deputy Premier, then invited ‘full-time commercial fishers and farmers’ to contact the Department of Agriculture to register for the programme.
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I do not believe you Sir. If it was fake you would have stamped fake news all over it days ago. If it’s fake then put out the real list because it’s taxpayers money. I believe the list is real. Some people probably don’t know that it had cheque a in their name I believe. You will try to *** yourself out of this like everything else.
Some name on the list are indeed fake. Some people on the list did not get any money. The better question is, “if these people did not receive the millions spent, then where did the rest of the money really go?”
Additionally they seem to have knowingly lied and laid an inaccurate list in the house of assembly. This in itself should lead to them being prosecuted.
‘The Premier said that, upon completion of a review of the entire matter, further information will be made available.’
Fahie and Wheatley, dont worry about reviewing this document, the COI will take care of that for you and we will get an HONEST result. You two need to start putting your affairs in order.
How were the fisherfolk impacted by covid? We’re they prevented from working? Did the fish have the bug? Did people stop buying fish?
Foi Foi Foi….
Really? That’s the red flag you see in this?
Not the fact there are full time employees with a little side gig as farmer/fisher received thousands of dollars even though others are waiting for a year now for your good government to provide them with something.
You also see a red flag in the list not being accurate but you are not worried that farmers/fishers received stimulus even though they were allowed to do their job and could sell food to the people of the BVI?
No wonder Dr. DoLittle sits in your cabinet, you are both useless.
He and all dr dolittle probably take under the account as a farmer..hmmm
He sound so s****d and we are not going to accept this damage control speech…By now most of the folks in the BVI have already seen the BOBOL LIST
This list needs authentication. If and when it is, I will say out right that this is mismanagement of the people’s money. It appears as if money was given out without the development of a criterion. If so it goes to the heart of the systematic problem we have. This will come to end in a few weeks. Business which employ people paying NHI, social security and taxes barely get money but you provide monies to SOME people who employed with Government and have a business that do not employ anyone besides themselves. This is becoming a cartoon. It shows that there no proper controls in place.
HERE HE! MAYSON GO SIDDUNG FROM HERE WID YO FOOLISHNESS..YO L** TOO DOGGONE MUCH
WHEN YOU ALL GET CAUGHT, EVERYTHING IS INACCURATE RIGHT? THERE IS NOTHING FAKE AND INACCURATE ABOUT THE LIST. SOMEONE THAT IS ON THAT LIST NEVER PUT THEIR HANDS IN SOIL GOT A NICE CHECK. THE COI NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE ASAP. THE TRUE FARMERS AND FISHERMEN GOT THE LEFT OVER SCRAPS OR NOTHING AT ALL. PURE INJUSTICE. THE PEOPLE WHO IS WORKING TO THE BONE IS GETTING A KICK IN THE RIBS AND THE CRONIES IS REAPING THE BENEFITS OFF THE PEOPLES BACKS. SHAME ON THIS DISGUSTING INEPT GOVERNMENT THAT WANT TO CONTROL AND MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE PEOPLE. NO JOKE, THIS GOVERNMENT IS GOING DOWN NEXT ELECTION. A SWIFT PAINFUL KICK TO THE CURB IS WHAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO GET.
Its very Simple. Publish the Right List with the Right Amounts and the Payment Holders Real Profession Amen..
THEN PUBLISH THE CORRECT LIST. BUT INSTEAD, YOU WANT TO DO DAMAGE CONTROL AND SWING PEOPLES HEAD WITH THE LIES. PLAIN AND SIMPLE, NO ONE BELIEVES YOUUUUU!.!!!!! IF YOU WERE FAIR WITH THE STIMULUS PAYOUT IE… SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO IS IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THEIR BUSINESSES, FAMILIES ETC. IF THE STIMULUS WAS GIVEN OUT THE RIGHT WAY, IT WOULD HAVE BOOSTED THE ECONOMY. SPREAD THE MONEY OUT INSTEAD OF GIVING THE PEOPLES MONEY TO A SELECT FEW. BEING TRANSPARENT, IF WE SIT BACK AND LET THIS SLIDE UNDER THE DUSTY RUG INCLUDING MYSELF, WE ARE A BUNCH OF DUMB M***ER F***ERS.
drain the swamp
No, drain the purse. While complaining about how past politicians went in and enriched themselves from government coffers duing the last election cycle, the response back was, “shut your mouth, others before did it so i am going for the same thing.”
Sems as though they are keeping their word.
Mr. Premier, is it true that your government recently increased pension for legislators to some astonishing amounts? We need answers. Why did we have to hear this from Ray last night? How much was the pension increase?
Yup – another news worthy article the media never wishes to publish.
Bweeei people wex they did not get. I see dead man on the list. Plus the one circulating is only half.
Wait till you see the list of who get under the guise of Irma repairs. You think you vex now. Wait!
BVI taxpayers demand to see the full list.
and the business list and the list for the $300,000 ALSO .
I told them already that their heads will spin.
No problem judst publish the “true” list, should be easy.
Where is shabazz??
I see a lot of computers (farmers) on this list planting potatoes.
I see a man on the farmers list who has been dead for some time. I hope he has a son by the same name who lives here. And who has a trade license for farming!
I see a man on the farmers list who has been dead for some time. I hope he has a son by the same name who lives here. And who has a trade license for farming!
… Minister of Finance? How could you direct funds in such a way? Don’t you have a conscience?
And the lawyer who is not a farmer say she going take somebody to court. Thing to tell the king.
I am totally appalled like everyone else when I saw that list. This is the last straw for me. I dont see any coming back from this. Myron start getting your party together. I dont think with your innovations in education you can be worse than these incompetent mutts we have in there. REALLY SOWANDE!! REALLY!!!
Don’t bother with Myron either.
Myron is a good man and he did a very good job representing us.
He doing a good job where he is now too
That’s why we need him because he could do a good job all round. That’s who we need. Not these one trip ponies we have playing leaders.
PUT YOUR PARTY TOGERTHER.
Inaccurate yea. Is probably more money was given away. Think of all who got and name wasn’t on the list lol.
Simple, we compare this list of names to this list of licensed fisherman. I think the COI will be able to help us here.
I see a man on the farmer’s list who died a few years ago. Fact. I hope he had a junior carrying his name. Who lives here. And who has a trade license for commercial farming. The deceased man received 13,000 according to the list.
What happen to the cybercrime bill? Start charging people for fake news and the truth will always prevail. Anybody with sense can see that the list is completely fake or doctored. Some of the names can’t even be justified and if you really think that government or anybody would be so stupid that mean you really hate government or you stupid.
I believe you are being sarcastic. I knew about some of these payments even before the lists came out
The only red flag in this entire thing are the names of fully employed persons who never missed a paycheck due to covid, never fish, never farm but got twice the amount that hard hit REAL BUSINESSES got for assistance. Then we are here talking nonsense wondering why there’s an ongoing COI.
Tell us what is incomplete and inaccurate about it… make us wise, educate us. The world is watching and reading..This government look clueless and lost…
That was a good one ? looks like that overdrive s**t ain’t wuk- in
and i couldn’t even qualify for $1500 while laid off for months when pandemic started smh…poor people will stay poor.
The world seeing this list reading theses comments wants to know what’s going on in the BVI, What kind of country is this…They must be thinking it’s a mafair corrupted country we already branded as cocaine country… Sad.
Ppl who were working and contributing dues and taxes were either given from less than $3500 or none at all. Some persons received a mere $1500. Or some less from the stimulus package, others with kids to feed applied and never heard again from SSB. I just want to know how many persons on the list were paying taxes and dies to SSB and NHI for fishing and farming. If we we ought to have a surplus of local produces and fishes by now.
Social Security’s turn is coming.
They have to justify this qualifying scale that they created.
And I agree with you 100%. Just explain/tell us where the list is incomplete and inaccurate. My sister call me this morning from Boston where she lives asking me what is good with that? Yeah the story is trending don’t forget there is people with Tortola connection living all over the US.They know everything that is going on in Tortola.
Everyone basically got a stimulus check. A copy was faxed to me and I am in shock. If you all was across the water in the USVI, You would have gotten arrested.
Andrew Trump meh boy.. if its not beneficial to him, its fake news. Whether it really is or not
Where art thou ?? and the other Quiet preacher / hey bro are you working with Victoria’s secret or wha ?
All we want to know. When are you going pay BVI PORT AUTHORITY WORKERS their MONIES. STOP WITH THE BULLS**TING. Them people deserve their monies. Robbing them people of honest working. 3.2 million that could of pay all government workers their incement an backpay. Evil doers God is not sleeping. Airport staff need their monies too. The problem is not really minister Andrew fahie. Is the wicked people them he put to run s**t for him. Hold on man. GOD is who exposing them and their evil deeds. Wait. Hon fahie get rid of them people u choose to put as board members u need to take a look at their intention an the people who u put to deal with port monies u need to change them around. Once downfall start it will fall on u. The port staff needs their monies back. Dont sit an watch u down fall. Where their life theirs hope. Start making a change. Man. U a big man. We believe in u thats y we voted for you. The first thing they did is cut salaries rich business people cut poor people salaries. Not nice. Some of theses people still playing catch up on their bills while theses rich a** collection monies from Government for been on boards an building renting to goverment. Its hot breaking and dishonesty to the max. Look out for u people u said u went in to helo dd people y kill them. Remember Bvi port staff can vote. Remember that.
share link please