Sluggish economy not the cause of BVI’s crime – Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has dismissed concerns that a sluggish BVI economy is at the root of an apparent rise in serious crime in the territory.
Over the past few years, there have been multiple daring daylight robberies and murders, some of which have involved high-calibre weapons and have been seen on widely circulated videos.
Premier Wheatley expressed that, although the territory is used to lower levels of crime than in many other countries, one murder, burglary or assault is simply too many.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m saying if persons want to commit crime, they will use any excuse they have to, to commit it,” Premier Wheatley said in response to a question from Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn.
Dr Wheatley insisted that there are plenty of opportunities in the territory for persons who want to make a livelihood through legal means.
“We have opportunities in tourism. We have opportunities in construction. We have opportunities in the marine industry. We have opportunities in retail. We have opportunities in the financial services sector. We have opportunities in a number of different places,” the Premier remarked.
Although the causes of crime may be complex and subject to debate, Premier Wheatley suggested that socio-economic conditions and a breakdown in the family or even media influence may not necessarily paint a true picture of the root causes.
“Based on my analysis,” the Premier said, “the overwhelmingly most significant factor in the decision to commit crime is a selfish, regressive, and repugnant ideology.”
He continued: “It is an ideology that teaches us not to care about the impact that one’s actions have on others. An ideology that encourages laziness instead of hard work and an ideology that says the legal channels are too slow and to go for the fast money.”
He added that while some may want to use the economy as an excuse, the reality is that there are more than enough jobs in business opportunities in the society for those who choose to commit crimes.
“The fact that we issue and reissue thousands of work permits a year is evidence of that. I have witnessed individuals who work two jobs. Wake up early in the morning and go to sleep late at night to put food on the table. Some of these very same individuals are successful and prosperous businesspeople today,” the Premier stated.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Opportunities where?
Nurses, teachers, solar technicians, civil engineers: get training and an education and there are plenty of opportunities. If you want someone to pay you big bucks for knowing nothing and doing nothing, that won’t happen.
they are the main ones not getting paid for their knowledge…. but still no excuse honestly.
Go pound nail, mix mortar it got jobs some people just lazy.
Now that it’s getting harder to move drugs after Fahie’s arrest and conviction and BVI being under the spotlight, people are committing alternative crimes, such as armed robbery, because they still demand easy money rather than working regular legal jobs!
Stop with these outrageous travels. Stop feeding crap to the government employees about their increments. Time to put the people before your personal indulgence with taxpayers money. What is really going on here? This premier is not listening to the citizens of this territory. It’s as if a woodpecker is pecking in his ear. He is acting worse every day. Council will surely be dissolved on account of his leadership and the actions of Education Minister. Two educated stones.
I keep saying this – The UK is not going to remove a democratically elected Government. It just will not happen! It is we the people that elected this group, we the people that are responsible for what we are dealing with, and only we the people can demand accountability and change this.
Sadly, we the people only talk, and know very little of action, even though our home is burning around us! Too many greedy conflicts, and selfish wants.
Now I know that guy is delusional or he smoke a joint before he said what he said, he don’t know he foot from his elbow, that program he have is rubbish as well because you sign up now and all four months later you still waiting to be called like we live in a third world country
are we acting like we expect better the last election should of awaken the dead
The BVI is a society based on crime. For decades our political class have participated and protected the criminal underworld in the narcotics trafficking industry. Over time this industry has fueled the massive wealth creation of hundreds of families. These families have grown and become dependent on the flow of illicit funds. When the big bad colonials from the UK and USA step in and disrupt that flow of money then people who have become accustomed to a lifestyle fueled by cartel money are suddenly without gigantic family payrolls. When they need to have money without honest hardwork and UK/USA intervention has interrupted their cash flow they find new ways to acquire funds that are often very harmful to our own community.
J Gorge family doing rifie them have all the gold remember that time he throw gas in the phone store
Not saying robbing is good it don’t have any job for any one how have a job can talk like that it really hard out here but I still will not rob go plant food
You have made it very clear , and now I understand why blondie is so filled with hatred against the UK and US , and has made it his daily racism rethoric by writing and blogging the same broken down record narrative using colonialism as a front , thats a real subterfuge that we have on the loose here , and who has a platform to flex off himself on without his wig / which must be very painful for this egomaniac
not living in the BVI so he does not know s**t! To much time in planes, hotels and other countries.
ALL THE OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH CONSTRUCTION
Coukd Mr. Wheatley please enlighten us as to the origins of “the overwhelmingly most significant factor in the decision to commit crime is a selfish, regressive, and repugnant ideology.”?
@Anonymous: Bad parenting and absenteeism, accountability and responsibility, lack of moral enforcement (you didn’t ask me but I thought I would chime in)
There will always be crime, good economy or bad economy, but thieves thief. That’s what they do. We need to prosecute those we catch harshly not just for cannabis but for these violent crimes also.
No opportunities for youngsters, schools that are failing, please tell me what opportunities for the young generation today, Bring back the British, current government seem like they just been dug up
“Over time this industry has fueled the massive wealth creation of hundreds of families. These families have grown and become dependent on the flow of illicit funds. When the big bad colonials from the UK and USA step in ”
Stop right there. The hundreds of families is totally false and discrminatory, most families here got their wealth because the SLAVE MASTERS abandoned their lands and gave it to the former slaves as this place had no value to them anymore.
Most of them rent their property and have multiple lands. All of my aunts and uncles have a house spot to their name by inheritance from their father grandpa who was a farmer. Your claim of crime families is so disrespectful in light of history.
The VERY FEW people who are making money off drugs is already well known to police because this place is so small.
For you to come on and say hundreds of families are rich from crime is totally false, maybe in the US or UK you can say that and it is fact.
your imagination of how a formerly enslaved people got their wealth betrays your racist world view.