BVI News

USVI governor wants to help BVI despite cries to “get even”

File photo of USVI Governor Albert Bryan, Jr (left) and Premier of the BVI, Andrew Fahie.

Despite the reported cries from his constituents for retribution, USVI Governor Albert Bryan Jr has insisted that his only intention is to help the BVI in its time of crisis.

In a public broadcast Thursday afternoon, Governor Bryan announced that unvaccinated persons travelling from the BVI to the USVI must now submit a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of departure, adding that locally-based water taxis captains entering the USVI will be arrested if they did not have a negative COVID test.

And in a moment of candour, the Governor expressed that many persons called him to say, “now is our chance to get even with the British Virgin Islands for what they do to our sailors or fishermen.”

However, he insisted that now is the time for USVI residents to be responsible as global citizens and assist the BVI community which is currently has more than 1,600 active COVID-19 cases.

“We are doing everything we can to do to help the British Virgin Islands, Premier Fahie, his Cabinet, and all the people over there. I’ve been on the phone with the State Department and the Delegate has been reaching out trying to get assistance from DC,” Governor Bryan stated.

USVI seeks to get special COVID treatment to BVI

He said the USVI is fortunate to have the monoclonal antibody treatment, which the BVI doesn’t have and suggested that his government is working on trying to get them to us.

Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses. The treatment is offered to persons who go to the hospital and have not been vaccinated and it reportedly helps the body to immediately produce antibodies and fight against COVID-19, the Governor stated.

“It’s not a hundred percent and you still have to get the vaccine after you have that monoclonal antibody because it only lasts about two or three weeks,” he further explained

The governor also intimated that officials thought seriously about reducing the ferry load coming from the British Virgin Islands but said they thought better of it because all the people who are coming will have had a negative test result within 48 hours of their departure.

Shares

Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

41 Comments

Disclaimer: BVI News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the comments below or other interaction among the users.

  1. How says:

    How was this not policy prior. All people entering the US are required to have a negative Covid test. How were people allowed into the USVI without a test. This must be another Caribbean blackish exemptions and now all will pay for their stupidity.

    Like 5
    Dislike 2
  2. Foy says:

    Foy I hope the 21 days of fasting is working on you. You’re so embarrassing when standing with other leaders.

    Like 23
    Dislike 8
    • @Foy says:

      Why don’t you sit down and SHUT UP…He was made to be how he is…AND WE LIKE HIM SO…set of ingrate

      Like 8
      Dislike 17
      • @@Foy says:

        He made that way? LOL. He made himself that way cause he **** for 3 people. There are many many ways not to have to shop at Omar the Tent Maker for your clothes.

        Like 2
        Dislike 2
  3. The TRUTH says:

    “Get even” What the h**l is that supposed to mean?

    Like 9
    Dislike 2
    • dbdb says:

      what it means is the BVi treats every other country and persons from same like sh$t all the time.

      Like 33
      Dislike 11
    • To The TRUTH says:

      It means they are a bitter bunch

      Like 10
      Dislike 12
      • Not Bitter says:

        Where were you when people traveled from the USVI were jailed and fined last year. Come on man. Even I felt at that time that there could have been a better way to deal with the matter.

        Like 17
        Dislike 6
        • @Not Bitter says:

          We have laws…who do more jailing than them

          Like 12
          Dislike 3
        • To Not Bitter says:

          Yeah, cause you guys over there act like yall own the world and people should kiss your behinds because you are US citizens

          Like 8
          Dislike 9
        • Internet says:

          If ppl come here from anywhere else they are subject to our laws. They committed crimes and went to jail.
          Same thing would happen if we pulled that s**t in the us.

          Like 1
          Dislike 1
  4. USVI Right says:

    Every action has an equal reaction. The BVI’s policy and how it treated persons who entered during the pandemic was very heavy-handed and it was always the case with how things are done where the BVI wants favorable treatment over here but treat people from the USVI with a different response.

    The way you guys acted towards us during the start of COVID was shameful and look where you are now. The problem is that the BVI has an Immigration Minister who is horrible at diplomacy and he continues to break down relationships that was built over the years. Now you see the results of how we feel. Next you will see how the other Caribbean neighbors that your Minister wanted to flush like human waste feels.

    I hope the voters who voted that man in feel proud of themselves.Remember no one is an island; and today for me and tomorrow for you. Going forward we have to deal better with each other

    Like 37
    Dislike 3
  5. Indigenous says:

    Oh how easy we forget…Last year during the earlier stages of COVID-19, the BVI closed it doors on the USVI and residents had some ‘not so nice’ things to say about their rising COVID cases. But rather than getting even, the Governor has taken the high road. Let this be a lesson that we should be careful about our actions and possibly burning bridges, because other countries/people may not be so forgiving.

    Like 32
    Dislike 3
  6. The Nation says:

    Surprised to hear that USVI GOvernor talk about that…I thought it was low of him…especially given that the USVI is the one that has marginalised BVI for decades and it is our money that support their economy…they literally shut down our airport here and want to talk about get even…they need to stop because he know BVI people is peace loving people. we have put up with alot of unfair things from USVI for years.

    Like 6
    Dislike 14
    • @The Nation says:

      The BVI supports the USVI economy? Really!! Lmfao. Having the USVI close to the BVI allows tourists to visit. If the USVI closes it’s doors to the BVI then no tourists, no food, no cars, no building material and no place to drop your ugly babies so that they become citizens and then shit on the US. Hope the USVI Governor shuts the door to the Belongers for a year. Let’s see the crying then and who supports who. Just can’t fix stupid

      Like 10
      Dislike 7
      • Hmm says:

        What a silly comment you obviously live in a dream world. From the ending of slavery and before the BVI has been supporting the ST. Thomas economy. We were their food source up until the late ’60s.

        In these modern times, we go and spend heavy dollars in their economies. In 2010 we passed laws allowing their tourist to daysail without a lot of red tape. The then usvi governor was begging for that help to stabilize their economy.

        What is disturbing about this is that they cannot give us any help that the UK cant gives us and Fahie is leading us down a dark path seeking help from people who don’t give anything for nothing.

        Like 4
        Dislike 2
        • Bandit says:

          Food Source you say. Did you and the BVI give your provisions for free. Its more like the USVI supported the BVI by offering a market for the few things that they use to sell. Don’t act like you all were bringing things in and giving it away. The USVI offered market so that BVI people had the opportunity to make a living.

        • Bandit says:

          UK dont even want you all. Spending in the economy?? Thats your government fault for allowing those outrageous prices that you all have to run to st thomas to shop.

    • Bandit says:

      Your money that supports economy? What planet are you living on. Because few of your go down there to shop because the prices in the BVI is outrageous you call that supporting economy. BVI had been closed for over a year and the USVI economy was still moving.

  7. Mainland says:

    Honestly speaking coming from someone born in usvi, raised in the BVI 1st 12 years and live on the mainland. The older BVI locals still have great relationsip, diplomatic and respectful loving ties with USVI and mailand.

    However, the BVI has raised a generation of rude, crude and obnoxiously selfish folks that loves to use the USVI and mainland only when it suits them. Yes, we take the high road.. To quote michelle”When they go low we go high”. We see people as human first on this side of the atlantic and carribean sea. We don’t see money and what you can do for me first. I am over joyed that the USVI governor is doing the humane thing and reaching out to DC to ask for help for you proud, rude and arrogant 50 and younger relatives, friends and soul brothers and sisters of mine in the BVI.

    Some of us are christians and some are not in the US but ALL of US want the best for humanity, and that includes you all in the BVI. I pray my folks in the BVI humble themselves and recognize we all need each other all the time. High tide lifts all boats. This is all in Love for all of you! We just pray one day that you all will practice the same unselfish love for ALL that enter your gates.

    From a soul Sister to you all! Much love.

    Like 25
    Dislike 3
  8. @ THE TRUTH says:

    “Get even” means they will deal with us later.

    We need to get our house in order and stop acting like it is.

    TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR YOU MUST FIRST BE NEIGHBORLY!

  9. Pay Back is a B***H says:

    PAY BACK IS A B***H !!!!! ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT

  10. bvi says:

    Why the bvi don’t ask USVI to help them with some Moderna or Pfizer vaccine cause it still has a lot of people who are unvaccinated that don’t trust the AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca 77%, PFizer 95% and Moderna 95% come on, no wonder vaccinated people are getting sick also.

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
    • Tim says:

      Let’s not come up with new s?!!? and excuses why people are not vaccinated.
      Now we go by *it’s not that we don’t want to get vaccinated, we just don’t trust this vaccination….”

      Should we start listing all the other excuses like …

      It’s the queen taking control over our body
      It’s Bill gates injecting a chip into our body
      It’s not a vaccine , this is what get people sick
      It changes the DNA ..
      We just need to drink more tea
      God will protect us, we don’t need …

      Am sure I am missing another five of those brilliant excuses …

      Stop, just stop and take responsibility. The only country that had to throw away vaccinations where the rest of the population had such a low vaccination rate…

  11. Lilly says:

    Governor Bryan is upset that the BVI traffic to the USVI was halted with the closure of the ports due to the spike in the USVI, so he is retaliating and for those instances which he mentioned. I hope he realizes that we survived without traveling to the USVI.

    Like 3
    Dislike 7
  12. Shaun says:

    The BVI and the USVI is made up of one people, well at least they were before. I agree that the BVI Government has been a bit heavy handed at times when dealing with certain situations like USVI fisherman illegally finishing in BVI waters but truth be told local fisherman cannot fish in USVI waters without the required permits.

    On the issue of the BVI closing it’s borders during the early onset of the pandemic people need to understand that the BVI don’t have access to grants from the UK the way the USVI has access to federal funding. The BVI Government did what it thought was in the best interest of the people of the BVI population of 35,000 out of an abundance of caution owning to how fearful the people in the BVI were and still are when it comes to Covid.

    I don’t think anyone in the USVI can say that BVI residents haven’t supported the USVI economy over the years. BVI resident millions of dollars annually to support the USVI economy pre pandemic from shopping at Home Depot to CostULess, only to name a few. They are times when neighbours have disagreements but we do come together in time of need. Peace and Love to my USVI brothers and sisters. BVI Love.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
    • Mainland says:

      Your comment is partly true. However, i don’t know if you are old enough to remember or study history of when the UK raped that BVI of all its resources, depleted the soil and left folks to starve. It was the the USVI after the USA purchase the islands from the Danish that provided jobs for bvi residents. This was at the beginning of the Naval Administration that govern the USVI and development started in the USVI. That is how some of our families from the bvi ended living in the USVI then migrated to mainland over a number of generations.

      I am in my 50s and still remember families spending boxes of food and money in the early 70s back every Saturday by the ferry to support a well over 70% non working population in the bvi except small family farms they called grounds.

      The problem is that the USVI has had a brain drain and financial problems over the years so the tide turned on them in terms of poverty driven by a large undocumented population. Which is why it now appears that the BVI is supporting their economy. However you should not forget that without US financed, regulated and govern airports and cargo ports in the USVI and Puerto Rico, BVI folks would suck salt in terms of travel and exposure to the rest of the world. How do you compare those economic benefits, not to mention the children in the BVI getting US and welfare benefits, to the shopping a few of you do in st thomas and puerto rico. You young people should choose your battles wisely. You would loose this one hands down. I have family in the BVI but would stand behind and in front of the US flag all the way.

      The folks over there have gotten too selfish and rude. It will get worse as BVI experience it’s own form of brain drain and what you all down Islanders offspring takeover and change the culture and country to 3rd world standards.

  13. Strupes says:

    Wait Fahie ain’t listen to the part we’re he advise people not to come to the bvi?

  14. Please says:

    He’s backtracking now because he realizes he started a war that would destroy his political career. And our leaders are so weak they don’t have the guts to answer him

    But because their relationship with the UK is so poor they rather crawl on their knees with this man Brian for help.

    When in return we probably have to give him our entire tourism sector. It’s obvious the mentality of USVI officials is that it’s a competition with the BVI and for them to rise we have to fall.

    I am ashamed of my Government he would have never taken such actions if he thought the BVI had a strong leader.

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
  15. fish says:

    BVI is a swear word in the USVI.

  16. Human says:

    Nobody likes people with bad attitudes or rotten behavior.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1

Leave a Comment

Shares