This comes as ex-governor of the Virgin Islands (VI) Augustus J. U. Jaspert late last year, labelled the Virgin Islands (VI) as corrupt following the discovery of some $250m worth of cocaine on Tortola in early November 2020.

The label came ahead of an announcement of a Commission on Inquiry into the VI Government based on allegations of corruption, however, Mr Jasper had never publicly referred to his home country as corrupt, given its frequent high-profile drug busts.

What constitutes corruption?

According to a report from the BBC, two British men Steven Brogan, 36, and Anthony Reilly, 34, both of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, will now face jail time after they had to be rescued because they ran out of fuel on a drugs run from the Netherlands to the UK in September 2020.

The men attempted to transport $278,000 worth of cocaine from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom on jet skis, however, they ran out of fuel during their return journey and had to be saved by the British coast guard.

Ahead of the sentence, both men admitted to importing Class A drugs at Ipswich Crown Court. The Judge, Recorder Richard Christie QC, jailed Brogan for seven years and six months and Reilly; who admitted to the offence before his co-defendant, for seven years.

Cocaine flowing into the UK

Meanwhile, the UK’s love affair with cocaine was again placed in the limelight on Valentine's day February 14, 2021, when a £184 million drug haul was busted in banana imports from Colombia. In another major November 2020 bust, some 1,060 kilograms of cocaine, worth £100 million was found hidden in banana related shipments in Essex.

Following the unfounded corruption label by ex-Governor Jasper on the VI, Virgin Islanders including Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) had called the then Governor’s statement irresponsible and asked for a retraction, which he ignored.

Local Political pundits and other talk-show hosts have alleged that the UK through Ex-Governor Jaspert had embarked on an agenda to damage the reputation of the VI, thus paving the way for the Crown to launch a CoI as a starting point to intervening in the local affairs of the territory.

UK targeting pro-independent OT Leaders - Michael E. Misick

Former Premier of British OT, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Michael E. Misick in a February 15, 2021 interview said the CoI into the VI government is no surprise.

He said the British government has shown a pattern going after black OT leaders like Premier Fahie who stand up to the UK, are pro-independence and push the mantra of wanting a self-determined future for their people.

Ex-governor of the Virgin Islands (VI) Augustus J. U. Jaspert late last year, had labelled the Virgin Islands (VI) as corrupt following the discovery of some $250m worth of cocaine on Tortola in early November 2020.

The UK’s love affair with cocaine was recently placed in the limelight on Valentine's day February 14, 2021, when a £184 million drug haul was busted in banana imports from Colombia.

Former Premier of British OT, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Michael E. Misick in a February 15, 2021 interview said the CoI into the VI government is no surprise. He said the British government has shown a pattern going after black OT leaders like Premier Fahie who stand up to the UK, are pro-independence and push the mantra of wanting a self-determined future for their people.