London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

BVI not corrupt! Premier calls for retraction of ‘irresponsible’ claim

BVI not corrupt! Premier calls for retraction of ‘irresponsible’ claim

Labelling claims that the BVI is corrupt as an “irresponsible” assertion, Premier Andrew Fahie has called for a retraction of such statements.

Following the recent $250 million drug seizure that has implicated a local police officer, claims of corruption being present in the British Virgin Islands have been echoing in the territory. One of the persons who have come out publicly with that assertion is Governor Augustus Jaspert.

Premier Andrew Fahie took time during his Budget Address on Thursday to fire back at such claims, stating that the negative narrative is from persons who have a hidden agenda.

“This latest bust does not show that our system is corrupt, but rather it shows that our system and our officers stand up for what is right. So I am calling all those with hidden agendas, who are in covert ways trying many different strategies and using vulnerable opportunities to prevent the Virgin Islands from truly achieving the mandate given by the United Nations in Article 73 of the UN Charter for former colonies to become self-governing, to go and erase the irresponsible labelling of the BVI’s system and our people as corrupt,” Fahie said.

“This irresponsible statement must be retracted as it is a well-calculated attempt to try to stain the good name of the many hardworking law-abiding citizens, the local law enforcement agencies, and this BVI LOVE economy,” he added.

Negative comments took away from real message


Premier Fahie said the negative comments took away from the real message that should have been broadcast from the quarter-billion-dollar drug seizure - the largest ever in a British Overseas Territory.

He said the takeaway ought to have been that local law enforcement agencies can handle crimes of that magnitude.

“Their actions show that we have zero tolerance for any form of crime, and I thank our local law enforcement agencies for demonstrating to the world that in this country, the Virgin Islands, our systems work and add value and protection to the global economy and its fight against illegal activities,” Fahie stated.

“It is important to note that there will always be negative elements in each law enforcement agency in the world and even in communities, but let us not lose sight that a huge majority of our law enforcement agencies and our community are people with high integrity,” he added.

Premier does not condone crime and violence


The Premier also made it clear that he does not condone any wrongdoing or lawbreaking in the BVI.

He said: “I am not proud of the latest crime reports, including the shootings which my government and I denounce, and I say condolences to all those who have been affected in some way or the other by what has happened.”

Governor believes pockets of corruption exists


Meanwhile, during Tuesday’s joint media conference with Governor Augustus Jaspert and Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews, the governor said the 2,300-kilo cocaine haul proved that pockets of corruption not only exist in the territory but may be contributing to other major undetected illegal activities.

He said that major concerns regarding the security of the territory’s borders and its vulnerability to drug smuggling had increased following the bust.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×