London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

No proper planning! Penn criticises gov't for indefinite ban on returning work permit holders

No proper planning! Penn criticises gov't for indefinite ban on returning work permit holders

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has said the recent decision to “arbitrarily” ban work permit holders from entering the territory shows government’s lack of a coherent plan to properly manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement released on Thursday, Penn said the decision — which has affected a great number of persons trapped abroad — exposes many of government’s policy-making flaws.

“A responsible government, a planned government, a transparent government, would assess how many work permit holders or exempt persons are currently outside the territory and their circumstances and then make a policy decision,” Penn argued.

“This decision lacks clarity, and therefore, it creates an uneasiness and uncertainty for families and the business community concerning its labour force. A decision with such far-reaching implications should never be a blanket decision. Such a decision requires consultation and probably should allow for discretion on a case-by-case basis and in conjunction with local businesses,” he added.

No consideration made for these category of persons


Penn said he believes no consideration was made for this category of persons when devising the policy. He said the move directly impacts local families and industries, adding that this could have severe consequences for the British Virgin Islands.

“Did the government consider employees either work permit or work permit-exempt holders for functioning industries like construction and financial services? Shutting out key employees from the construction industry would have devastating consequences. Making critical labour unavailable in this industry will create economic hardship for many companies and their limited employee base,” the Opposition Leader agrgued.

He added: “Because of this policy decision, they are unable to provide for their families or meet their financial obligations (loans, rent, food and statutory obligations) causing additional hardship on family units and the overall economy. These persons should be allowed to return, following clear re-entry protocols.”

Financial Services and Small Businesses could suffer greatly


The Opposition legislator also said he believes the decision will force high-earning financial services providers to opt to work remotely instead of returning to the BVI.

“This would mean the loss of work permit fees, rent to landlords, and spending in the local economy (restaurants, bars, supermarkets and other local establishments), placing additional hardship on already struggling businesses. It could also mean a significant detraction from the strides we have made to have Financial Services companies and their personnel based in the BVI,” he reasoned.

He further said the territory has many small businesses who heavily rely on work permit holders to supply their labour needs so government’s decision will have serious implications on them.

Coherent and well-articulated plan urgently needed


Penn is, therefore, urging the government to revisit their recent decision and to come up with a coherent and well-articulated plan as to how the BVI will co-exist with this virus and safely reopen the economy.

He said he believes this measure is urgently needed before irreparable harm to the economy happens.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
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
×