The article was carried on the Facebook media page, 'AUB Media House' on Wednesday, January, 22, 2020, “MARIJUANA PLOT EXPOSED; BVI BEWARE”.

The article citing another article published by Offshore Alert on January 22, 2020, pointed to investment fraud by British nationals with one controlling a VI entity, and attempted to link the VI's medical marijuana industry to the activities of the fraudulent investors although the two were not connected.

According to the Premier, "The AUB article is an absolute falsehood as it tries, shamelessly and unsuccessfully, to link the BVI Government’s initiatives to establish a medicinal cannabis industry in the Territory with a totally unrelated report in a foreign news website."

The Premier said the objective of the fabrication was to create a sensational story with the aims of attracting readers and to create and incite unease among the VI’s population regarding the new booming industry.

'Gross Dishonesty' - Premier Fahie

"The private activities of individuals and companies in the Virgin Islands, and certainly elsewhere in the world, is independent to the Government of the Virgin Islands," he noted.

The Premier said to link the VI Government’s policy direction and attempting to make it seem like what the Territory is doing is in some way connected to the possible activities of private individuals, "is gross dishonesty, professional misconduct and malicious, political mischief."

He said the government is not afraid of scrutiny; however, encouraged the media to rigorously hold them to account according to professional standards and based on truth.

The Premier affirmed that Government will 'get to the bottom' of the fabrication and expose those behind the malicious act.