TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Premier detained in US

Wow - incredible news. Perhaps not as surprising as some items, but still a shocker! I followed the COI avidly and the linked article states that the governor intends to fast-track the publication of the COI results. I cannot wait to read that...

Time to realese the COL. I am sure they have an ironclad case agaisnt him or they would have never brought it.

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article260860782.html#storylink=cpy

Post edited to remove copyrighted material. Please do NOT post copyrighted material, merely links. Thanks.

At least it made the local news. When "Mr. 10%" was caught at MIA trying to leave with $1,000,000 cash (his commission on the never installed Paraquita Bay sewer treatment plant) there was never even a whisper in the local news.

What a disgrace..but not a surprising one for many of us. I hope justice prevails, examples are made and we get a government that is at least "reasonably honest", anti racist and actually works to promote our lovely islands for all people. Cue:"Send in the clowns"(Again)!

He's been a joke from day 1.

Well that's interesting. While the Governor said the COI had nothing to do with drug smuggling, I'm betting it contains some pretty large financial malfeasence and corruption. I've often thought having the Premeir also being the Finance Minister was a dangerous combination.

There was a lot made of what seemed outlandish sums to rent barges to keep the Islands protected during the lockdown. It seemed ripe for mischief.

Also it seemed they paid fishermen and farmers a bundle through the Finance office. I read that people would ask for 500.00 and they would get a check for 13,000.00 . You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to know something was up
I saw last week that Fahe had hired a lawyer/public relations firm for !750,000 to speak in defense to findings of the COI.

Garden variety graft if that is the case when COI comes out might be the least of his trouble now .

You have to wonder if this was part of the huge drug bust involving the police officers a year or two ago and the murders on Tortola that were said to be drug related.

Who decides if the UK takes over governance? If the COI looks bad, but not so bad they would take over, one wonders if this if charges are filed won't push it over the edge. It's obvious a huge housecleaning will be in order .

Don't drop the soap, Premier.

I always was concerned when projects were announced and not done. The Olympic Pool on Virgin Gorda for the residents, the mini hospital, the contract for a reliable air from USA and the total disregard for the downtown mall which was really the town center . Did the soccer fields on VG ever get an upgrade? Gumption could do 1000 times better then this man, and a person in charge of Ports without real advanced degrees and good experience, come on.

So the Premier and the woman at the port authority can spend some time in the same jail cell , if they fit. I will bet many more heads will roll.

GlenA:

Mr 10% is now represented as a great leader. Sad the government has been so corrupt for years and spent the money that should have been used for sewers, roads, schools etc. never can I rmember when any government offical has been brought to task for their misgivings.

Here's a little more detail. Seems it was an operation underway since last fall
The interesting part is he wanted an additional 83,000 to pay off someone who did something that sounds illegal to help him with a political problem.

https://www.reuters.com/world/briti...mier-has-been-arrested-miami-2022-04-28/

Methinks this is the tip of the iceberg and the ship heading for it is the Titanic with Fahie at the helm and his "crew" running for the lifeboats..just watch..

Is it about time this happened!!! The BVI's have had so much corruption for so long, it is amazing it took this amount of time.
This is why sailors (cruisers) have avoided the BVI's for several years now.
Yea!!!

An article in this morning’s New York Times has more detail. It says that Fahie met with the CI on April 7 and “The source then gave Mr. Fahie $20,000 and said, “This is a good faith gift, to seal that we have an agreement.” The article also implies a broader conspiracy beyond the three people who have already been arrested.

Between this and the recent charter boat impoundings, the BVI has had a run of terrible PR. It’s a shame to see. The vast majority of the people and businesses deserve much better than this. I hope that all this and the impending COI report create a real turnaround.

“Why am I getting arrested? I don’t have any money or drugs.” HAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh boy…..

https://bvinews.com/suspension-coi-recommends-bvi-govt-stand-down-for-two-years/

Now it gets interesting..I'm hoping us ex Pats get belonger status..the UK has pushed for , at least British subjects, to have all the privileges of BVI Islanders..right to vote, work etc.Lets see how that goes down now!!!

Wow..

I had no idea the constitution stated 10 years for belonger status. Imagine the backlog they will need to clear if they actually implement that?

I'm half way there. No other comment at this time....

Double wow

I am hoping to hear how the local folks are reacting to all of this...its been positive..so far!

Snippet overheard on the local radio in a chandlery today: "Maybe he made a mistake... he's still one of us"

That's the kind of reaction I fear...a mistake five months in the making. Praying he does not make bail..

The UK finally got tired of being begged from the government and being told to "piss off" when they asked where the money was going. Good on them.

Hurricane Andrew comes back after Irma and Maria and Covid: Hard to stay strong but the sun will come out tomorrow.

Yes I hope the race issue isn't brought to the fore, especially fanned by those close to the arrested . I saw on Platinum a "clergyman" who is very politically active and got quite a bit of money for his political services, alluding to the COI being about race. Some had the same take over not wanting to take the vaccine.

I really hope that doesn't take hold. I think most know there was a lot of corruption . if not involved they will see this as a way to clean house and start over.

It was hard to understand the way it was written if the Lebonese people who introduced the informant to the folks arrested were truly Hezbollah, or whether they were part of the sting. If the former that is also a bit worrisome.

Manpot. There will be no bail. Only detention until trial and then detention after the trail. I suspect he will die in prison. Overweigtht and so will the madam ports person. and her son. All will have long prison terms . And there will be more. Have not heard from the minister guy. Gone real quiet. He is toast.

When is the movie coming....maybe Morgan and Denzel will be in it as lawyers? This is like Watergate.....perhaps the BVI Beacon is
the Washington Post like the Nixon impeachment. Who is Deep throat?

Let’s be clear here. Watergate was about an office break end and denial of doing so. The involvement of assisting in transporting millions of dollars of drugs translate into hundreds of ruined lives and deaths. All for greed and money. Only down side here is the US now gets to be the vehicle of funding the “ex” Premier’s “new” lifestyle. Prison,,,,,, Hope this is the wake-up call that moves toward cleaning up BVI government. Sounds like the UK is ready move on it.

Agreed. I was not looking at it in that respect but as a spectator who watches these things play out in the news papers, internet and tv reporting. Corruption is the misuse of public funds and breaking the law. This story is very important to me and it feels like it did with watergate , very surprising. To me I would have thought it would have made the AP and tv national news but maybe it happens so frequently now it is to so what for them. To see this is a very big deal for London and BVI. Been traveling to BVI since 1979. and you gotta feel for the islanders.__

Fascinating article casting a different light on that story + charter companies impact
ARTICLE

MICHEL B

Looks like a bunch of corrupt politicians need to be cleared out. Need someone with some fortitude to do the right thing for the people of the BVI. When the people are treated fairly, guest's experiences will improve consequentially.

Michael--that article was already posted here in another thread, but it is interesting.

Every major aad mnor newspaper/tv outlet has had this on the news. BVI is getting a lot of press.

But not good press..Natures"Dirty" Little Secrets right now..

Heard about this on the news today and was totally shocked by hearing that the UK is taking over for the next two years ; hence I decided to look here for the sudden details. Very shocking and praying for the honest Islanders . And from now on , I will be following this development in the BVI.

At what point can we drop "The Honourable" from his moniker?