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Canada, Germany, Netherlands told citizens not to visit VI after Hurricane Irma

- BVI Tourist Board says it’s just routine advisory & not political
Canada and Germany warned their citizens about travelling to the [British] Virgin Islands following the passage of Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017. Photo: Internet Source
The United Kingdom and The Netherlands also issued travel advisories to their citizens about travelling to the [British] Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma. Photo: Internet Source
The United Kingdom and The Netherlands also issued travel advisories to their citizens about travelling to the [British] Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma. Photo: Internet Source
BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) Spokesman Mr Keith A. Dawson said it is not unusual for countries to issue travel advisories to their citizens intending to visit countries affected by major disasters. Photo: VINO/File
BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) Spokesman Mr Keith A. Dawson said it is not unusual for countries to issue travel advisories to their citizens intending to visit countries affected by major disasters. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- While Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) has told the world, following the devastating Hurricanes Irma and Maria, that we are still “open for business and back on our feet”, many countries have told their citizens otherwise.

Canada, a friendly country to the Territory and where a significant number of tourists visit the Virgin Islands (VI), has on its Foreign Ministry Travel Advisory Page, told its citizens that the storms have caused significant damage to the VI and “some areas are destroyed.” The Canadian Government warned also that medical care, water, and food delivery have been severely affected, so “do not travel to that region.”

Even before the Hurricanes, Canadian Federal Government warned “pregnant women and those considering becoming pregnant should avoid travel to the British Virgin Islands” because of the Zika virus, something that remains on its webpage as of today December 2, 2017.

In addition, the biggest economy in the European Union (EU) Germany has also issued similar warnings on its Government Foreign Ministry Webpage.

It said the recent hurricanes have caused severe damages to the VI and asked their residents to “inquire about the situation before starting a trip.”

VI may not be open for travellers -UK & others

Generally, other EU countries have for the most part given general warnings about the situation following the hurricanes, putting doubt in visitors minds about traveling to the British Overseas Territory of the VI.

Even the United Kingdom, the VI's so called ‘mother country’, made warnings on its Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) webpage, but as of time of publication its warnings had been removed or scaled back to say “security have stabilised.”

However, the FCO is still reporting to the world that “extensive damage was caused to the VI by the hurricanes and that a curfew remains.” This was still in place after a check today December 2, 2017 on their webpage. The travel advisory further stated, “there is widespread damage to infrastructure with a large proportion of homes and buildings very badly damaged. Some roads are impassable or the road surfaces have been washed away…..power supplies have been badly affected. Large areas of Tortola, other islands, and most homes, remain without power or water.”

Other Western counties like France and the Netherlands have also weighed in about travel to the VI and a check today on their Foreign Ministry webpages shows they still raise concerns about health risk from contaminated water that could cause diarrhoea.

A check today December 2, 2017 of the United States of America’s Department of State travel alerts unearthed that its earlier advisory against travel to the VI following Hurricanes Irma and Maria is now removed.

However, it should be of interest that in the USA warnings they never included the USVI or Puerto Rico, two of its Overseas Territories that suffered the same fate as the VI.

VI reacts- Dawson Speaks

A BVI Tourist Board spokesman, Mr Keith A. Dawson, told our newsroom in an invited comment, “it’s not unusual after a major disaster to have countries like the BVI to be put on travel advisories…they have to advise their constituencies about safety conditions and experience and so forth, it’s not a political issue, it has more to do with conditions on the ground and services that would normally be available.”

He said the BVI Tourist Board is working along with the government of the VI and the various utilities and other sectors, hotel proprietors, yacht charter companies and marinas on getting updates and putting together a list of what is opened "and we are putting those things out on our website."

Mr Dawson, a veteran of the tourism sector, said “we have a global network and we are getting our side out..the aim is for the Territory to take action to get back on our feet and then be taken off these travel advisory lists.”

No one from the Premier’s Office or International Affairs Unit could be reached for a comment before publication time.

28 Responses to “Canada, Germany, Netherlands told citizens not to visit VI after Hurricane Irma”

  • See (02/12/2017, 17:29) Like (28) Dislike (1) Reply
    just people telling the truth for a change Our country is not ready yet.
    • the rock (02/12/2017, 18:35) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
      It depends on who wants to come, I done see tourist already started to come, but we could of been alot worst, God has been good, forward ever backwards never!
  • facts man (02/12/2017, 17:36) Like (5) Dislike (11) Reply
    Tipical wrsten countries and how they behave.
  • BVI STRONG (02/12/2017, 17:55) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thanks for the clarification keith
  • wize up (02/12/2017, 18:18) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    big deal-and we here pushing the same negative vibes:
  • Hmmmm (02/12/2017, 18:19) Like (17) Dislike (8) Reply
    Not surprised, Some people have the same idiotic Mentality. If the can't appreciate their own Caribbean nationals who play a vital roll in building this place. Yes the locals have money but that's all they have (mind you some not all), but jeeeezee their attitude towards other human being is atrocious. God strike here for a reason but yet they didn't see it that way. Still have the exploiting and bad mind mentality. I will pray for you all.
  • Gabriel (02/12/2017, 22:36) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    @ Hmmmmm. God did not strike here for any reason. Nature is just doing what it always does. There are hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis etc all over this earth leaving behind mass devastation. Now just because we got hit really hard for the first time doesn’t mean we were chosen by some super power. SMH.
  • Toast (03/12/2017, 03:21) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    If you try and bring in tourists now it would do more damage in the long run, just imagine...."CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER DISAPPEARS DOWN 60ft DEEP POTHOLE WHILST RIDING SCOOTER IN WEST END" ...man the place is in a mess, but not as bad as it was and getting better everyday. But if Smith wants to invite people over then he better get his check book out and fix them damm roads! ...docks, power lines, sewers, water supply, prison, airport, Roadtown, traffic lights (maybe better left broke?), my toilet needs a new valve also etc etc etc
  • Socrates (03/12/2017, 03:31) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    The BVI is not being dissed. Every country looks out for their citizens and these countries are doing what is expected; they are looking out for their citizens. As the TB member indicated, it is not unusual for countries to issue these advisories after disasters occur. As conditions improve or change, the advisories will be retracted. The BVI should be issuing the same advisories to its residents about disasters and conditions in other locales.
  • BVI a target and ting to talk (03/12/2017, 04:18) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    hmmm....august monday 7 heavy rains of 44 inches, 2 Cat 5 hurricanes, destruction of st maarten, usvi, and PR and other OTS of cayman and TCI and anguilla, interestingly Dominica is getting visit and aid from the Royals - is it because of interests belonging to the Royals in that country?, why didnt anguilla receive the same Royal treatment?, allegedly 2000 to 3000 body bags brought and only 4 - 5 deaths during the storm, international bodies for the first time setting up shop and advertising jobs, 1/3 of a billion dollars in loans guarantees from UK for IMF/World bank and other loans (check haiti, jamaica and Dominica), $600,000 funding for student loans from an unknown source, airport back on the agenda as a possible project to pursue, was just about to sign with the Chinese for the airport expansion, no-travel advisories not yet removed from government websites of source countries of BVI tourist visitors - Netherlands, Germany and Canada...hmmm, data mining exercises in disguise wherever gifts are given when giving an ID or other personal information - what are they going to do with it?, why did the govnor and the DDM centre waited 4 days to tell the world that we are still here when others contacted Isle 95 in St Croix the next day that BVI was devastated but still here with pics to prove it - deliberate?, why did CNN reported that BVI was uninhabitable? - deliberate?, Chem-trails my people..we are now being sprayed more times per day... particulates for radar detection, alzehimers causing chemicals of strontium, aluminum, and barium, viruses and other unknown material, 5G is coming and easier to detect those credit cards and chips wherever they are hiding in humans as you pass by cell towers....then leading up to these events at least over the past 3 years and in sequential order: UK entity mapping the BVI seabed, 3 young persons (2 males and 1 female) from elsewhere walking around with backpacks, papers - possibly maps and asking residents about buildings in the 7th and 8th districts, Politicians last year started calling for the country to consider independence and modification of governor powers, public domain controversy about governor issuance of a warrant on the consolidated fund for law enforcement expenses, account holders are being encouraged to collect chipped ATM and credit cards to replace unexpired ones, bank accounts being hacked at 2 local banks then followed by issuance of chipped ATM and /Credit Cards, Brexit - UK leaving the EU, modified mosquitoes released in 2009 in Cayman, in 2017 anguilla vaccinating their high school girls for HPV - a controversial vaccination that is confirmed to cause neurological and conception problems soon after or later on in life - possible population genocide? - happening in Africa right now!, 20 patients from the USA travel to St Kitts to be in the experimental trials by an American company for the highly contagious disease - herpes and unknown to FDA and the local St Kitts government and health officials - why the Caribbean?...Now it is time to read Pawn in the Game by William Guy Carr and Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins. You need to read these two books and from cover to cover. Do not dismiss this opportunity to find out how some human beings think and then execute their plans - over centuries.
    • Just saying (03/12/2017, 06:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      This is deep "Pawn / Hitman" ---- Deep

      How did a flood and 2 cat5 hurricanes play into these books though?
      • BVI a taget n thing to talk (03/12/2017, 14:41) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
        The books were meant to develop your understanding of how local events may not be coincidence but part of a long range plan. Note: wars are not fought with conventional weapons anymore or political coups with military tactics. these books show how a country or a people can be taken over using other methods and the the aggressors are in the fight for the long haul - which could be centuries. The agendas in both books are still of an ongoing takeover. The current takeover target is the USA and I do not need to explain the other as we are going through the early stages of it now.
      • Reply (04/12/2017, 11:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        HAARP
    • @ bvi a taget n thing to talk (03/12/2017, 09:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Dread thats a long blog
      • seen (03/12/2017, 12:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        LOL .....must have typed it in MS Word then copied and pasted it here..... it's hard to read .....no indentations nor separation of paragraphs ...lawd

        However, I am familiar with the Youtube videos on "Economic Hitmen" .....a very rude awakening and timely informational truth.
  • foxy (03/12/2017, 09:37) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    See the other countries looks out for their ppl unlike the bvi
    • HMMM (03/12/2017, 19:35) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
      Hush ur rediculous mouth the bvi looking ouy for urs own by trying get businesses open n things back up running wid u small minded self
  • Toast (03/12/2017, 13:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "GERMAN FAMILY ROBBED BY ROGUE GROUP OF CHICKENS"
  • Toast (03/12/2017, 13:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "......POLICE DEPARTMENT SUSPECT FOWL PLAY".
    • Inspector Little (03/12/2017, 13:57) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Feathers will be ruffled in this investigation
      • Toast (03/12/2017, 21:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        " A YOUNG DUTCH BOY HIKING OVER JOES HILL YESTERDAY TRIPPED OVER A LARGE ROCK AND FELL ONTO THE SKATEBOARD HE WAS CARRYING...................THE SITUATION RAPIDLY WENT DOWN HILL AFTER THAT POINT"
  • ----------------------- (03/12/2017, 15:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Keith If that was regular order, I hate to see what an attempt to jam the when we get on another EU black list
  • east end (03/12/2017, 21:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The water in my pipe in East End does smell sting on certain occasion.
    • @East End (04/12/2017, 08:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Please go and complain to Water and Sewerage. i have made complaints and they tell me since only I complain they not studying me. I even went with a bottle of the stinky water. it smell like rotten egg.
  • traveller (04/12/2017, 08:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Not sure what the big deal is. Travel advisories are normal for countries to issue to their citizens in many situations. All the country that issue the advisory is telling their citizens is don't call for help to them is you have a problem

    The situation on the ground is made known to you, if you want to go that is up to you.
  • practical pete (04/12/2017, 14:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    well, the germans were told we have more warm beer here now. the canadian government told their citizens
    about the maple logs. netherlands, well they used to walk around there in wooden shoes so they at least had
    the right foot ware...


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