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Fraser Attacks! Accuses Premier Fahie of being ‘Secretive’

- Says ‘I don’t know what he is doing’ regarding VIP’s immigration policies
Third District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Fraser RA, is lashing out at Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), accusing him of being secretive over the full details of the ‘Clear path to regularization: Residency and Belonger Status Programme’ initiated by his Virgin Islands Party (VI) administration. Photo: Facebook
According to the Premier Andrew A. Fahie, his Government was willing to respect the voices of the people of the VI so that common grounds can be found, “Hence, Mr Speaker, you amend the order paper to delete item viii (7) and viii (8) from the Order of the Day so that we can have further consultations,” Premier Fahie said during the sitting. Photo: VINO
According to the Premier Andrew A. Fahie, his Government was willing to respect the voices of the people of the VI so that common grounds can be found, “Hence, Mr Speaker, you amend the order paper to delete item viii (7) and viii (8) from the Order of the Day so that we can have further consultations,” Premier Fahie said during the sitting. Photo: VINO
A section of the audience at the Valarie O. Thomas Community Centre in Sea Cows Bay. Photo: VINO
A section of the audience at the Valarie O. Thomas Community Centre in Sea Cows Bay. Photo: VINO
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI – Third District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Fraser RA, is lashing out at Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), accusing him of being secretive over the full details of the ‘Clear path to regularization: Residency and Belonger Status Programme’ initiated by his Virgin Islands Party (VI) administration.

Hon Fraser, who is also the Chairman of the Progressives United (PU) political Party, further criticised the Premier over providing no verified statistics on the ‘Fast Track’ initiative, hence, creating a cloud of uncertainty over whether the programme will actually benefit the people.

No Statistics – Hon Fraser  

“I’ve heard numbers on the street that this act that the Premier is going to take, can change the lives of 5000 plus people, I don’t know these numbers, it doesn’t mean anything to me because I don’t see the statistics, I don’t see how many people are going to benefit from his actions,” Hon Fraser said at a Thursday, May 23, 2019, Opposition meeting at the Valarie O. Thomas Community Centre in Sea Cows Bay.

“Frankly, I can go on record and say that I don’t know what the Premier is going to do, I don’t know what this is about. I don’t know if my [Opposition] colleagues know and they can help you. I don’t know what he is doing,” the irate district representative implored.

He said as a member of the Opposition, information has not been forthcoming on the initiative and he alleged that the government is making decisions in the House of Assembly (HoA) without proper consultations with all the members.

Public Backlash 

After public backlash during the Third Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) of the Virgin Islands on May 17, 2019, the Second and Third Readings for the Bill entitled 'Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act' had been pulled from the Order Paper at the on request of Premier Fahie.

“He came there in the House of Assembly, he had a first, second and third reading for the bill, they decided to amend the order paper… I don’t know if he spoke to the Leader of the Opposition [Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8)] about amending the order paper before it was amended, and if that happened I don’t know,” Mr Fraser further said with uncertainty.

According to the Premier, his Government was willing to respect the voices of the people of the VI so that common grounds can be found, on the issue,“Hence, Mr Speaker [Hon Julian Willock], you amend the order paper to delete item viii (7) and viii (8) from the order of the day so that we can have further consultations,” Premier Fahie said during the Friday sitting.

Premier Fahie always ahead – Hon Fraser

According to Hon Fraser, “I got up in the House on Friday [May 17, 2019] and I made the statement that I was going to have this meeting. You heard that on Friday, but before I was able to put the notice out on public, even in social media, the Premier was making announcements that he was having meetings.”

In questioning if other HoA VIP members have spoken on the immigration issue, Hon Fraser said, “So he [Premier Fahie] continues to try to be a step ahead of whatever is going on.”  

Further, Mr Fraser alleged that members of the public who attended Premier Fahie's Town Hall meetings still don’t know what exactly the Premier is doing. 

16 Responses to “Fraser Attacks! Accuses Premier Fahie of being ‘Secretive’”

  • 123 (25/05/2019, 18:39) Like (23) Dislike (17) Reply
    mehson go sit down JF Fahie is a good man
    • No point (26/05/2019, 10:24) Like (15) Dislike (4) Reply
      You did not even digest Fraser’s comments. You just said Fahie is a good man. This is about immigration issues idiot. Who’s asking about good or bad man. People like you should read and not post. Your head is in the wrong place bro!
  • Quiet Rebel (25/05/2019, 19:52) Like (13) Dislike (5) Reply
    Simply, this rollout is analogous to a raging bull in a China shop. Ministerial government roared ashore in the BVI in 1967. Thus far there have been 3 Chief Ministers and 2 Chief Ministers/Premier and 1 Premier: HL Stoutt, CB Romney and W. Wheatley; RT O’Neal and DO Smith; AA Fahie. And this probably one of rockest start of any government.
    • @ quiet Rebel (26/05/2019, 09:30) Like (7) Dislike (4) Reply
      it will end well Fahie is a good political and he loves people
      • Quiet Rebel (26/05/2019, 13:38) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
        “it will end well Fahie is a good political and he loves people.” Did you mean he is a good politician. If so good is not good enough; I want excellent, outstanding, effective, great.......etc. He may love people but loving people means doing the right things, not just doing things right for shirt-term political gain. How in the world would anyone experienced person in governing think that such a critical issue could be signed, sealed and delivered? The Premier provided fodder for pundits and easy talking points for political opponents. It was an unforced error made on a sunny day in plain daylight. If an adviser birthed this idea, he/she needs to be kicked to curb. However, it is not the adviser(s) vault, for their role is only advisory. Did the engineer this flawed plan all by his lonesome? Did the Premier ever drafted and move a piece of legislation through the HOA? As noted, this is analogous to a raging bull in a China shop; it was a bull on the lose. It was like a kid with a new toy and experiment with what it can do. The only problem is this is about governing a country. A major blunder for the annals of BVI history. Wonder what is on the Guv and others near and far minds. Are they having a hearty laugh at BVI expense? And to think on the morning of 2/26 I was walking on air with great hope. Hope you are right that it will end. This is our home and many of us have no place else to go. Other regional countries.....etc will one day blow up and their citizens can wave good bye to the BVI; Virgin Islanders will be stucked here.
  • Expat Express (26/05/2019, 00:28) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Just wondering, how many people applied for criminal background checks as a result of the Fast track initiative? I guess that would give a ballpark figure on how many people were intending to apply.
    • look (26/05/2019, 06:18) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      The criminal background check record needs to be accompanied by character references from the home country.
      • l (27/05/2019, 09:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        The problem with getting a character reference from the home country is that some of them have been living here for a very long time.
  • wize up (26/05/2019, 03:51) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    some times fulfilling those campaigns promises do not come easy once you happen to win an election: taking money while campaigning now you have to fulfill those obligations
  • Thinking man (26/05/2019, 09:32) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
    Frazer should be ashamed he could have been right there with Hon Fahie our beloved Premier so I don't want to hear from him.

    He has one goal and its not going to happen BAM
    • Yo (26/05/2019, 11:08) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      He need to stop calling hinself a chairnan cause all the members gone!
  • Outlaw (26/05/2019, 10:32) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    Everyone by now should know who Fraser is. He need not show his true colors anymore. Anything to drag Fahie down, Fraser will be the author of. This is the same Fahie he said he cannot even remember his name.
    • wize up (26/05/2019, 13:18) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ outlaw: I second your motion because he now trying to pick on Fahie for that 7.2Million and we all know during the 7.2 million transaction fraser & fahie we both of the opposition side of the fence...poor chap in the wilderness for 20 years and might be there for another 20...
  • money (26/05/2019, 14:12) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply

    Jealousy is a f***

  • Quiet Rebel (26/05/2019, 21:57) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hon Fraser (D-3) is in an awkward place. He and Premier Fahie were colleagues on the VIP. JF as chairman of VIP led it to an 11-2 shellacking ag polls in 2015. Subsequent to the shellacking, AF challenged him in an election for chairperson of VIP and won. Defeated for the chairmanship, he turned his back on the VIP and never look back, forming his own party Progressive United. He despised Fahie and VIP so much that at one point he pretended to not even knowing who Fahie was. Both JF and AF duo could have made a formidable team. Nevertheless, only one congo can live in a hole. Fast forwarding, it is hard to ascertain if JF criticism of AF is coming from just an opposition perspective or jealousy. No doubt JF is a skilled politician but his attitude, humility/civility, arrogrance.......may be holding him back. Nonetheless, agree with JF that AF should have been more open and forthcoming anout this regularization issue. It is puzzling why the Premier was not more open and forthcoming. Instead he has created a firestorm around this issue; the raging storm could have been easily avoided. A serious blunder, bad assumption, and error in judgment was made, squandering some serious political capital. As an observer of politics, timing in politics is critical. AF may have been ill-served by advisors on this issue. On the other hand, if he were the architect on this ill-fated project, that is another tory.


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