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Hon Penn wants proof NDP Gov’t refused UK grants after Irma

- Opposition coming with barrage of questions for Gov’t @ HoA sitting tomorrow, October 17, 2019
Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), left, on his return from the United Kingdom in September 2019 had stated that the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) Government refused offer of grants from the United Kingdom (UK) following the devastation of the territory by Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017. Opposition Leader Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), right, is now asking for proof. Photo: VINO/File
Premier and Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R8) had also said it was learnt that an offer of aid from another jurisdiction was declined by a high-ranking official in the Virgin Islands following the destruction of Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Photo: VINO/File
Premier and Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R8) had also said it was learnt that an offer of aid from another jurisdiction was declined by a high-ranking official in the Virgin Islands following the destruction of Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Photo: VINO/File
The Seventh Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands will be held tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2019. Photo: VINO/File
The Seventh Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands will be held tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2019. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Leader of the Opposition and member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) is not taking lightly to statements made by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) that the previous NDP Government refused offer of grants from the United Kingdom (UK) following the devastation of the territory by Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017.

Premier Fahie, on his return from the UK in September 2019, had stated it was shocking to learn that the opportunity to access grants following the 2017 disasters was not taken up by the previous administration.

“This would have allowed families displaced by Irma, many of whom are still not living in their own homes, to obtain money to rebuild their homes – money which they would not have had to pay back.

“We learned that the UK Government was told that you, the people of the Virgin Islands, did not need the money, and that the BVI preferred loans for construction projects instead.”

Premier Fahie also said it was learnt that an offer of aid from another jurisdiction was declined by a high-ranking official.

“Unfortunately, these ships have sailed since 2017, and those opportunities cannot be brought back.

“The widespread perception among Virgin Islanders is that we were treated poorly by the UK during our time of distress, and this has taken a toll on BVI-UK relations. And now, we have found out that these tensions were fueled by deliberate untruths,” Hon Fahie had mentioned in a public statement on September 17, 2019.

‘Show us the proof’

Honourable Penn, who was a Junior Minister under the NDP regime, will use the opportunity to ask for proof of the allegations by Honourable Fahie when the Seventh Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands is held tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2019.

“Mr Speaker, the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance mentioned in a broadcast after his return from his recent trip to the UK that the former administration refused Grants from the United Kingdom for the people of the Virgin Islands for the rebuilding of the Virgin Islands. Could the Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance please provide proof of this refusal of grants by the former administration to this Honourable House of Assembly?” Mr Penn will ask, according to the Order Paper for tomorrow’s Sitting released to the media today, October 16, 2019.

Hon Penn will also be asking “What additional funding outside of the previously negotiated CDB loan has been secured to fund the recovery projects and what progress the Government has made in accessing the promised UK Guarantee of up to $400 million US dollars as of 9th October 2019?”

Some sixty-nine (69) questions will be posed to Premier Fahie and his ministers by the Opposition.

Meanwhile, some four bills are to be introduced tomorrow and some 5 bills to receive their second and third readings, including the ‘Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Amendment) Act, 2019’.

The Sitting of the HoA tomorrow is scheduled to start at 10:00AM at the Parliament’s chambers in Road Town, Tortola.

12 Responses to “Hon Penn wants proof NDP Gov’t refused UK grants after Irma”

  • Vipm (16/10/2019, 19:59) Like (12) Dislike (7) Reply
    He should go ask mr zzzzzz
  • good idea (16/10/2019, 20:34) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
    I too would love to see the proof of this. Frankly I won't believe it until I do. Why? Because I still have to believe that NDP and any P will not say, if offered free money, grants, no thank you. May I have a loan or loans instead. Now mathematician I am not, but that don't add up. Sounds like story to me. Election over since February, right? So it can't be that. Sounds like somebody lied to our Hon. Premier because he won't make this up, right?
  • RAM (16/10/2019, 20:37) Like (16) Dislike (13) Reply
    The plane the plane. Where is the plane?
  • wow (16/10/2019, 20:50) Like (20) Dislike (21) Reply
    They sit there for 8 years and destroyed the country and now got the nerves to ask some of these questions????
  • Enforcement is Key (16/10/2019, 21:14) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    A grant is a grant is a grant and is ... free. No self serving person and/or gov't official in the BVI has declined UK funds as a grant, nor would do that. In fact, really what's been seen is this and previous administrations is that "they" all want money for free. It's the loans and guarantee paybacks that are what this administration is having difficulty accepting.
  • Lynch (16/10/2019, 22:35) Like (19) Dislike (16) Reply
    Marlon need to fix the dam roads and other environmental eyesore in the eight district and stop playing with people's lives for political reasons.
  • myron (16/10/2019, 23:54) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    Surmf need to ask himself
  • dude (17/10/2019, 00:18) Like (11) Dislike (7) Reply
    Well Marlon boy, this is part of the reason we moved away from those guys. Our dearest ex leader actually did refuse and froze at the negotiation and his own party told it. It's hard to believe you aren't aware of that so what is the true agenda here? Is it for political brownie pts if there is no evidence since those docs may or may not have been shredded? Or are you trying to show the exleader's ineptness? Or buy time for a more lethal attack at the sitting gov? I don't know what but I don't think this goes over well for you, better to tackle current issues. Smith refused stalled and froze, and cited BVI pride when other countries took whatever they could get to rebuild. Why then didn't you rebuild? Did someone take the $$? You should ask your party some ques
  • I always wondered (17/10/2019, 05:50) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    When you read the news for instance Dominica and st Kitts and some of the other islands and you found out that they were getting all these grants from the UK not only that they were getting grants from America and we were not getting any and we were so much in need and no one was helping us ,I know something was wrong .mr Penn it seems as though you were missing in action when you and Kendrick stood on the steps of Autland and brag about how you all only allow CNN to be here for 2 hours before you sent them out and allowed BBC 6 hours they were the ones who were going to let people know what we were going through and find us assistance but you didn’t care about that because you were ok now if it rains you want evidence even though your down wet ,you should be ashamed of your self .
  • Woiii (17/10/2019, 09:45) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    Hope he don’t come across like that Cindy Rosan.
  • Oh yeah (17/10/2019, 10:50) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Another lie by A F.


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