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Issues affecting VI bands in USVI are Federal & complicated – Premier Smith

- said his Government is continuing to engage the new Governor Kenneth E. Mapp administration on this & other issues
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith has stressed the need for continuing dialogue between the Virgin Islands and the United States Virgin Islands with regards to issues of Immigration and Customs which affect bands going over to the latter territory to perform. Photo: VINO/File
Dr Smith said that the VI will continue to engage the new Governor Kenneth E. Mapp Government in the USVI on the issues of travelling bands. Photo: VINO/File
Dr Smith said that the VI will continue to engage the new Governor Kenneth E. Mapp Government in the USVI on the issues of travelling bands. Photo: VINO/File
Virgin Islands' musicians Eustace 'Boss' Freeman (right) and Martino 'Tino' were disappointed that their bands were denied US visa waivers to travel to St Thomas, USVI to perform for its carnival weekend in April. Photo: VINO/File
Virgin Islands' musicians Eustace 'Boss' Freeman (right) and Martino 'Tino' were disappointed that their bands were denied US visa waivers to travel to St Thomas, USVI to perform for its carnival weekend in April. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith has stressed the need for continuing dialogue between the Virgin Islands and the United States Virgin Islands with regards to issues of Immigration and Customs which affect bands going over to the US territory to perform.

He pointed this out during a press conference held on Thursday October 8, 2015. It was in response to a question which pointed out that even though there is the VI/USVI Friendship Day every year, there are still issues arising when VI musicians visit the USVI to perform.

This year the territory will host the 42nd celebration of BVI/USVI Friendship Day on October 24, 2015 at the Queen Elizabeth II Park under the theme ‘The Greater Virgin Islands: The Identity and Ingenuity of Our People.’

In responding to the question, Premier Smith explained that the laws in USVI that affect travellers from the VI may be Federal and therefore would not be as simple to address.

“Part of the difficulties we have with USVI and BVI is that some of the areas of government are governed by the United States Federal Government, like Immigration and Customs for example, whereas here it is local Government,” he said.

“So that is what is causing some of the complications. And so if there are regulations established by the Federal Government, then St Thomas etc. will have to apply to the Federal Government to change those regulations,” he explained.

“But we have been making slow progress and there was a change in Government recently so we have now re-engaged with the new Government in St Thomas to continue working on the matter,” he said.

He added that the people of the VI and USVI share a very special relationship and have social, cultural and economic ties which are stronger than the barriers that separate them.

The Premier further said that through meetings of the Inter-Virgin Islands Council they have been able to reach a number of agreements in areas such as education, energy, law enforcement and the ongoing issue of bands going to USVI to perform.

Frustration & embarrassment

In April, a number of musicians from the Virgin Islands had expressed frustration and embarrassment that the US Virgin Islands border patrol continues to restrict them from travelling to perform in that territory for gain and that the National Democratic Party (NDP) government seemed to be dragging its feet on the issue.

The matter had reached boiling point when musicians who were slated to perform at the St Thomas Carnival on Sunday April 26, 2015 were reportedly suddenly told by the St Thomas Carnival Committee that they could no longer accommodate them since they were not able to get the usual US Visa waiver for their bands to travel to the island to perform.

The local musicians have been deeply upset by this development since they would have invested money into preparation for their various performances in the USVI for carnival weekend.

Popular singer and member of the Hard Core Band, Martino ‘Tino’ Marks, speaking on ZROD 103.7FM with Paul ‘Gadiethz’ Peart on morning April 27, 2015 said he was also invited to perform but after the cancellation he decided to travel on his own to St Thomas just to observe the carnival but was detained for more than an hour by USVI immigration and reportedly told that if he was to even do an interview on the island he would be “locked up”.

Tino spoke of being highly embarrassed by the incident and said he was told by immigration authorities that the issue needed to be straightened out by the two governments of the VI and USVI.

Bands that were reportedly affected included Showtime band, Hard Core band and VIBE.

Mr Eustace 'Boss' Freeman, President of GRATE BVI Music Alliance and one of the lead singers of Showtime band, told Virgin Islands News Online that everything was set for Showtime band to travel until about two days before the event as border patrol was informed of who were slated to come, however, the St Thomas Carnival Committee subsequently informed them that no band from Tortola was being given visa exemptions.

“They basically informed us, don’t even come St Thomas at all,” Mr Freeman had told Virgin Islands News Online.

See link to related story:

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/local-bands-slam-ndp-govt-on-usvi-travel-restriction

11 Responses to “Issues affecting VI bands in USVI are Federal & complicated – Premier Smith”

  • See It Real Now (13/10/2015, 08:34) Like (10) Dislike (12) Reply
    See our little fish, the bald headed minister can't get anything done. He said this was going to be taken care of two years ago and look still same. Can't swim with the big sharks of USVI. MVW is worthless when it comes to dealing with people with real educations. When he dealing with common folk he seems quite the intellect, but look now, he can't get anything done when it involves people with real educations. Check his record it's not just this issue. When he turned to people in the financial sector with the jobs for youths he was strongly rejected until an insider interveined and then and only then there were some jobs available but not at the 100% financing by the companies that MVW initially proposed, as we know the companies are responsible for far less, so much less that the youth don't actually work for the company, the are actually government workers and now show we talk about the benefits they should receieve as government workers?
  • Keep working. (13/10/2015, 08:42) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is a simple, simple issue, just need the right people to negotiate. Its a cultural exchange, (not to work) which is permitted, monies or checked should be given as a donation towards band recording, or band equipment. which automatically leaves the federal government out. We good to go.
  • Ears (13/10/2015, 08:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI is more fortunate than the rest of the Caribbean, we have a cultural exchange agreement with USVI. That`s the way to go. use it, We only complicating things by making it clear that we going to work.. Donations and sponsorship are all tax exempt.
  • Voter Too (13/10/2015, 09:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We are just a span away we share some of the same interest we just need to come to terms and solve some of these problems for the benefit of all. For example citizens and belongers not supposed to have such problem but islanders will have to meet the necessary requirements.Government ministers have the power to help in this situation they come to you for your votes you are to go to them for assistance such as this.
  • humm (13/10/2015, 09:47) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    if know if VIP was in power this would have been done with, NDP cannot handle overseas matters you all send funny man to do a man's job..would never work!
  • sheer bull (13/10/2015, 12:13) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The leader is soft...All they do on friendship day is eat their guts full and chat a bunch of bull shhhhhh.
  • the NDP ain't ready (13/10/2015, 12:19) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Look how easy the VIP negotiated inter island horse racing?
  • tretretrete (13/10/2015, 13:29) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are you guys sure they reallyyy want the BVI Bands in the USVI? Those USVI Bands come up here and eat off of us easily, you think they want BVI bands to eat theirs? Think about it....
  • Ja rule (13/10/2015, 13:42) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    The bvi wants other entertainers to get all kind of papers to come here to proform and still turn them back from the airport so this just the bvi getting back what they put out hahahahahaha.


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