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Locals were not ‘prepared’ for Top CoP post - Premier Fahie confirms

- reinforced need for Virgin Islanders to ready themselves for VI’s top jobs
Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has confirmed that a local will not be taking up the post of Commissioner of Police in the territory when current outgoing Top Cop, Mr Michael B. Matthews demits office. Photo: Facebook/File
Sources say Retired UK Police Mark Collins could lead the force when current outgoing Top Cop, Mr Michael B. Matthews demits office. Photo: VINO/File
Sources say Retired UK Police Mark Collins could lead the force when current outgoing Top Cop, Mr Michael B. Matthews demits office. Photo: VINO/File
Premier Andrew A. Fahie made his comments on the Tuesday, January 12, 2021 edition of the Honesty Speaking radio show.
Premier Andrew A. Fahie made his comments on the Tuesday, January 12, 2021 edition of the Honesty Speaking radio show.
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has confirmed that a local will not be taking up the post of Commissioner of Police in the territory when outgoing Top Cop, Mr Michael B. Matthews demits office.

Instead, retired UK Police Mark Collins could be the one heading the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

Premier remarked it is likely because no locals were prepared for the role.

Future belongs to Prepared - Premier Fahie 

“The future belongs to the prepared and this is why we have to continue to ensure that we prepare our people for all these jobs,” Hon Fahie said on the Tuesday, January 12, 2021 edition of the Honesty Speaking show.

The Premier was at the time responding to questions from host Claude O. Skelton-Cline on whether a retired UK police was the best the territory could hire amidst a sea of local talent.

“How is it that the Commissioner of Police, that job becomes vacant, and here we are having a retired officer from the UK coming here to be the commissioner of Police,” Skelton-Cline questioned.

The Premier related that having another top post go to another outsider will reinforce the need for the territory to train its people.

“We will continue to do our part as a government, but it calls for each entity to have succession planning and it has also to be that we ourselves have to see ourselves as the one who will police ourselves,” he said.

'Disappointing' - Skelton-Cline 

On December 18, 2020, Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) reported that well-placed sources confirmed that Mr Collins would likely take the role, however, during the show Skelton-Cline remarked that it was disappointing to learn that a local would not be taking up the post.

Mr Collins, who was awarded the Queen’s Policing Medal in the New Year’s Honours List 2020, has also held the national portfolio on policing and mental health, and in more recent years has also led UK policing in understanding and tackling group-based child sexual exploitation, according to Dyfed-Powys Police.

22 Responses to “Locals were not ‘prepared’ for Top CoP post - Premier Fahie confirms”

  • rewrsdffds (13/01/2021, 10:33) Like (10) Dislike (17) Reply
    Once no down island person get it let the white cops from UK take over
    • man about town (13/01/2021, 10:52) Like (11) Dislike (10) Reply
      Ok. You sound like a house slave. You were thought to snitch on your black brothers and sisters for the white man crumbs and a place on their floor corner. Today this mentality still remains. As long as its white its superior to us. nonsense. Go and educate yourself or I should say re-educate yourself
      • jack frost (13/01/2021, 21:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
        @ man about town. You are absolutely correct is people like "OK" the will open their mouthes wide to eat the white man sh*@ and his his children's sh&# . A$$#@&+s like "OK" need to go take a very long walk on a very short beach.
    • @ ok (13/01/2021, 11:55) Like (3) Dislike (7) Reply

      To much a them **l@** people in the force need going home

      • Jack and Jill (13/01/2021, 21:17) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
        @OK if you are so upset about the lack of local people that are in the Police Force stop running your dry mouth and you and your family should join the force. You will have first preference because you are locals ( if you have the merits) IDIOT!!!!
  • Hmm (13/01/2021, 10:43) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply

    Confess c**s which one of y’all or y’all’s who killed that Malone guy then threw him in the waters. Justice need to be served

  • the rock (13/01/2021, 13:25) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    Mr. Guy Hill can hold the top spot down!
  • apple pie (13/01/2021, 13:31) Like (3) Dislike (16) Reply
    This is crazy another white man shame of the vip
  • Message (13/01/2021, 13:49) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    CLAUDE SKELTON CLINE TAKE THAT WE ARE BRITISN ENGLAND IS OUR MOTHER COUNTRY SO YOU SEE IT IS TIME TO STOP TALKING ABOUT OUR MOTHER COUNTRY WATCH YOUR SPEECHES OVER THE RADIO BECAUSE ENGLAND IS HEARING THE POLICE FORC BELONGS TO THE QUEEN AND SHE CAN SEND WHOM EVER SHE WANTS TO BE THE CHIEF OF POLICE SO THIS RULE AND STANDARD SHOULD TEACH YOU A LESSON wE ARE BETTR OFF WITH A UK POLICE COMMISSIONER THAN A HALF BAKE PERSON WE NEE THE HELP AND YOU AE NO HELP IN THIS CASE
    • concern (14/01/2021, 18:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You made a true statement that it’s not Andrews calling to decide who’s to get the top cop job, its the uk decision.
  • wise up (13/01/2021, 15:04) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    U all think Andrew crazy he knows if a local get that position bvi in trouble as everyone is someone friend,cousins family etc so guess what favours .
  • Local Talent? (13/01/2021, 17:33) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Amidst a sea of local talent - you are having a laugh.
  • can’t wait (13/01/2021, 18:18) Like (2) Dislike (7) Reply
    Sooner incompetent Micky Mouse Mick leaves the better. All he’s done is suck up to gutless gus, another white supremacist.
    • BuzzBvi (13/01/2021, 20:37) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      You do not just depress me but everyone else that likes life here.
  • TORTOLIAN (13/01/2021, 19:00) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    IM WONDERING IF YOU ALL DIDN'T HEAR NO ONE FROM THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS APPLY FOR THE JOB, SO WHARS THE FUSS. NO EVEN MISS REFUSED THE JOB.
    • GI JOE (13/01/2021, 21:27) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      @TOrtolian, agree they didn't apply yet they are complaining. The article said"No locals were not prepared" . He is trying to make it sound clean . He didn't want to say they are not qualified....
  • Poor millionaire (13/01/2021, 21:21) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    @OK please read the article. LOCALS WERE NOT PREPARED!!!!! Got it. Not PREPARED!!! Put that in your pipe
  • be prepared to leave (14/01/2021, 00:40) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Well Andrew seems like no local is prepared for the premier seat also.so we will train couple locals for that seat come next election
  • Vanderpool already received Training (14/01/2021, 04:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    https://bvi.org/vanterpool-has-undergone-police-commissioner-training
    • @Vanterpool already received Training: (14/01/2021, 07:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      She has undergone training, but the question is, Did she apply for the position? That lady has so much potential to reach places but her biggest problem is that she second guesses herself too much....had she applied she might have gotten a shot at it
  • vex (14/01/2021, 10:30) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Vip to damm weak they allowed racist gus and rude mic to run circles around them
  • Local (19/01/2021, 11:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    expats officers just as bad as the local officers.. the expats looks out for them people and give them heads up that their name being called in xyz.. bring back another UK IF THAT MORE PLEASING THEN!


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