Premier Smith acknowledges human trafficking concerns for VI
In March 2015 the US State Department released a damning report which detailed the VI’s potential for money laundering (ML) due to a number of factors, one of which is the use of the US dollar and another its proximity to the US Virgin Islands.
During a press conference in the Office of the Premier’s conference room on Tuesday April 21, 2015, the Premier, responding to queries from members of the media, said that the Suspicious Activities Report is something on which the United States, the UK and other large countries and territories find themselves on and as such the VI is not unique.
He said any country which has business activities, and significantly the VI being involved in financial services, it is expected that there will be some suspicious activity recorded.
He said the fact that the VI is close to the US Virgin Islands concerns the United States because people can travel easily between the USVI and the VI.
Human trafficking
“In fact let’s talk about human trafficking…many people who bring people here illegally in an attempt to get them to the USVI land people here and quite often tell them that they are in the USVI,” he said.
“So dealing with human trafficking and narcotics and everything those are the [issues] which would cause the United States concern. And this is why we work very closely with the United States Government and the US Virgin Islands in patrolling our borders,” said Dr Smith.
On the concerns expressed by the US State Department on the territory’s use of the US dollar, Dr Smith said, “We have been using the US dollar for quite a long time and I honestly have not heard or seen any suggestion that there are difficulties with it.”
'Engage the US at the highest level'- Hon Fraser
Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and Representative for the Third District Honourable Julian Fraser RA had stated that Premier Smith should engage the US State Department at the highest level to resolve ongoing differences regarding the territory’s financial services and recent findings on concerns about money laundering.
“My unsolicited advice to the Premier is that he engages the United States State Department at the highest possible level in discussions regarding their concerns with our Financial Services, and with the agreement of the British Government he seeks to resolve what appears to be significant differences,” said Honourable Fraser in an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online.
“When the United States State Department's 2015 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report says, "the BVI’s proximity to the US Virgin Islands and the use of the US dollar for its currency pose additional risk factors for money laundering", it says a lot without saying anything. It is up to us as leaders to understand the subliminal message being sent,” he said.
“One must now ask, why are we being reminded that we use the United States dollar as our currency while at the same time being cited as a country whose behaviour poses a direct threat to their economy. Money laundering is a very serious offense, and it is among the number one reasons for the upheaval in the Global Financial Markets today, and the BVI is aware and is wrestling with combatting it from our shores. However, it would appear that the United States is not convinced,” said Honourable Fraser.
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11 Responses to “Premier Smith acknowledges human trafficking concerns for VI”
Despite our apparent Success/es, we are still a little Dependent Country (with a lot of luck; up until now), and as such, we have little room for error. True, reminding us that we don't have our own currency, and are using theirs, is saying something with a "Lot of meaning".
St. Kitts and Nevis is currently in high level talks with the US, Canada and the UK on two major issues; their
CBI (Citizen By Investment) Program, which similar to us with our Financial Services, brings in a lot of revenue into the economy, and the VISA-Free travel to Canada, which apparently it is alleged has been abused in at least one
or two cases.
Similarly to Skn, with limited resources, our Leader/s with issues such as been voiced, we should hastily, get talks
going at high levels, addressing the concerns, and assuring the US and whoever, of the measures we have and are
putting in place to mitigate their concerns.
Again, the "Word of the Day": VIGILANT
The P...... doesn't have a clue about human trafficking in the area. He need to have an audience with the immigration officer he didn't want to head that department then make a true and proper statement to the public.