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RVIPF lacks specialist skills hence need for UK Officers- Michael Matthews

- All UK Police Officers are been paid more than all local police, including the Deputy Police Commissioner
Commissioner of Police, Michael 'Mick' Matthews has defended the need for so many United Kingdom Police Officers in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF). Photo: VINO/File
As a result of Operation Lucan, three officers (2 in background) of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) appeared on April 5, 2016 in the Magistrate's Court charged with various offences. Photo: VINO/File
As a result of Operation Lucan, three officers (2 in background) of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) appeared on April 5, 2016 in the Magistrate's Court charged with various offences. Photo: VINO/File
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) comes under the portfolio of Governor John S. Duncan OBE (right). Photo: VINO/File
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) comes under the portfolio of Governor John S. Duncan OBE (right). Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The jury is still out on whether Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews hit the ground running or walking, as the new Commissioner of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force after the drama some police officers and the community went through with his predecessor, David Morris, another UK national.

Local police lack the skills

In a question posed to Commissioner Matthews from our newsroom last week about why there are so many United Kingdom Police Officers working in the Virgin Islands (all Caucasian when there are officers of colour in the UK), Mr Matthews defended the need to have them here.

He told our newsroom that there are currently seven UK police officers in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) inclusive of himself. However, our count from information obtained by our newsroom found 8 UK officers and not 7.

Most of the current UK Police Officers have been here some 5 years plus.

When pressed as to the need for so many UK officers in the territory, Mr Matthews was blunt in claiming that they are specialist officers employed within the RVIPF.

He said “all of the UK Officers bring specialist skills that cannot be sourced locally.”

He went on in his e-mailed response to claim that “these skills enhance the ability of the force to deal with serious crimes and strategic development. This assists the RVIPF to remain at the forefront of policing for the benefit of the local communities,” he wrote.

Discrimination in pay? Whites paid higher in RVIPF

Our investigation also unearthed that all the UK Officers in the Virgin Islands (VI), some of them retired, are making more money than all the local officers (all black) including the Deputy Commissioner of Police Alwin James.

The UK officers’ huge salaries and benefit packages are being paid for by tax payers to the tune of millions of dollars.

In response to the allegation of the big discrepancies in salaries, the new Commissioner of Police (CoP) said “the force does not determine the final pay scales of such officers who are ultimately employed by the Government of the BVI.”

In further justifying the millions of dollars paid to these UK Officers from the public purse, the CoP told our newsroom in his written response that “the remuneration must reflect the fact that each officer is employed on a relatively short term contract and they do not enjoy the benefits of full time employment such as a pension scheme.”

However, Mr Matthews failed to be transparent in telling our newsroom that some of the officers are already on UK pension while others, once they return to their own police force and  retire, will earn a pension though their city or county pension schemes.

Operation Lucan big $$$$??

It was this news site that first alerted the public in a March 15, 2016 article that millions of dollars were spent to investigate corruption in the RVIPF under ‘Operation Lucan’ and no arrest had been made after over two years. Two weeks after our article, the RVIFP announced that three police officers were arrested for corruption.

Many saw the arrest as a rush to judgement and wonder why only black officers were arrested in the corruption probe.

There were also reports that to justify the over two year stretch of the UK officers working on Operation Lucan, costing millions from the public purse, the role of Operation Lucan may have been expanded to include other areas of public sector corruption.

However, Commissioner Matthews told our newsroom, “no additional tasking requests were made to Operation Lucan."

Gov Duncan a waste even to the police?

The RVIPF comes under the governor’s portfolio and the current Governor is John S. Duncan OBE. He also chairs the National Security Council. It has been reported to our newsroom by very senior Police Officers that Mr Duncan is not doing enough to support the RVIPF.

Mr Duncan has lost credibility in the VI as the appointed UK Governor of the Overseas Territory. Many residents have already called for him to be recalled and his own honesty and integrity are in question.

He was caught in a lie over what he told the media about the cabinet decision on the Claude O. Skelton-Cline contract renewal.

26 Responses to “RVIPF lacks specialist skills hence need for UK Officers- Michael Matthews”

  • wize up (15/06/2016, 09:21) Like (12) Dislike (4) Reply
    just my 2 cent: the UK professional not doing any better jobs: this territory still have several unsolved crimes including murder......
  • civil servant (15/06/2016, 09:43) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Lyin duncan cases about no one but himself
  • Dig Deeper (15/06/2016, 09:53) Like (21) Dislike (4) Reply
    Oh really, Commissioner Matthews-
    He said, “all of the UK Officers bring specialist skills that cannot be sourced locally.” The Caribbean and the rest of the world also exist. Superiority Complexes also exist; you only have to look at the UK Parliament.
  • west end police (15/06/2016, 10:02) Like (13) Dislike (8) Reply
    The police new chief seems like an oppresor only the white man has the skills in oder words
    • articulation (15/06/2016, 13:17) Like (6) Dislike (6) Reply
      try spelling "oppressor" and "other" properly, perhaps your ignorance will not be as obvious. if you really ARE a police, your command of the written word is a complete disgrace and you should be ashamed of yourself - it is because of practically illiterate people like you, that they have to bring in outsiders. go back to school
  • joke (15/06/2016, 10:16) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    AJ and his entourage displace all the local specially qualified officers to facilitate the the home coming of the uk officers only to discover they are just a bunch of bull shitter, and all their specialties as the step foot on the soil is SSSB.
  • Binocs (15/06/2016, 10:18) Like (16) Dislike (8) Reply
    The man is right! You deal with any local or Caribbean Officers and try to do a statement it takes 3 hours or more because they cannot read or write. We need to call a spade a spade and admit that we attract the bottom of the barrel people who are only interested in the status and salary at RVIPF.
  • BuzzBvi (15/06/2016, 10:26) Like (12) Dislike (8) Reply
    Decoded: You silly black officers have no skills to help the police force so I must get all white UK officers to help you out! set of racist if you ask me
  • INSDIER (15/06/2016, 11:10) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    If the force was doing good he would’ve gotten all the credit so leh he tek de heat as he start off wrong
  • Will say (15/06/2016, 11:27) Like (38) Dislike (3) Reply
    You people are here talking all this S::t about police and Chief not doing their jobs. People don't be suck F::;ing hypocrites. You people know the killers, robbers and toy gangsters. You keep your damn lips sealed knowing you know these criminals and then turn around and talk about police not doing their jobs. Most of you is related to or know the people that is killing and robbing people. Don't blame the law and Government, blame your damn selves. I know my family or friend is involved in a crime, I am going to report it.
    • thank you (15/06/2016, 13:46) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
      @Will Say, you could not have said it any better. I myself is sick of these damn skeeze/people. They come down on the police and Government for the drama their killer, robbing friends and family is doing and they keep their jaws shut. What a bunch of loony hypocrites. They need to turn in the people who they know is doing these things or shut the F:;k up.
  • brightidea (15/06/2016, 11:31) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    why not train some local officers to be some of these specialists
  • dog (15/06/2016, 11:44) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    The bad thing about it is wee are paying for the uk officers
  • bullsh** (15/06/2016, 11:51) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    train our own
    • Yeah!!! (15/06/2016, 15:24) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
      @Bullshit, train our own for what? Yeah train them but, some in the bunch knows who the gunmen, killers, and robbers are. Or he'll, some of them may be related to them.you think they are going to turn in their own? Waste of damn time. They need some tough cops from the US to set things straight.
  • Outsider (15/06/2016, 11:55) Like (14) Dislike (4) Reply
    Although the CP is highly decorated, he does not have the skills to manage a Caribbean Police Force or Caribbean crime. Just like his predecessor he fails to appreciate the cultural environment and manages only as he knows how and that is in a European capacity. Governor also culturally bereft and does not understand how tings work around here.
  • Political Observer (15/06/2016, 12:15) Like (16) Dislike (5) Reply
    what do we expect from the UK Officers? when you understand colonialism and white power you will understand what is going on here
  • B Savage (15/06/2016, 12:48) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    TRANSLATION: We need EDOMITES to do EDOMITE things. This include reading, comprehension & solving crimes.
  • ccc (15/06/2016, 13:45) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    You all so soft look lying john d still in bvi on a vaction
  • chad (15/06/2016, 14:45) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    My my the hatred in my country is so rottten till it stinks let us support the police


  • wize up (15/06/2016, 15:06) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The governor is responsible for the security of these Virgin Islands and glad to see the commission of police is making it plain: he just reach and he knows the governor must make sure all remain tranquil in this territory .....some of those talk show host should be calling on the governor to see about the security of the BVI(homeland security )
  • Never change (15/06/2016, 15:17) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Things will never change in this bloody place unless the family and friends start turning in the people who they know is causing all the havoc. The BVI can bring in the best of the best crime fighters and it will not do any good with solving crimes because everyone knows that the killers, scammers, gun men, gun runners, pay off men you name it, family and friends knows about their crimes and stay hush, hush. My advice, if you can get the hell away from this place and don't come back. You are safer in the USA. They have crime but they solved them. If the USA have to lock up mother, father, friends etc.. They will do that because someone knows something.

  • Yes (15/06/2016, 22:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The white man calling ayo dumb....Lol lol
  • Hmm (15/06/2016, 22:26) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    nothing has changed the Man run things....The rest is history.
  • fco (17/06/2016, 23:16) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    This man john duncan is one dotish clown....


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