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'Trust companies forcing out VIslanders' – Gloria A. Fahie

- said VIslanders treated like second class citizens
Ms Gloria A. Fahie has accused trust companies in the Virgin Islands of tactfully forcing out locals from the workplace. Photo: Facebook
The Town Hall meeting was called by the Government of the Virgin Islands following much concerns being raised when Government announced its move to amend the Immigration and Passport Act and to grant residency and or belonger status’ to eligible persons. Photo: VINO
The Town Hall meeting was called by the Government of the Virgin Islands following much concerns being raised when Government announced its move to amend the Immigration and Passport Act and to grant residency and or belonger status’ to eligible persons. Photo: VINO
 Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) speaking at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Paraquita Bay on May 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) speaking at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Paraquita Bay on May 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
PARAQUITA BAY, Tortola, VI - Trust companies in the Virgin Islands (VI) have been accused of raising their bars above the heads of locals, paving the way for an influx of non-Caribbean persons to flood that industry.

This was raised by First District resident, Ms Gloria A. Fahie, who is also the President of the BVI Cancer Society and an employee of the BVI Social Security Board. Ms Fahie, first cousin of Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), made the comments at the Monday, May 20, 2019, Town Hall Meeting called by the government to ventilate the controversial issue of granting Residency and Belongership status to persons residing in the territory fifteen years and over.

The meeting was held at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), in Paraquita Bay, Tortola.

Citizens voice concerns

Ms Fahie, the second person in the audience to get the microphone, lashed out, “You [Premier] said that this issue started some 40 years ago. It could be forty years or more but a lot of the blame is to be placed on us.”

She went on to explain the “us” stating, “It’s not just the Immigration Department, Labour Department should have been right here beside us sitting down, because I worked in the Labour Department many years ago and the policy is Virgin Islanders come first and that is not happening here in my country.”

“It’s not happening here. You suppose to understudy,” giving her interpretation of the Labour Code. “When you apply for a work permit, its one year and a BVI Islander supposed to understudy that person. That is not happening.”

She said her comment was not really directed to “Caribbean persons”. “I am talking about Caucasians as well.”

Ms Fahie further accused especially trust companies of setting the bar way above the reach of locals, “Some of them come here, next thing you know they push the BVI Islander out and they were doing that mainly with the trust industry.”

“When we started to equip ourselves educationally they came up with some nonsense about you have to speak German, you got to speak Russian, you got to speak God knows what other languages.”

According to Ms Fahie, “This has to stop. This is an English speaking country and they need to come here and learn English. Not we going to learn their language.”

“We are like second class citizens in our own country,” she implored, while noting that she was not there to discriminate against any of her brothers and sisters, “I married a Jamaican and I don’t want to make this about them and us.”

Deep Division in VI – Ms Fahie

Further, Ms Fahie alluded to comments on social media over the immigration issue, “It’s horrible, but guess what? We the government, I am going to face you all. The government has put the cart before the horse. We should have been involved with this decision from [the] get-go and that is a problem here today and because of that don’t mind what [you all] have to say up there tonight, a problem has arisen.”

“There is some deep, deep division here in this country. People coming attacking me and I have to defend myself because this is my country and I have to defend myself,” she said.

27 Responses to “'Trust companies forcing out VIslanders' – Gloria A. Fahie”

  • NB (22/05/2019, 12:09) Like (63) Dislike (40) Reply
    Didn't expect this from you Gloria....wow. I'm disappointed. Some people are really not who they appear to be. The masks are coming off one by one.
    • Outspoken (22/05/2019, 13:14) Like (22) Dislike (19) Reply

      NB don’t study that *****woman. Always want to be important.

      • Mr ching (22/05/2019, 14:16) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
        Yeah this is an example u say She is looking for her u don’t want expatriates who u want
    • WE LOVE YOU MS. FAHIE (22/05/2019, 13:37) Like (2) Dislike (26) Reply
      You defenders of all things caucasian will be the 1st to go to the spirit world. If one exist.
    • trust (22/05/2019, 13:49) Like (50) Dislike (15) Reply
      exactly and the same trust companies she always want a sponsor from
    • Facts... lets face it (22/05/2019, 16:46) Like (14) Dislike (10) Reply
      NB this is facts Gloria has pointed out...I'm quite sure in most Caribbean countries the natives will do the same as Gloria has done. Evey day on the news im seeing where many caribbean countries are implementing /changing rules and regulations to protect its country and its people...Im sure you can agrèe to that.
    • word (23/05/2019, 16:02) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      I agree 1000 percent Ms Fahie
  • HGLE (22/05/2019, 12:40) Like (57) Dislike (21) Reply
    Her words rang close to home. The labor dept. should stop approving certain work permits. Force the trust companies to look harder or recommend or force them to hire BVIslanders and belongers for the job. The Trust companies will not stop doing business in the BVI because the business is profitable and they have already made huge investments which would affect their other offices in Asia, US and Europe. The Trust companies are cheating the system. Most times they already have people in mind that were recommended by existing expat friends. They follow the law by advertising etc. but nobody really stands a chance. If the labor dept. would focus on who is being recruited they would see the pattern. Some positions are created just for specific people to hold. When you work with these people that are being imported you wonder why and how are they being recruited from as far as Europe and Asia and some of them doing stuff that the locals were even doing. The only thing that they been doing better is speaking other languages and I must admit are less aggressive. They bring a culture of no manners, passing straight and sometimes not even responding to greetings and total segregation. They only flock to people that look like them or doesn't look like us. They are mercenaries and contribute little to the BVI besides the mandatory taxes.
  • Yolanda (22/05/2019, 12:48) Like (51) Dislike (12) Reply
    Ms Fahie said nothing wrong but people get so angry when BVI belongers try to defend their position. I now see a blog written by a very seemingly bitter person stating that Ms Fahie showed her true colour and how she belittled people. That is far from the truth. The blog even suggests that she be removed as chairman of the BVI association. I wonder with whom she should be replaced and how that person would treat people according to their immigration status. While we all have our ways, Ms Fahie is not a spiteful person and she ensures that everyone who needs assustancevreceives it. Before people talk nonsense they should get a hold on some history which will include statistics. I think everyone should be able to voice their opinion, regardless of immigration status
    • True (22/05/2019, 14:01) Like (23) Dislike (21) Reply
      Her comments about the Labour dept are spot on and all top positions should take a BVI Islander on as a trainee to fulfil that position within a 3yr period. This would also stop the need for people staying for 15+yrs .

      However she let her self down but making comments in regard to White people, she didn't blurt it out but she said it none the less, I think that is perhaps where the blogs you mention are attacking her from, as if its on the BVI Community board most locals can't access it as it run by white women, 1 who has never set foot in the BVI, whoops did I really say that.....
  • i from here (22/05/2019, 13:54) Like (39) Dislike (17) Reply
    She is right and I thank her for being the voice of locals
    • Hynn (22/05/2019, 15:01) Like (7) Dislike (10) Reply
      U right Gloria some vi islanders don’t know what they want I hope the premier taking notes cuz some of we in the vi have triple tongue
  • pat (22/05/2019, 14:05) Like (27) Dislike (10) Reply
    at least she has the balls and courage to speak out you go girl
  • YOU (22/05/2019, 14:24) Like (18) Dislike (19) Reply
    You who on here bashing Gloria, go to her face and tell her what you have to say! Gloria NOT afraid to speak her mind and she ain’t gonna be afraid to hear what you have to say. GO tell her to her face, you cowards!

    WHITE TEETH BLACK HEARTS ♥️ ♥️ ♥️
  • wize up (22/05/2019, 14:27) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
    one can not express their opinion in road town any more: the former minister noted that VI people want to be entitled: however people living in the BVI for 15 years seeking to be entitled...
  • What’s Wrong? (22/05/2019, 15:16) Like (23) Dislike (16) Reply

    I was not at the meeting but reading this account of what Ms. Fahie said, what's the big deal? I don’t see anything wrong with what she said. As a matter of fact, she was spot on.

    And by the way, the government wants police records, but what about the steady erosion of the social fabric weaved into the BVI? Caused by none other than people who come here with their own agenda, to grow rich overnight; to steal and destroy husbands and wives of locals and break up families? Did anyone touch on that so far? It is a big problem here too and it needs to be addressed.
  • VI Diva (22/05/2019, 16:17) Like (16) Dislike (10) Reply
    They need to check a certain big Trust company. Everyday they creating some new named post and it’s rarely filled by locals. Also the person from overseas that fills the post already has their family packed and the trust company was already paying their rent months before labor even approved them. Which means the post for the jobs in the newspapers is a shame......... That one in particular has become infamous for doing this in the past year......
  • kkk (22/05/2019, 17:14) Like (31) Dislike (9) Reply
    Gloria is so correct most of the trust companies have a bunch of racist working there
  • how come (22/05/2019, 19:44) Like (20) Dislike (2) Reply
    While this may be used as a ploy by a few companies, for others it is a reality that in some trust companies you will require certain foreign language skills to converse with certain clientele. You cannot go and ask an investors to go and learn English to converse with you to invest their money. Workers in general and not necessarily Belongers, needs to equip themselves with the necessary skill sets to carry out certain functions. Some time ago there was talks about people learning Mandarin as we try to go after the Chinese investors. The Russians Oligarchs are a huge part of the multinational investment pool and companies are constantly looking to gain advantage in niche markets. It is just a reality of the business world. If you can speak my language you are more likely to get my business.
    • Clarita (23/05/2019, 12:39) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
      Whoever chose to do business in the BVI or any country where English is the original language can speak English or make arrangement to have interpreters because they do not trust yours, so stop tell lies. I worked in the industry for a number of years and can attest to this. It is well true that the local law firms and trust companies include this requirement to handicap certain people.
  • Rodney King (22/05/2019, 23:40) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    the greedy politicians have destroyed the very fabric of the community. Once they can get an extra dollar they look the other way especially with foreign investors. An example, some folks are allowed to build a residential house in our community but those same residential properties are placed in the hands of a real estate company and used as rental villas. Some folks are given priority to build in certain communities and politicians gets a tangible kickback
  • wow (23/05/2019, 07:24) Like (12) Dislike (6) Reply
    That's one of the biggest Issue here in the BVI. Locals aren't giving the rights to speak out. If and when they do, it's as if they offended the non locals and that's a no, no! What the hell all you think we are? People must come to Our Country, degrade Us, humiliate Us, walk over Us, treat Us without dignity and respect and We must shut up, sit back and take it all. No man, this shit needs to stop NOW!!! We not going to keep quiet any longer. If you go visit a man's home and don't feel welcome you leave. You don't go bashing the man and expect to stay at his home. Give Just Cause where it is due. Great Job Ms Fahie...to many biting their tongues and suffering in silience.
  • HAHA (23/05/2019, 09:46) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    if you want to have these international trust companies here AND have them employing BVIslanders you have to educate BVIslanders for the position. and that includes the ability to both speak UK or American English, as well as potentially be fluent in another language, since they are doing international business. kinda obvious, really
  • No free lunch (24/05/2019, 09:44) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Belongers are doing this to themselves. You want locals in high paying trust company jobs. Then invest in the educational system so that they have a qualified educated local labor pool. That does mean learning proper English, manners and the like (do what you want outside work). If we don’t invest in real education and we want those companies here, then where do you think they’ll get their staff? If you make it difficult to find staff, or make them hire locals who can’t do the work, do you really think they’ll stay. Educate people, create a culture that values it and hard work. There is no free lunch.


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