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VI resident concerned that alleged US sex offender given trade licence

- Concerned East End resident said community should have been forewarned
In some states of the USA, neighbors are notified by telephone when a registered sex offender moves into the neighborhood. Photo: marginalrevolution.com
The Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs is responsible for issuing Trade Licences in the territory. Photo: VINO/File
The Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs is responsible for issuing Trade Licences in the territory. Photo: VINO/File
EAST END/LONG LOOK, Tortola, VI- A resident of Fat Hogs Bay East End, on the main island of Tortola, is concerned that the Immigration and Labour authorities might have reportedly granted a trade licence and work permit to an alleged sex offender from the United States of America.

According to information reaching this news site over the weekend, the authorities might have granted clearance for the individual to establish a business at Tortola Pier Park.

According to a source who spoke with this news site under the condition of anonymity, it has been established that the individual has been accused of sex crimes in the United States.

The man who said he has young grandchildren made it known that he does not want the individual to be residing anywhere near him or his family because of the nature of the crimes he has been accused of.

It is our understanding that officials at the Immigration Department conducted checks when it was revealed that the information about the individual’s criminal misdeeds of a sexual nature came to life.

It is this news site's understanding as well that this information was passed on to Government. However, the person was still allegedly approved for a Trade Licence to operate his business at the Tortola Pier Park.

The East End resident is concerned that there might be an alleged sex offender living in his community and there is little that he can do about it because unlike the United States, there is nothing mandating the authorities to alert members of a community that there is an alleged sex offender in their midst.

However, a senior Immigration official with whom this news site spoke to said he knew of no such case and dismissed the information as “talk from the street.”

Efforts to reach Chief Immigration Officer Ian B. Penn for clarification on the matter proved futile.

We also tried reaching Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith and Head of the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs Karia J. Christopher but received no response.

28 Responses to “VI resident concerned that alleged US sex offender given trade licence”

  • just asking.... (06/06/2016, 08:12) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    hummmm what about others who are in government?
  • wize up (06/06/2016, 08:16) Like (26) Dislike (2) Reply
    once you have money NDP don't care where it is coming from
    • que (06/06/2016, 12:20) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      You not lying even PREDATORS smh especially when these people do research and look for place that has a high pedo situations. One thing I'm sure is homeboy will get some CUTLASS id he even look at someone or child wrong.
  • B Real (06/06/2016, 08:58) Like (21) Dislike (4) Reply
    THIS IS WHY GUY HILL IS NOT IMMIGRATION CHIEF! MONEY OVER EVERYTHING INCLUDING SEX OFFENDERS WELL UNLESS THEY DON'T SEE AS A SERIOUS CRIME.
  • Nezzy (06/06/2016, 09:22) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    Any outside person who want to live and work here must submit a police report to show no listed criminal report. If this person was listed in the U.S., then there should be a report on file proving this. Immigration is responsible to do background checks on everyone coming into our homeland.
  • susan (06/06/2016, 09:29) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's so simple, go to this site and select the state he lived: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/registry
    • @susan (08/06/2016, 19:00) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      We have to know who he is and what state he lived in first. Do you have that information since it is so easy?
  • Monday Morning Drama (06/06/2016, 09:48) Like (25) Dislike (37) Reply
    I find this report alarming in the sense that we have dozens of local sexual offenders who served time in prison and some living among us and no one makes a big fuss about it. Are we saying that because someone is/was a sex offender they must not be able to make a living or seek a better life after released from prison? Rather than stigmatizing these people who clearly have a mental illness, we should have supportive counselling for sexual offenders to deal with their issues. Protect our children by teaching them the correct ways to avoid been sexual abused and what to do if someone makes them feel uncomfortable. Further, a lot of parents are not living a good examples for both their boys and girls hence we have so many sexual crimes, sexual transmitted diseases, adultery, blended families, unstable homes, emotional pain and suffering, and unwanted pregnancies. We are also watching to much porn that is polluting the mind and that too is affecting our community and the prevalence of sexual crimes especially among young teens. So whether the sex offender is from the BVI or the US it doesn't really matter, we have to make some changes beginning with ourselves. Leave sex and sexual relations for your own husband or wife ONLY.
    • SB (06/06/2016, 12:23) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
      I have supportive counseling for sex offenders. It is called open mouth, buckshots & rinse.
    • NICK (06/06/2016, 15:52) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      I guess what is being said is that the sex offender should not be in the BVI if he is not a BVI belonger - not a thing wrong with that. The US would not have given an outsider a visa to live nor work there.
  • DJ G (06/06/2016, 10:02) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    "country over club"
  • OK Then (06/06/2016, 10:13) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    put the sex offender sign on his home of abode or business establishment.
  • 1 bvi (06/06/2016, 10:30) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Thoes ministers need being bar too
  • Hmmmmm (06/06/2016, 10:38) Like (18) Dislike (8) Reply
    what about the sex offenders that was born here.... one was deported from the U.S because of that so stop talking about others when you have locals who are also sex offenders
    • oKQ (06/06/2016, 11:12) Like (25) Dislike (2) Reply
      Ok. So obviously our hands are already full dealing or not dealing with our own sex offenders so why should we take on others from other countries. See if the US or any other country will take ours on. Anything goes here boy.
    • SB (06/06/2016, 12:26) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
      This is the most intellectual post here I must say. Let's see hmmm we can't really deal with our own SEX OFFENDERS but we can deal with yours(other). As long as you have enough money? Please tell me this isn't how the party I voted for operates. Please.
    • wacky (06/06/2016, 20:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Drive a taxi and host tv program
  • time will tell (06/06/2016, 13:34) Like (3) Dislike (4) Reply
    Oh please. We have local people who got deported from the US and who cam back with their tails between their legs for the same thing.. Who checking the US register for them?
    • Outsider (06/06/2016, 16:59) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      I live in the USA, right now there is 2 from Tortola living the State that I live in. How I know? The State I live in mail out posters every month with the person name, where they are from and the sex crime they committed.These 2 are banned from being around schools and play grounds.
  • son of the soil (06/06/2016, 16:51) Like (36) Dislike (0) Reply
    The USA deporting ours and we importing theirs. What a set of @$$H*!&$ running this place.
  • stand up (06/06/2016, 17:28) Like (56) Dislike (0) Reply
    If you are a sex offender from the United States, the people of the Virgin Islands say you should not be living in the Virgin Islands, period. You should not be given work permit and trade license. When this comes to light, haul his tail and revoke everything and send his arse home. We keep our own sex offenders because here is home, but we are not keeping no sex offenders from the United States. We need strong leaders who would take a stand. We don't want your money from the Pier Park. Haul your tail and go back to the United States. See how it feels when they discriminate against our people in the good old US of A. This man should not be living in the Territory. We found out something about him later on, Doctor Smith, in charge of Immigration, deport him from the Territory. He is an UNDESIRABLE. PERIOD. GO TO HELL TO YOUR HOME.
  • Special Treatment (06/06/2016, 23:00) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Now in the BVI it seems like once you look and speak a certain way or even hang with a certain set of people or organization then you get a free pass for anything you want. It doesn't matter what your past is. The BVI should now be named Land Of The Free. The local man get hell to get anything but as soon as some people step off the ferry or the plane they done get everything sort out.
  • rastaman (07/06/2016, 02:52) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    what's the big deal high government official engage in the same thing and noting came out of it!
  • Luckylady (17/06/2016, 19:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I was born in Tortola and live in the United States. I I read the papers every day on my lunch hour, especially the comments and I tell you, some of you are ignorant.
  • Judge and Jury (21/06/2016, 18:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Has it ever occurred to you readers, that the person who supposedly reported this alleged sexually offender has an axe to grind? Did he apply for a trade licence and was rejected and this foreigner was approved? Does the accuser have proof, i.e. a copy of an offender's list clearing showing the name and image of the alleged offender?

    How as a sexual offender able to circumvent the Labour, Immigration and Trade Departments? If this allegation is proven to be true, it will be a slap in the face to those living and paying taxes on this island who cannot get approval for trade licences.
  • boyo (28/06/2016, 16:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    yea me bai,,,in fairness ...if a person is accused but Is not charged nor prosecuted you can not label dem as such,, lots of peole are falsely accused,,,so we have to be fair in makin our assessment especially when there is no tangible eveidnce to suport this kind of broad brushin of people,,,,,,,


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