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Anti-Gov’t political campaign ignited over stimulus grants - Hon Fahie

- Premier says persons now trying to use COVID-19 as a political platform
Following the circulation of a list of persons who allegedly benefitted from the COVID-19 Fishing and Farming Stimulus initiative, Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie in a House of Assembly statement, today, May 13, 2021, said persons in the territory are now using the list to ignite a political campaign. Photo: HoA/Youtube
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) addressed the controversy on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, calling the list inaccurate and incomplete. Photo: Facebook/File
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) addressed the controversy on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, calling the list inaccurate and incomplete. Photo: Facebook/File
At today's HoA the Premier noted that the grants to fishers and farmers were targeted towards boosting food production capabilities in the territory, to procure more industry equipment as well as expand agriculture initiatives with some of those needs existing since the devastations of Hurricanes Irma and Maria of 2017. Photo: GIS
At today's HoA the Premier noted that the grants to fishers and farmers were targeted towards boosting food production capabilities in the territory, to procure more industry equipment as well as expand agriculture initiatives with some of those needs existing since the devastations of Hurricanes Irma and Maria of 2017. Photo: GIS
DUFF'S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI – Following the circulation of a list of persons who allegedly benefitted from the COVID-19 Fishing and Farming Stimulus initiative, Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie in a House of Assembly statement, today, May 13, 2021, said persons in the territory are now using the COVID-19 situation to ignite a political campaign.

Gov’t not making COVID-19 political – Hon Fahie

While a list of names of persons who allegedly benefitted from the grant initiative has since been debunked as inaccurate and incomplete by the Premier, he said politics is at work regarding the circulation of the list. 

“While your government has been deliberate not to make COVID-19 a subject for politics, there are those who are using COVID-19 to create a platform for themselves for the next General Elections.”

“But contrary to their selfish push for power, this government will remain laser-focused on helping the people… thankfully our Virgin Islands people are people of BVI Love,” he said.

“Mr Speaker, there seems to be a strategy to try to destabilise the Government of the Virgin Islands. The first attempt was over the protocols and now a political campaign has been ignited on the ground concerning stimulus grants,” he said.

Persons who failed VI fueling campaigns – Premier

According to the Premier, the campaign is being ignited by individuals who failed to diversify the economy and who never made an effort to revive the tourism industry and infrastructure after Irma, in addition to having failed to prudently manage the territory’s finances.

“They are all over the place, playing on the emotions of a wary and frustrated public with stimulus talk. At first, there were demanding the government pay the stimulus now as if the Virgin Islands Government prints money. Then when we successfully sourced the grant from the BVI Social Security Boards, their new problem what that the funds should not come from SSB.”

Premier Fahie said at every turn there is a new problem surrounding the Government's COVID-19  pandemic response. He said the utterances and pronouncements have been fueled by lies, half-truths, and innuendoes repeated to play on the financial vulnerability of the public.

$$ aimed at boosting food production

At today's Ninth Sitting of the Third Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola, Premier Fahie noted that the grants to fisherfolks and farmers were targeted towards boosting food production capabilities in the territory, to procure more industry equipment as well as expand agriculture initiatives and that some of those needs existing since the devastations of Hurricanes Irma and Maria of 2017.

In a short statement released yesterday, Wednesday, May 11, 2021, Hon Fahie said the matter of the list is currently under review by his Government to bring clarity to inaccurate information peddled to the public.

25 Responses to “Anti-Gov’t political campaign ignited over stimulus grants - Hon Fahie”

  • Heckler (13/05/2021, 14:16) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    bottomline just about everybody has already seen the bobol list
  • HMMM (13/05/2021, 14:17) Like (18) Dislike (22) Reply
    Them trying to downplay everything
  • Sky View (13/05/2021, 14:23) Like (37) Dislike (23) Reply
    Can the People of the Bvi that Elected you see the True List and the People Profession .Simple! Our is it Fake News?
  • Ok cool (13/05/2021, 14:33) Like (12) Dislike (17) Reply
    But can we go back to just 4 days of quarantine?

    Signed... A BVI Lander wanting to come home for summer.
    • @Ok cool (13/05/2021, 17:43) Like (5) Dislike (8) Reply
      If you get vaccinated & you only have to wait for the results of your arrival COVID test to be negative. Easy!
      It's just overnight, not four days quarantine.
    • @Ok cool (13/05/2021, 22:10) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      No
  • gfdfdggfdgfdgfdg (13/05/2021, 14:37) Like (23) Dislike (14) Reply
    OVER DEAD PEOPLE AND FAKE FARMERS & FISHERFOLKS. DONT TWIST IT
  • Eagle Eye (13/05/2021, 15:20) Like (34) Dislike (3) Reply
    Alot of us had to work during this whole lockdown and ain't see a red cent only police harassment. And people here collecting thousands for staying home.
    • @Eagle Eye (13/05/2021, 16:51) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      This is the comment right here ! Facts !
    • @ Eagle Eye, Most Civil servant. (14/05/2021, 05:51) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Good you were working during covid, you are one the lucky one,,,I forget they are people who are much luckier thsn you, the thousands of civil servant that got paid for been hone for no work, I could never understand why full pay for no work...This government is very reckless and irresponsible with the treasury money..this list is of shane and disgrace is more evidence..
  • 1st District (13/05/2021, 15:27) Like (18) Dislike (21) Reply
    Even for the productive farmers, 22k is too much money. They are making a profit on the produce. Is it that we buying and securing votes like with the amount of contracts on the wall. THE MINISTER OF MATH IS WRONG. SHOW US YOU MONEYRUBIC!!
  • time will tell (13/05/2021, 15:34) Like (48) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Premier explain to me why social security was refusing to give a few dollars to the unemployed hard working man during the stimulus process and others with high paying jobs were paid thousands in making false claims as farmers and fishermen. this call for an investigation
    • Deh Watcha (15/05/2021, 12:44) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Social Security's turn is coming. They have a lot of explaining to do in this whole stimulus fiasco.
  • voter (13/05/2021, 15:41) Like (17) Dislike (30) Reply
    Vip getting back take that to the bank
  • Questions?? (13/05/2021, 15:49) Like (41) Dislike (2) Reply
    Why is the house of assembly still being held at save the seed energy center? If their building is damaged, why is it not repaired as yet? And if you have to hold h.o.a elsewhere, where not I the government own multipurpose complex free of charge? Asking for a friend.
    • Covid...? (13/05/2021, 16:25) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
      They are meeting at Save the Seed so that they can maintain the 6ft distance due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm not sure why the Multi-Purpose Complex wasn't utilized.
  • Eminem (13/05/2021, 18:39) Like (12) Dislike (5) Reply
    So why only the people from BVI getting this check what happen to other people from other countries the do not work here hard as everyone this is just wrong to the outsiders
    • @Eminem (14/05/2021, 12:42) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
      Other countries give stimulus to those from their country. Go get yours from your country.
      Some seem to forget that they are from elsewhere. Are things home that bad?
  • Well Well (14/05/2021, 03:57) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    it is so funny when you help your own people every body vex whoever the white so called investor comes in they are given all manner of tax brakes; prime land at little or no cost and that is good
    • Looking (14/05/2021, 09:18) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I think u should stop there with that u own thing
    • @wellwell (14/05/2021, 12:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      And as a result they create jobs for thousands in the Caribbean Islands.BVI is unrecognizable due to the saturation of thousands as a result and they keep coming and don't want to leave even if they not working. Seems to me Caucasians saving the Caribbean and Black burying the Caribbean under crimes of every dimension and overwhelmingly against their own.. Murder is a general pastime.
  • Ask yourself (14/05/2021, 07:31) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
    What else can he say besides labeling them as troublemakers??? That’s all he can come up with. That says it all in my opinion.
  • Balls (14/05/2021, 09:54) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    Don’t mind the noise. Let’s hope the business and district list stay confidential.

    I’d rather money go to people in the community in stimulus than in big projects that waste many times more money than was used for Covid stimulus.
  • Youth (14/05/2021, 09:57) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
    I applaud the Government for all they have done to help the people of the Virgin Islands during Covid-19.
  • Disgusted (16/05/2021, 10:29) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    COI, get to work. I'll be needing my social security pension in a few years, it better be there. Social security, the government bank!!!!


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