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Gov’t partnering with USVI to lower food cost – Premier Fahie

- Looking to renegotiate shipping costs for food transport from USVI
Coming out from the recently concluded 8th Inter-Virgin Islands Council meeting held on February 4, 2020, it was revealed by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), that government plans to partner with the USVI to lower the cost of transporting goods to the territory. Photo: Facebook/File
USVI Governor, Albert Bryan Jr, left, said an overall trade agreement will be looked into that would be beneficial to the people of the Virgin Islands. Photo: Team of Reporters
USVI Governor, Albert Bryan Jr, left, said an overall trade agreement will be looked into that would be beneficial to the people of the Virgin Islands. Photo: Team of Reporters
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie said the cost to ship goods to the USVI remains low, however, to transport those same goods to the USVI attracts high additional shipping costs. Photo: Internet Source
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie said the cost to ship goods to the USVI remains low, however, to transport those same goods to the USVI attracts high additional shipping costs. Photo: Internet Source
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – The high cost of food in the Virgin Islands (VI), has long been a contentious issuing plaguing locals and authorities; however, a solution may be on the way.

Coming out from the recently concluded 8th Inter-Virgin Islands Council meeting held on February 4, 2020, it was revealed by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), that government plans to partner with the US Virgin Islands (USVI) to lower the cost of transporting goods to the Territory.   

The Premier on the Tuesday, February 4, 2020, edition of the ‘Honestly Speaking’ radio show noted that as part of a number of upcoming collaborations with the USVI, his government will be working to negotiate cheaper shipping rates.

He said to get food into the USVI, it is cheap; however, “when it comes to just sail it right across the waters to the BVI you’re paying couple thousands well, which has to be passed on to the consumer,” the Premier said.

Lowering the cost of food 

USVI Governor, Albert Bryan Jr said an overall trade agreement will be looked into that would be beneficial to the people of the Virgin Islands.

“As we move on, we want to figure out how to make trade easier between our sisters, our brothers, and making sure that we get that done,” he said.

Premier Fahie, in highlighting one of the wins for the Territory that came out of the meetings, said the goal now is to work assiduously to bring food prices down.

“One of the discussions we had… is also to start to work tirelessly to see how we can renegotiate with the shipping companies to get better shipping rates and bring down food prices in the BVI.”

24 Responses to “Gov’t partnering with USVI to lower food cost – Premier Fahie”

  • pat (07/02/2020, 15:12) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good move as these food store up here going drop we down!
  • Honestly (07/02/2020, 15:31) Like (22) Dislike (3) Reply
    I like this and it can work. The Premier and Governour of the USVI seems to have a good relationship. I’m looking forward this and hope it happens.
  • YAWN (07/02/2020, 15:34) Like (4) Dislike (8) Reply
    Yeah ok.
  • please (07/02/2020, 16:50) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    I say DONT HOLD YU BREATH
    • @ please (08/02/2020, 06:46) Like (11) Dislike (2) Reply
      It will happen after 10 months we got action and so many things accomplished, unlike 8 years of talk and corruption
  • What. (07/02/2020, 17:05) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    I'm in support of measures taken to reduce the cost of food, however this doesn't make much sense to me so ...Please inform, are there farms, production companies, wholesalers in the USVI. Who supply the USVI with their goods.
    • right stuff (12/02/2020, 20:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Who supplies USVI is a good question, and even more important is What are they supplying? US (mainland) mass-produced, lowest quality GMO based, antibiotic fed, hormone injected, artificially colored, with veeeeery long expiration dates, and you know why? right, because it is soaked in preservatives "for your safety" Ha, Ha.! Just look what happened to Americans, black and white and any color, people are in the US most are ALREADY GENETICALLY MODIFIED. look at the pictures in old albums, old newspapers from 50ties, 60ties and look around every US city, town, they are mega mass on steroids. It's unnatural, it's unhealthy, it's unattractive, it's a BIG BUSINESS My Folks!
      Question for V Islanders and any people that made VI their home is - Do you want to be MODIFIED and pay for it too !?
  • CLAP CLAP CLAP (07/02/2020, 18:23) Like (12) Dislike (5) Reply
    Thanks premier you all really working for the people do not mind funny man and his blogs on every site
  • GMO (07/02/2020, 18:41) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    GMO foods ?
  • Eagle Eye (07/02/2020, 18:47) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    All who have dirt space in their yards better start planting food and your food cost will drop speeding like does scooters on the road, simple.
  • Capitalist (07/02/2020, 19:36) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    The stores wont drop the prices just gonna count the money saved
  • Garbage (07/02/2020, 20:25) Like (7) Dislike (20) Reply
    Even if this happens, the markets still gonna leave their prices high and pocket what is saved instead of passing it on to us...WE ALL KNO THAT so stop trying to hype us plz....Next topic
  • Ghost (07/02/2020, 20:30) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good move Hon. Premier.. however you need to look closer to controlling the cost of food prices at home.. food expense is just too high..this is why monies are leaving here and is being funneled into the US economy..shopping for food in st Thomas eg by pricemart tho I have to take the boat I still save more than shopping here..not enough competition to drive down cost.. cost of living on the whole here is way too high and some people are living on minimum wage..people are suffering because of these high prices for everything - I don’t see anything being done at the local level to help us..
  • See (07/02/2020, 22:00) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Reduse or eliminate duty on food items
  • Stoppit (07/02/2020, 22:04) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Is there no end tothenonsense this man is saying? Soon he will be blaming the shipping com roku.pany for his inevitable failures. Transpoirtation companies lieer their feed??? Seriously? Why? Will the Gov be subsidizi g their loss? Seriously? TaLk local farming snd agriculture. Supply water enough to water home gardens How about no housing stipends for slectrd officials
  • Don't think of it (07/02/2020, 22:54) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    The previous government gave the merchants a reprieve in tax to try and lower cost. Not one cent was passed on to the consumers. All they did was fat-up their Bank accounts with the savings. Just compare prices at Riteway since Cost U Less took over. Do we see any price reduction?
  • Diaspora (08/02/2020, 00:28) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Everyone will be jumping for joy if a serious dent was put in the cost of food. The cost of living, including food, is sky high. Greedy merchants say that the main reason for the sky high prices is transport cost. How does Premier Fahie and Governor Bryan intend to lower cost transportation cost? The USVI and like the VI import everything. Are the ships going to offload goods in St. Thomas and then it is reshipped to Tortola? Will St. Thomas serve as a transshipment point? Will this process in effect lower the cost? If shipment cost were indeed lowered, how Premier Fahie going to get businesses to pass on savings to consumers? Did the NDP not lower duties on goods but merchants prices remain sky high and the duty was reinstated? Is the VIP government intending to subsidized transport cost? Is not greed a factor in the sky high prices? Is government going to lower duty on goods coming out of St.Thomas? Is government going to subsidized ferry cost? Ok some of this will impact local business operations. But consumers are not going to shed a single tear for them.
    • Kingfish (08/02/2020, 15:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Another pie in the sky dream similar to the medical marijuana scheme. Government cannot control the cost of shipping from the US to the greater Virgin Island, it cannot be done, the mighty US Government cannot much less the governments of these two territories. My suggestion, have the BVI create and own a shipping company to transport the containers from USVI to the BVI, take the profit motive out for the benefit of the people of the BVI.
      The shipping line can be operated as a non profit entity, thus saving millions a year and reducing the cost of goods which is vital for the survival of these islands.
  • real talk (09/02/2020, 12:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Premier I do not understand what the USVI government has to do with the cost of shipping to the BVI. To begin you purchase your goods take them to the boat and the boat company charge you to bring your cargo to the BVI what that has to do with the USVI government. That cost is more between our customs and the shipping company.
  • ReX FeRal (09/02/2020, 15:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cost U Less is Cost U much more in Tortola.
  • Concerned (09/02/2020, 20:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where is the consumer protection agency? Why are supermarkets overpricing on goods that are duty free? Is it that a container comes in with just one box therefore the high cost? Does supermarkets get discounts when bulk buying?
  • rip off (10/02/2020, 06:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do whatever is needed to lower the cost of importing food. That's a good thing BUT it's wasted time because vendors will not lower their prices. They should but they won't. It's been tried before. Waste of time to pass any sort of legislation limiting mark up on essential food items due to the zero enforcement policy in these parts.


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