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'More poverty in VI now than ever' - Hon Fraser

- says territory not benefiting enough from offshore business services
Third District Representative and Opposition Member, Hon Julian Fraser RA says he sees more poverty in the Virgin Islands now than he has ever seen before and yet there are people who believe that ‘things are good’. Photo: Team of Reporters
According to Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA, legislators cannot continue to see money pass through the country and not 'even the green' off the dollar stays. Photo: Internet Source
According to Third District Representative Hon Julian Fraser RA, legislators cannot continue to see money pass through the country and not 'even the green' off the dollar stays. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Hon Julian Fraser RA, the Third District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly, says the territory continues to settle for ‘second-best’ as a people with regards to local industries, and as such, getting short-changed in the offshore business sector.

400K plus companies registered – Hon Fraser

“You got over 400,000 companies registered in the Virgin Islands… of those 400,000+ companies that are registered in the Virgin Islands, 11,700 of them owns 23,000 properties in the United Kingdom, that is valued 63Billion dollars,” Hon Fraser told the house at a recent sitting.

He said even as the companies are worth billions, the territory only gets a meagre amount when offshore companies register, “and we are happy, everybody in the BVI is happy especially the government, because the government is skimming $173M off the top,” he said at the August 1, 2019, sitting of the House.

According to Hon Fraser, legislators cannot continue to see money pass through the country and not “even the green" off the dollar stays.

“But what about the people?” he questioned.

The Third District Representative pointed out that social services like the senior citizens' programme is now discontinued since the territory is not benefiting enough.

“I don’t see that level of frustration over this that we need to have,” he further lashed out.

More Poverty

According to Hon Fraser, “I’m seeing more poverty in this territory now than I’ve ever seen before and yet there are people who believe that things are good.”

“Those same people who run around saying that things are good, go check their bank account," he remarked while lashing out at the House that only drug dealers are doing well.

Hon Fraser in imploring the members to take action said, “the time is now that we must start making sure that this country benefits from the activities that are taking place here and whoever benefits from us, we have to benefit from them.”

5 Responses to “'More poverty in VI now than ever' - Hon Fraser ”

  • 1 (14/08/2019, 21:48) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Fraser speaking good
  • Charley Rose (15/08/2019, 07:58) Like (23) Dislike (2) Reply
    When I was attending school many years ago, there was a school prayer that goes like this and I quote "now I wake and see the light God has kept me through the night, make me good oh Lord I pray". I often wonder how some people would be speaking without thinking of the substance of their remarks.

    First if all the Hon. Julian Fraser is one of the longest serving members in the House of Assembly and he should have been contributing towards the improvement of the standard of living of the citizens. He has awoken from his sleep and see the light after sleeping through the many years. Furthermore those companies that are registered here are foreign companies and they do have other choices of jurisdictions to register their business. I do agree that we can ask the companies to assist with the building the social infrastructure of the territory, however, the manner of speech of the Hon. Member Fraser leaves much to be desired.
  • Ruff (15/08/2019, 09:10) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    man it ruff, but you have more power than us walking the streets to make a change. All the companies who advertising that they their to help people rebuild and they care, only really care about the almighty dollar and milking people. There was a waiver on customs duty for materials, furniture etc, and not one of those bastards passed the savings on to the consumer. What happened? All ah dem increased their prices on people who did not even have a roof over our toilets and our beds were getting wet. No mercy. Yet not one of those in the then government stood up for the people. None of them. Actually the D4 relief center was the rep supermarket. The BVI relief was poor and disgraceful.

    Now that we tried to pull ourselves up. The insurance companies are pulling the financial marrow out of our bones and raised our premiums to figures beyond our reach. The result, persons renting have to pass some of the buck to their tenant. Some people actually only making money to pay their insurance and not an investment as intended. But then again, their are those who don't have insurance, haven't changed a window or any upgrades and they raised their rent to whatever figure comes up in the raffle. A one bedroom that was $400.00 or $500.00 before is not $1,000.00. while there are people working for $6.00 an hour

    Who from here and who not from here all have to pay the same price. It is just sad
  • hog city (15/08/2019, 10:44) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Setting for 12 years on the opposition will not contribute nothing to poverty reduction mr frazer so hush !
  • I feel your pains (17/08/2019, 09:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ RUff you are so right this is what this country has become ,the tree of greed I was living in an apartment I caught a generator during the hurricane and I made sure the land lady and tenants had food and water then the generator burnt out I went and got a 5kw generator it was costing me $64 every 2days the land lady said she was not getting involved in buying gas but she had two extension cords plugged in any how we didn’t have electricity for months once the electricity came back on she told me that I had to leave the apartment she wanted to do work on it my apartment was the only one that had no damages done to it while I was moveing our new tenants were moving in but god is so good we will get through what we are going through in this country just keep your head up nothing lasts forever .


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