Six UK marine police officers will be seconded to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force to assist in marine policing and training. Photo: Facebook/Office of the Governor

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has welcomed the gesture by the United Kingdom (UK) Government to offer support to the marine policing of the Territory, including offering six offers to provide training to local officers. Photo: VINO/File

The United Kingdom will also be providing financing for the repair of the marine base. Photo: VINO/File

The officers are likely to be in the territory in early 2021 as part of a packaged effort of the government of the Virgin Islands and the Office of the Governor to improve the security of the territory’s waters against illegal and criminal activities of money laundering, guns, and ammunition shipping, drug trafficking, and illegal entry, among other nefarious activities.

The announcement of the UK officers was made by Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert at the launch of a new police boat at the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) Marine Shore Base at Road Reef, Tortola, on December 2, 2020.

‘Stickler’ for capacity building

Governor Jaspert also said the United Kingdom will be providing financing for the repair of the marine base “and for providing six marine officers who will be coming out shortly to help boost our capability, through training, through mentoring support to our joint task force as well.”

While expressing appreciation to the UK for their support, Premier Fahie said he hopes the expertise of the UK officers will be used to train some of the “trainers” in marine policing as the Virgin Islands continues to build capacity.

“And there is no secret that, as the leader of the territory, one of the things I stress is capacity building. We welcome the six UK Officers with the marine training and they know that I have been a stickler to making sure that when they do come that we set up training at the HLSCC [H. Lavity Stoutt Community College] and at other areas so that we can have training the trainers.

“Because I believe that as we grow our territory, we have to develop our people and we have to show that we can police ourselves. So we thank the UK for sponsoring those six UK officers and the BVI Government for financing for the boat and all the other financing we continue to put in for law enforcement.” Premier Fahie stated.

The new police boat, named ‘Midnight Justice’, was funded by the Government of the Virgin Islands.

Premier Fahie said his government is very serious about law enforcement and continues to demonstrate that with its investment in law enforcement ‘whether it be into the police, whether it be into customs, whether it be into immigration because we know that security is very important,” Premier Fahie said.