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by pltm
(PLTM) - The United Kingdom has responded to the concerns that Premier Hon. Andrew Fahie raised about the possibility of the Territory breaching the Protocols for Effective Financial Management if it takes a loan that is being facilitated by the UK's guarantee.
The concern about the breach was announced by the Premier in a statement on August 16, and canvassed publicly in a meeting that was held on Tortola on August 20 and on Virgin Gorda on August 21.
It was at the Virgin Gorda meeting that the Premier disclosed that he has received word from the UK on the matter.
In making this known, the Premier said, "Today is the first day that I get something from the UK saying that we're willing to extend time for you to get back inside the ratio, if you end up outside."
However, Hon. Fahie said that the UK's correspondence did not present a definitive position on the matter of the ratio.
"They didn’t say they are willing, they said they are willing to talk about it," the Premier explained.
"I received that today (Wednesday) after the meetings they saw last night. Everybody is listening along those lines, which they should be. I am not going to let anybody make me afraid to speak on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, but I am going to do so respectfully," Hon. Fahie added.
Nonetheless, the Premier said that he is still asking the UK to renegotiate some of the areas of the agreement, and he noted that his government is trying to meet their end of the arrangement as well.
"Most of what they are concerned about, we are going to work on," Hon. Fahie said.
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