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by pltm
(PLTM) - While not calling names, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie believes that an opportunty was missed when the largest drug bust in BVI history was announced earlier this week.
Using part of his budget presentation in the House of Assebly today, November 12, the Premier addressed the bust head on for the first time publicly.
"The latest bust does not show that our system is corrupt, but rather it shows that our systems and our officers stand up for what is right. I am calling those with hidden agenda who are in covert ways, trying different strategies and using vulnerable opportunities to prevent the Virgin islands from truly achieving the manadate given by the United Nations in Article 73 of the United Nations Charter for former colonies to become self governing to go and erase the irresponsibile lablling of the BVI system and our people as corrupt," the Premier stated.
Hon. Fahie added, "This irresnisbile statement must be retracted as it is a well calculated attempt to try to stain the good name of the many hard working law abiding citizens, the local law enforcement agencies and this BVI love economy. The irresosnible statement will not deter your Government from investing in the advanceof its people in all asects of local law enforvement."
On the heels of the largest cocaine bust in the history of the territory, Governor Augustus Jaspert and Commissioner of Police, Michael Matthews held a media briefing to discuss the case and also matters relating to anti-corrution has called on legislators to impose more anti-corruption measures such as an Unexplained Wealth Order.
"Given the latest announcement of the biggest drug bust in the BVI, the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom it is important to note that what was lost from the message is our local enforcement cabailties to handling crimes of these significant nature and size," the Premier stated.
The cocaine in question, which has an estimated $250 million street value, implicates a serving member of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), namely Darren Davis and his kin, Liston Davis. They were jointly charged this week with the drug and as well as firearm-related offences.
"Once again I am calling on all those who have called the Virgin Islands corrupt to take it out of the atmosphere and share the real truth with the local media, the international media, the United Kingdom media and even the twitter media. What is the real truth…the truth is our people working together has shown that they will leave no stone unturned and there are no sacred cows when it comes to deterring criminal activities," Hon. Fahie stated.
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