Arrest of premier leads to protests
THE acting premier of the British Virgin Islands has said that he opposes a recommendation that the UK take direct control of the territory, after his predecessor appeared in a United States court on charges linked to drugs trafficking.
Andrew Fahie, 51, was detained in Miami last Thursday over an alleged conspiracy to import a controlled substance and money laundering in an operation led by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The territory’s director of ports, Oleanvine Maynard, was also arrested. The string of islands inhabited by 35,000 people east of Puerto Rico is currently under a 2007 constitution giving it limited self-governance under a Governor who is the ultimate executive authority as the representative of the Queen.
An inquiry into corruption in the territory, led by retired judge Sir Gary Hickinbottom, found that the people of the British Virgin Islands have been “badly served” by its government. In the report, published last month, Sir Gary recommended the Governor take direct rule of the territory for two years, stating: “Almost everywhere, the principles of good governance, such as openness, transparency and even the rule of law, are ignored.”
In response, acting premier Natalio Wheatley said he was “very concerned” about the recommendation. Mr Wheatley said: “What this would mean is that there would be no more elected representatives who represent the people of the districts and the territory in the House of Assembly where laws are made for our society. There also would be no government ministers to advance the public’s priorities or a cabinet to approve policy. All of this authority would be vested in the Governor.”
Following Mr Fahie’s arrest, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the minister for overseas territories, Amanda Milling, will travel to the territory to speak to Governor James Rankin and key stakeholders.
She said: “The arrest of the premier of the British Virgin Islands on charges related to drugs trafficking and money laundering is extremely concerning and underlines the need for urgent action.”
Sir Geoffrey Cox, the Tory MP for Torridge and West Devon and former Attorney General, was engaged last year to defend Mr Fahie’s administration at the inquiry.
Sir Geoffrey said in a statement that he had represented the British Virgin Islands government and not Mr Fahie as an individual.
“The role of a barrister is to give objective and independent legal advice and representation to his client regardless of who or what he is,” he said. “It implies neither approval nor disapproval of his clients’ conduct”.
Sir Geoffrey also said that no information about official complicity in drug trafficking was heard in the inquiry last year.