British Overseas Territories Minister Amanda Milling said British Virgin Islands (BVI) elected Prime Minister Andrew Fahee appeared in a U.S. court on Friday on charges of drug trafficking. Visit the Virgin Islands (BVI).
Fahie, 51, was arrested Thursday at Miami Airport for an operation led by the US Drug Enforcement Agency for attempting money laundering and importing cocaine. Oleanvine Maynard, Managing Director of the BVI Port Authority, was also arrested.
Both Fahie and Maynard remain in custody and a bond hearing is set up on Wednesday.
Britain’s Foreign Minister Liz Truss said Friday that Fahier’s arrest was “extremely concerned and emphasized the need for urgent action.”
The case is Inquiry report The British Overseas Territories, announced on Friday, said they have been “terrible … very badly” governed in recent years.
A series of islands east of Puerto Rico, inhabited by 35,000 people, is now under the 2007 Constitution and has limited autonomy under the Governor, the ultimate executive branch on behalf of the Queen.
In a study of corruption in the region commissioned by former Governor Augustos Jaspert in January 2021 and led by former British judge Sir Gary Hickinbotte, Governor John James Rankin was with the elected parliament in the region. He recommended that the government be dissolved and that it take over for two years. ..
Truss instructed the Minister of the Overseas Territories to travel to the BVI immediately to talk to Rankin and key stakeholders, saying “we will announce the way next week.”
“In January 2021, the Foreign Minister expressed serious concern about the deteriorating state of governance of the British Virgin Islands and the potential vulnerability of the island to serious organized crime,” the Foreign Minister said in a statement. “The British government upheld the governor’s decision to initiate an independent investigation. [the] Territorial rule. “
The report clearly states that “substantial legislative and constitutional changes are needed to restore the standards of governance that the people of the British Virgin Islands are entitled to. “.
Mr. Truss called the British Overseas Territories “the core of the British family” and said the British government “is committed to the safety and welfare of the people of the British Virgin Islands.”
According to a Hickinbottom study, “almost everywhere, good governance principles such as openness, transparency, and even the rule of law are ignored.”
Elected civil servants, without applying objective criteria, without giving reasons, without fear, “spend huge amounts of public money and make decisions that affect the lives of all who live in BVI. You can make a comeback. “
According to the report, these decisions include matters such as procuring contracts, selling royal territories, and granting right to housing.
“The relevant elected officials are well aware of this chronic lack of governance,” he says.
Hickinbottom writes about what to do with the current state of the territory: The first two years.
“During that period, I recommend the support that the Governor deems appropriate, for example, direct governance by an advisory board that advises him on policymaking and the performance of his duties.”
Hickinbottom recommended “returning to the ministerial government and the elected parliament as soon as possible,” and the government advised at least once every six months on “the earliest feasible date such a government could resume.” Recommended that a report should be made. ..
PA Media and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Lily Zhou is a freelance writer who mainly covers the British news of The Epoch Times.