PREMIER FAHIE CALLS FOR PATIENCE FROM THE PUBLIC IN THIS COVID-19 ERA
Written by Fuze Team on July 14, 2020
Premier and Minister of Finance Andrew Fahie has renewed appeals to the public to bear with the Government as they develop and implement the measures to further stabilise their social and economic situation and to put the foundation in place for their future.
While saying he would not dwell on what the previous administration did and did not do, Premier Fahie said the truth is, they inherited an economy that has a very narrow footprint that was highly vulnerable to catastrophic events such as the major hurricanes of 2017.
The Premier said that now the COVID-19 global pandemic which has crippled business around the world, especially those linked to travel and movement of people.
He said the fact is that their resources, while some argue to be robust, are in reality not limitless, and where nobody knows when this COVID-19 pandemic will end and its negative economic impacts will be rolled back, they have to be prudent, practical and sensible, in how they spend what little they have.
As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, the United Kingdom has indicated in writing that it has its own challenges to deal with and is cannot provide grants to the Virgin Islands for offsetting such things as loss of income for citizens.
Hon. Andrew A Fahie
The Premier said that every day, the Government is working round the clock to find ways to generate the income that is required to keep the Territory afloat and to ensure that Virgin Islanders can remain in control of their social, economic and political aspirations, rather than having this taken away from us by overseas administrators.
Premier Fahie said he is reminding Members that the requisite funding of $300,000 per Member is available for their use to help their constituents, and also reminded citizens that the funding is available to their Representatives. This is not the time for politics.
