Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Former commissioner Matthews refutes claims made by HOA speaker alleging hiring of regional criminals after 2017 hurricanes

Former commissioner Matthews refutes claims made by HOA speaker alleging hiring of regional criminals after 2017 hurricanes

The recent statement made by Speaker of the House of Assembly Julian Willock which alleges that the former Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews hired criminals from across the region to assist the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force following the 2017 hurricanes, is being labelled as false and damaging.

Former Commissioner Matthews responded to the claims made in Willock’s Position Statement which was submitted to the Commission of Inquiry (COI).

Paragraph 20 of Willock’s statement read “immediately after hurricanes Irma and Maria the Commissioner of Police hired a number of foreign nationals as police officers without doing the appropriate background checks whatsoever, in fact it is extremely likely that he would have hired persons that were well known criminals elsewhere in the region.”

Inaccurate, false, fabricated


Matthews said the paragraph was brought to his attention and felt it was best to pen a letter to the Commissioner of Inquiry Sir Gary Hickinbottom to present an accurate understanding to the COI of what exactly occurred.

He said, “This statement is false, inaccurate and in my view defamatory towards myself as the Commissioner of Police at the relevant time highlighted. To my knowledge the Hon. Speaker was not part of the Government of the BVI at that time, nor present in any meetings where security decisions were agreed, including the decision to seek assistance from external police forces.”

“The statement made by the Hon. Speaker is pure fabrication, and certainly is clearly not based upon any knowledge of the subject that he seeks to use as an example. His baseless allegations are an affront to all of the hard-working officers that supported the BVl at a time of exceptional need,” he further said.

All the appropriate channels utilized for unarmed officers


Matthews assured Sir Hickinbottom that all the appropriate measures were taken following the devastation that was caused to the territory by the hurricanes, which resulted in only 40 percent of his force being active.

He said, “With operational responsibility for security at the time, I immediately recommended to the Governor, Mr. Gus Jaspert that we invoke ‘mutual aide’ procedures from the United Kingdom to urgently increase policing resources within the territory. This was discussed and agreed with the then Premier, Dr Orlando Smith and those BVI Government Ministers available at the time.”

“An approach was made to the UK Home Office via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and agreement reached with National Police Chiefs Council to provide unarmed uniformed officers to the territory, to supplement the RVIPF. All UK officers are vetted on appointment to their relevant UK force, and every officer deployed was selected by the Chief Constable in charge of the force that they were seconded from,” Matthews further explained.

Protocols also followed to acquire armed officers


The former top cop also said that similar measures were taken to acquire armed police officers, who had to be obtained from other UK Overseas Territories.

“Using the existing mutual aid Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed with the other UK Overseas Territories Police Commissioners, I was able to source highly trained firearms response officers from the Bermuda Police Service and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service,” Matthews stated.

He added, “I am aware that both Bermuda and Cayman forces have vetting procedures in place as part of their normal recruitment policies as well as additional vetting requirements for firearms officers.”

Matthews said that it would have been reckless and irresponsible if he would have attempted to supplement policing and security in the BVI with anyone else other than existing experienced officers from other affiliated jurisdictions.

He said all due diligence was undertaken to ensure the safety and security of the residents of the British Virgin Islands.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×