Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Jul 25, 2025

Group Challenges Premier: Release Names Of The Hundreds Of Status Recipients

Group Challenges Premier: Release Names Of The Hundreds Of Status Recipients

Although a public ceremony was held, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie, is being pressured to release the names of the 1,500 recipients of Residency and Belong Status.
Virgin Islands Voice, a group which describes itself as a watch dog for issues affecting the Virgin Islands and Virgin islanders, issued the challenge to the Premier in a statement to the media.

"We, the people of the Virgin Islands, do hereby request a publishing of the names of persons that have received status. This publication should also include criterial of each. We further request a formal review of this list to ensure that all recipients met the necessary requirements and that the system remains transparent," Virgin Islands Voice stated.

Government on December 17, held a mass Belonger and Residency certificate ceremony at the Multipurpose Center. The more than three hours ceremony saw persons who participated in the Premier’s Fast Track programme that was launched in May and those whose applications for Belonger status that languished for years, all receive certificates of Residency and Belonger status.

Virgin Islands Voice indicated that they had met twice with the Premier on his Fast Track programme, but that a third meeting was scheduled. However, the group stated that the third meeting never occurred as the Premier could not recall booking such a meeting.

"It is clear to this group that concerned Virgin Islanders are not a priority to him," the group stated.

One of the two meetings was streamed live via Facebook and ignited emotions across the Territory, eventually leading to some members of the group who met with the Premier openly apologising for their views.

According to the Virgin Islands Voice instead of a third meeting, the Government embarked on the ceremony.

"Interestingly, to date, there has been no public notification, as is the norm, of how many were granted what status," the group stated.

The group called the ceremony outrageous and tantamount to a betrayal of trust and blatant disregard for the well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands and this Territory.

"We cannot continue this “Cart before the Horse” manner of governing. What is also of great concern is that there may have been persons who were granted status who did not meet the 20 years minimum requirement," Virgin Islands Voice indicated.

The Virgin Islands Voice called on the Premier to reflect on such actions and refrain from continuing to 'jeopardize our children’s future'.

"We are calling on each member of this House of Assembly particularly those that constitute the Government to stand up for the people that elected you and for the betterment of the Virgin Islands. Do not continue to be perceived as inactive participants as the very fiber of what we stand for as a people is being destroyed," the group stated.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
×