It Pains My Heart! Premier On Non-Payment Of Allowance To Joint Agency Task Force
Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie said it is disappointing and concerning at the same time that although the funds have been approved and allocated months ago, the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF) has not yet been paid their stipends.
During a press conference yesterday, May 20, the Territory’s leader said in response to BVI Platinum’s query on the matter, “That goes back to another area that I am concerned about and I am hoping that they can work on it now, in terms of all the entities at work without throwing anybody under the bus in the public service.”
The Premier added, “As Minister of Finance, all I can do is allocate, I cannot pay, all I can do is you tell me the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF) needs this amount of money, and that amount of money is given by the Ministry of Finance. The JATF money has already been allocated for a while now; it has been approved by Cabinet, I have been checking up on it, and the entity in Government that has to do it. That’s the only way I can put it, and I don’t like to put people under the bus, but it seems to me that if you go to the restroom right now in the hospital and it doesn’t have toilet paper, is Andrew Fahie fault.
Premier Fahie then praised the JATF that comprise of officers from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, HM Customs and the Immigration Department.
“I want to say here that I really thank the members of the JATF, they have served us tremendously well, especially during the lockdown, they have ride those rough seas for 24 hours and more, and it pains my heart that they have not been paid as yet. And I will continue to apply pressure where pressure needs to be to make sure that they are paid, “he said.
He said he was unaware that the officers had not received their additional $400 that will be paid to them for the duration of the JATF.
“I know it came up about a month and a half ago, and I made a push on it, and I was told that it would be paid, so it is disappointing to hear that they are not paid, but I will look into it to make sure that they are because the funds have already been allocated. This is a little long, there is no excuses to give, but it is not something under the elected officials portfolio, but when you running the country, you have to take everything, so I will take it,” he noted.
The decision to offer a stipend to the officers was made on March 3, 2021, and Premier Fahie made the announcement on March 15 in the House of Assembly.
At the time, he said the JATF has been crucial in keeping the Territory safe from illegal entry, drug and human trafficking, among others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Premier added, “As Minister of Finance, all I can do is allocate, I cannot pay, all I can do is you tell me the Joint Agency Task Force (JATF) needs this amount of money, and that amount of money is given by the Ministry of Finance. The JATF money has already been allocated for a while now; it has been approved by Cabinet, I have been checking up on it, and the entity in Government that has to do it. That’s the only way I can put it, and I don’t like to put people under the bus, but it seems to me that if you go to the restroom right now in the hospital and it doesn’t have toilet paper, is Andrew Fahie fault.
Premier Fahie then praised the JATF that comprise of officers from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, HM Customs and the Immigration Department.
“I want to say here that I really thank the members of the JATF, they have served us tremendously well, especially during the lockdown, they have ride those rough seas for 24 hours and more, and it pains my heart that they have not been paid as yet. And I will continue to apply pressure where pressure needs to be to make sure that they are paid, “he said.
He said he was unaware that the officers had not received their additional $400 that will be paid to them for the duration of the JATF.
“I know it came up about a month and a half ago, and I made a push on it, and I was told that it would be paid, so it is disappointing to hear that they are not paid, but I will look into it to make sure that they are because the funds have already been allocated. This is a little long, there is no excuses to give, but it is not something under the elected officials portfolio, but when you running the country, you have to take everything, so I will take it,” he noted.
The decision to offer a stipend to the officers was made on March 3, 2021, and Premier Fahie made the announcement on March 15 in the House of Assembly.
At the time, he said the JATF has been crucial in keeping the Territory safe from illegal entry, drug and human trafficking, among others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
