Premier Andrew Fahie has stated that his government is under no obligation to disclose to the wider public information about meetings that it has with commercial businesses.

The Premier’s statement comes in the wake of repeated criticisms that he has been avoiding meetings with the BVI Chamber of Commerce and the Hotel Association (BVICCHA) for nearly two years, despite those Associations' repeated requests.

“When the time is right, we’re gonna meet with them (the BVICCHA). We meet with many businesses,” Premier Fahie said at a press briefing late last week.

Premier Fahie had previously noted that he continues to hold talks on an ongoing basis with various businesses that may be experiencing challenges in the territory.

“The truth doesn’t need anyone’s belief. The truth will always be the truth. As Premier of this country, I don’t see that I have to be detailing to anyone what all businesses that I met with and I don’t see that I have to ask the Chamber of Commerce to tell me who all they have met with,” he expressed.

Premier Fahie further stated that at the time the BVICCHA wanted to meet with him initially, it was during the “heart of COVID“ and there was a lot happening.

“To be truthful, some of the members did not agree with anything that we were doing to try to safeguard the people because it seemed like we were trying to destroy businesses and that was not the intention,“ the Premier said.

The Premier also argued that he has since met with businesses of all sizes, both big and small, in the interim.

“That is not to say that we’re not going to meet with the Chamber of Commerce, but that’s not for us to say who is meeting with us. People meet with their government in confidence that it stays there, if they want to come when we meet with the Chamber of Commerce, then fine,“ the Premier added.

Prime Minister Andrew Fahie was not elected to use the public's name, money and authority to make or do anything that the public is not allowed to know.

If Andrew Fahie does not understand this basic democratic tenet, then instead of acting as an official elected by the public he is acting as if he were the "owner" of the public. If so, he completely misunderstands his position, and is violating the trust that the public has placed in his hands.

If that's the case, the public should gently grab The Right Honourable Andrew Fahie, virtually, and throw him in the nearest bin in the next elections. Without physically harming him of course, but ensuring that he never sets foot in the prime minister's office again, until he has got down on his knees and apologised to the public for his hubris.

The Premier does not have to meet immediately with anyone who asks to meet him of course, but his statement that "As Premier of this country, I don’t see that I have to be detailing to anyone what all businesses that I met with " and "that’s not for us to say who is meeting with us" is wrong, and he must apologize and withdraw from it immediately, or resign. He is not the boss of the island, only the administrator, the employee of every tax payer.

Because in a democracy the public is the owner, and the Premier is merely the servant.