Describing it as an unfair burden, Premier Andrew Fahie said management of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) made the proposal recently.

“The BVIAA board has looked at the $5 Inter-Island Airport Development Fee that is charged to persons travelling from Anegada and Virgin Gorda to Tortola. It is the view of the Board that this fee places an unfair and unnecessary burden on our sister-islanders who have no choice but to travel to Tortola in order to conduct business, shopping, and so forth,” Premier Fahie said.

Fahie, who was delivering remarks at Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Assembly, added: “The Board proposes to disband this fee to Anegadians and Virgin Gordians.”

“[While the fee] may not be much, it is our way of saying to our sister-islanders that we recognise the challenges they face, and we appreciate them,” the Premier further said.

In a follow-up statement to BVI News on Tuesday, Fahie said the fee is currently under review “with the intent to have it disbanded”.

This effectively means that it is not yet in effect and travellers from these two islands are still required to pay.