“We have challenges coming, but I tell them that out of the challenges that going to come is greater opportunities and no one is going to force us out of being part of the economic infrastructure that is coming,” he said while speaking at an event on Tuesday February 11.

The Premier added, “No policy, no one is going to make us go into any agreements, or anything as long as I am the leader of this territory, that is going to reduce the prosperity of the people.”

While not stating specifically what he is referring to, listeners could infer the statements to be in response to the Governor’s recent comments about the slow pace at which the Territory’s recovery is moving.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Governor Gus Jaspert said that early opportunities may be lost since its over two years since the 2017 hurricanes devastated the Territory. He also said that the BVI government and the United Kingdom (UK) are still in discussions over the $300M loan guarantee that the UK has offered the Territory to help fast track its recovery.

“They not going to politically bully me, I don’t care how many battleships or planes that they have, I respect that but they have to understand that our ancestors bled and died for this place and it belongs to us,” Premier Fahie said.

He added, “whatever we have to do to make sure that they understand that in a peaceful, respectful, assertive and forthright manner, it will be done. Not rude but one in which they understand that we will be the authors, engineers of our fate in these Virgin Islands and we would welcome others to come along with us.”

Opposition Members have also raised concerns over the alleged lackluster approach to the recovery efforts.