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by pltm
(PLTM) - Over the past two months, there have been much criticisms about the United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to attach rigid rules over the $400M loan guarantee offered to the BVI for recovery efforts.
Some persons have criticized the move, while other political commentators have blamed the National Democratic Party (NDP) administration for placing the Territory in such a position.
However, Governor Gus Jaspert believes that it is all in line with international best practices.
In response to questions about the criticisms and whether he believes that the measures by the UK are stringent, he said that the UK support has, from the start, been one of partnership with the BVI.
“The military personnel, Department for International Aid colleagues, and police and prison officers from the UK and the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, worked side by side with BVI counterparts on aid distribution, security matters and support more general,” the Governor told BVI Platinum News.
He said that this collaboration continues as they move from the immediate response into long term recovery.
“At the Joint Ministerial Council meeting in October, the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, confirmed a package of £300 million of UK loan guarantees, along with a £10 million grant for the BVI on top of the substantial support that the UK has already provided in the aftermath of the storms.”
Governor Jaspert added, “The UK and BVI are working together to ensure that these are taken forward in line with international best practices.”
Recently, Opposition Leader, Hon. Andrew Fahie said that the NDP walked the BVI into the UK’s sanctions.
"The UK is not imposing this on us. This government has walked us right into the hands of the UK…So the sanctions brought down on the Virgin Islands for loan money and any aid (which will be) mostly controlled by the UK, it is nothing that the UK gave us; it is something that we allowed ourselves in terms of this government,” Hon. Fahie lamented.
The First District Representative said the UK decision was mainly due to the poor financial management of the NDP in the past five years.
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