BVI Governor John Rankin confirmed in a statement that Andrew Fahie was arrested on Thursday morning, saying: “I realize this is shocking news for the people in the territory. “And I would call for calm at this time.” Oleanvine Maynard, managing director of the Caribbean Port Authority, was also arrested in the operation in which DEA agents posed as cocaine traffickers from the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, the Miami Herald reported. Liz Truss, the British Foreign Secretary, said she was “frightened” by the arrest. True said: “This afternoon, the Prime Minister of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahy, was arrested in the United States on charges related to drug trafficking and money laundering. “I am terrified of these serious allegations.” He said he had talks with Rankin and stressed the importance of the recent investigation into corruption in the Caribbean archipelago. Last year, the United Kingdom set up a commission of inquiry into mismanagement in the British Overseas Territory, which heard allegations of systemic corruption, friendliness, bullying and misuse of public funds. In a statement, Rankin said Fahier’s arrest was the result of a US-led operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and was not linked to the CoI report. “The Commission of Inquiry focused on governance and corruption and was not a criminal investigation into drug trafficking. “In order to avoid unnecessary speculation, I intend to proceed urgently with the publication of the investigation report, so that the people of BVI can see its content and its recommendations in the areas it has dealt with,” he said. Addressing the committee of inquiry last year, Fahie denied that there was any corruption in the BVI. He said: “The key to any country is its reputation, but so far, and thank God for that, there is no evidence provided to the CoI that BVI is corrupt.”
