Hiring of bodyguards has nothing to do with ‘kickbacks’- Premier Fahie
Premier Fahie was at the time responding to questions from Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) during the Friday, May 17, 2019, Third Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands (VI)
Hon Penn had wanted the Premier to disclose to the House, “the name of the company providing private security to him, the beneficial owner of company, when the services commenced and details of the cost of the services.”
Premier Fahie had previously said he was advised by the National Security Council to get personal security detail following at least three threats of assassination since he became Premier.
“There is no kick back!”
On Friday, Premier Fahie said he didn’t want his answer to be taken out of stride but because of the nature and sensitivity of the matter and in the name of national security, he wanted to crave the indulgence of the Honourable Leader of the Opposition to have the matter properly ventilated at a different forum amongst all of his colleagues.
“Because this is not a matter in terms of where tax payers money is not hitting the target.”
Premier Fahie also tried to dispel some of the rumours that have been circulating since he has had personal bodyguards.
“I am on the streets too and I hear things. It’s above board, it’s transparent. Every time you hear, they try to put that security is done because the Premier knows this person and this kick back and that kick back, I must be a mule. There is no kick back, there is nothing here, this is a transparent process and my life at stake and I aint playing around with it.”
Security will be there until I feel safe- Hon Fahie
Hon Fahie thanked the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and the private security offering protection to him, noting that he wouldn’t apologise for hiring them because they are both doing well.
“And it’s my life stake at stake and I know some people in this country, sad to say, don’t care if I go but I will put out a watcher to watch the watcher until I feel safe.”
Hon Penn said while he agreed that some information could not be disclosed he was still interested in knowing the costs for the security being provided to the Premier.
Members all have some form of “security”
Premier Fahie told the Opposition Leader he would meet him in private to discuss the matter, ”because all of us have different security in here, just about. You have your security cameras by your house, different members have security here, and it was never an issue until I get security.
“There have different Members here sitting down with security all the time. So if we going to bring mine we going to bring all, but I want to sit down with the 12 members, let us discuss this formally, afterward we can come back and state certain things about it. But then when we have that process of retribution we all must come, because I don’t think the people of this Territory realise that other members have security too. Mine walking but others there.”
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