By now many of you have become aware of a video circulating on social media entitled, "Police in Paradise", produced by the United Kingdom media house ITV, profiling the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force tackling crime in the British Virgin Islands. This is a very unfortunate depiction of the BVI, highly damaging to our image as a tourist destination.

 

The video has unsettled many persons in our local and business community because of its highly distorted portrayal of the British Virgin Islands, which gives the impression that our islands are an unsafe tourist destination infested with drugs and crime. This is not true.

 

I have spoken with His Excellency the Governor, Mr. John J. Rankin, CMG with whom overall responsibility for the Royal Virgin Islands Police falls. He fully agreed that the video is inappropriate and stated he would address the matter with Police Commissioner Mark Collins. Mr. Collins has since issued a written apology to the British Virgin Islands public.

 

In my capacity as Tourism Minister, I want to assure all of our current guests who are right now enjoying the security of our Territory, as well as those persons planning to come to visit our shores to enjoy our white sand beaches, calm sailing waters and friendly people, that the British Virgin Islands is one of the most secure places in the Caribbean and world to vacation and spend your holiday.

 

We look forward to welcoming you here to our home that is one of the most beautiful and safest places on earth.

 

To everyone who calls the British Virgin Islands home, let us all continue to do our part to promote tourism, which is everybody's business.

 

Enjoy the rest of your evening.