British Virgin Islands (BVI News) – Premier Andrew Fahie has taken to his Facebook page in efforts to debunk two leaked lists of names allegedly said to contain local agriculture workers who received COVID-19 stimulus packages in excess of $3 million.
The lists, which reportedly began circulating days ago on social media, allegedly show the names of beneficiaries and amounts they received from government’s COVID-19 Fishing and Farming initiative doled out last year.
However, in a message posted to his Facebook page Wednesday evening, Premier Fahie questioned the authenticity of the documents and suggested names on the lists were “inaccurate and incomplete”.
He did not, however, choose to categorise the lists as “fake news” as he often does in seeking to dismiss unsavoury information about his government.
The two documents show persons receiving amounts ranging from $4,500 to as high as $22,500. It further details fisherfolk getting amounts largely in the sum of $9,000, $15,000 and $20,000 while farmers allegedly received amounts largely totalling $13,500 or $22,500.
When combined, the total amount allegedly paid out between the two lists comes in at over $3.2 million.
Meanwhile, many members of the community have responded with outrage on social media at the contents of the lists, suggesting that many of the persons listed are not actually farmers or fishermen.
