BVI legislators ‘taken to task’ about Russian oligarchs during UK visit

Third District Representative Julian Fraser said a delegation of BVI legislators that recently visited the United Kingdom (UK) were accosted and criticised over the BVI’s financial services practices.

“We just came out of the UK and we were basically, literally taken to task about Russian oligarchs having businesses registered in the BVI,” Fraser said at a recent Opposition press conference.

The oligarchs to which he referred are super-rich and powerful business leaders believed to be allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who the UK and other countries are trying to force to discontinue Russia’s ongoing military action against Ukraine.

But Fraser suggested that the BVI delegation that visited the UK at the time was neither prepared to field such interrogations nor were they the appropriate group to address the matter.

“Our trip to the UK had absolutely nothing to do with the government. It was strictly one to do with the legislature but this politician took the advantage of seeing us and took us to task,” Fraser protested.

“You need to have a good look at how they see us,” the veteran legislator said.

“Another politician thought that Barbados was out of character to go and become a Republic. It’s like what are we and who are we?” Fraser asked. “We have no right to do anything for ourselves, we have no right to think?”

Fraser continued: “We have to be mindful when you look at me as Third District Representative. You can hate me, you can hate me all you want, but remember when you do that, you’re hating yourself as well.”

“That’s how the rest of the world sees us. When we look at each other, we have to look at how the world is looking at us,” he said.

Fraser argued that residents need to support what’s best for their future and for their country.

“It doesn’t matter who is doing it at the time, as long as it’s good, let’s support each other,“ Fraser said.