With former British Virgin Islands Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard now serving a nine-year prison term for her role in a significant cocaine trafficking operation within her homeland, global attention has turned to the upcoming sentencing of former Premier Andrew Fahie on August 5.

In a final attempt to mitigate his sentence, Andrew Fahie, formerly the leader of the Virgin Islands Party, who was found guilty on February 8 of charges linked to cocaine smuggling and money laundering, has since petitioned a Miami Federal court to reduce his potential sentence.

Facing the possibility of life behind bars and a $10 million fine, the fifty-three-year-old has requested a maximum sentence of 10 years, arguing that his role in the scheme was peripheral, claiming ignorance of a side agreement between Maynard and an undercover agent posing as a cartel member, and asserting that he was not directly involved in the actual importation of cocaine.

Maynard played a key role as a witness in her former boss’s trial, providing intricate details of the drug operation to the jury.

Alongside her son Kadeem Maynard and Fahie, she was arrested in April 2022 after planning to smuggle shipments of up to 3,000 kilograms of cocaine through Tortola’s port.

As part of a plea deal, she agreed to testify against Fahie, resulting in her guilty plea for conspiring to import over five kilograms of cocaine.

Charges of money laundering and racketeering were dropped against her in exchange for her cooperation.

At her sentencing, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams also added an additional five years of supervised release.

Her son Kadeem received a fifty-seven-month sentence in November 2023.

The sentencing of Fahie is eagerly awaited, with proceedings scheduled for August 5.

Following his arrest in 2022, the disgraced politician was initially granted bail but has been in federal custody since his conviction.

His apprehension sent shockwaves through the territory, particularly among his supporters who closely followed the trial.

Fahie’s political career, documented extensively, began when he was first elected as House of Assembly member for the First District from 1999 until his arrest in 2022.

His policy emphasis was on cultivating a robust economy through tourism and financial services, while also prioritising the inclusion of young people at all levels of national development.

He later assumed leadership of the Virgin Islands Party, the oldest political party in the territory, on November 30, 2016, following a leadership contest victory over incumbent Julian Fraser.

The career politician subsequently became Leader of the Opposition on February 6, 2017, and led his party to victory in the 2019 British Virgin Islands general election, taking office as Premier the following day, February 7, 2019.

The ascent of the golden boy to the top of the political hierarchy was celebrated throughout the territory.

In November 2023, he retired from politics while on bail in the United States with restrictions to travel for him and his family.

“I humbly and respectfully request of you to please officially convey my retirement that comes into effect from November 24, 2022, to all the requisite authorities especially to all members of the House of Assembly, as well as to the people of the Virgin Islands – especially my beloved people of the First District on the floor of the House of Assembly via this letter, among other means you may deem appropriate.”

“My deepest appreciation and love I express to all. May God forever bless our Virgin Islands and the people of the Virgin Islands as our best days are yet ahead.”

Fahie still retains supporters in his homeland, particularly in the First District, who express their backing and send him well-wishes through online messages.

The wait will soon come to an end as he returns to federal court in a week’s time, not to stand trial before a jury but to hear the judge’s sentencing.

Hurricane Beryl, now a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, has set its sights on Jamaica after leaving at least three persons dead and causing widespread devastation across several Caribbean islands on Monday.

The storm is expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surges to Jamaica on Wednesday, and the Cayman Islands will be impacted on Thursday, where a hurricane watch has been issued.

Beryl is making history as it marks an unusually early start to the hurricane season, being the earliest Category 5 hurricane and only the second Atlantic storm of such strength recorded in July. Its alarming intensification is fueled by abnormally warm ocean waters, a consequence of fossil fuel-driven climate change.

In just minutes, Beryl tore through Grenada on Monday, destroying buildings and knocking out power and phone service for nearly all residents. “In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened,” Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said.

A path of “immense destruction, pain (and) suffering” swept through St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where at least one person has died, according to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. Many areas, including hospitals, are without electricity, and some lack water. Approximately 90% of homes on Union Island are damaged or destroyed, with hundreds more homes, schools, churches, and government buildings in St. Vincent severely impacted.

“Tomorrow we get up with our commitment and conviction to rebuild our lives and our families’ lives,” Gonsalves said Monday night.

Despite potential fluctuations in strength, Beryl is expected to remain an “extremely dangerous major hurricane” (Category 3 or stronger) through mid-week, the hurricane center reported. The storm will continue to bring strong winds, torrential rain, and hazardous seas across much of the Caribbean, even if it doesn’t make landfall in Jamaica. Its outer bands will still have significant impacts.

The Latest on Beryl

Jamaica Braces for Severe Impacts: A hurricane warning is in place for Jamaica, where hurricane conditions are expected on Wednesday. Tropical storm-force winds are anticipated earlier in the day, with storm surges raising water levels by 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels and rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated totals up to 12 inches.

Dominican Republic and Haiti Under Storm Warnings: The southern coasts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are under tropical storm warnings, with conditions beginning Tuesday. Storm surges up to 3 feet and rainfall totals up to 6 inches are possible.

Extended State of Emergency in Grenada: Due to severe damage, the state of emergency has been extended until July 7, said Neila K. Ettienne, spokesperson for the prime minister’s office. About 95% of Grenada has lost power, with telecommunications and internet services down in some areas.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Rush to Restore Power: Local authorities are “working feverishly, urgently and with great focus to get electricity in certain places tonight,” Prime Minister Gonsalves stated. Many trees have fallen on power lines, but government buildings will reopen Tuesday, and business owners are urged to open if possible.

Huge Blow to Barbados Fishing Industry: Though Barbados avoided the brunt of the storm, significant storm surge damaged many fishing vessels, a massive loss to the fishing industry. At least 20 boats have sunk, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley reported. Fishermen at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex could only watch helplessly as waves destroyed their livelihoods.

Cricket Team and Fans Stranded: Some cricket fans and the winning Indian team at the T20 World Cup in Barbados were stranded as Hurricane Beryl forced Grantley Adams International Airport to suspend operations. However, the Indian team is expected to leave Tuesday after the airport’s planned reopening, Mottley said.

Beryl has shattered numerous records, indicating a troubling start to a hurricane season influenced by global warming. On Sunday, it became the earliest major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) in the Atlantic in 58 years and the only one to reach Category 4 status in June. It is also the strongest hurricane known to have passed through the southern Windward Islands, based on NOAA data dating back to 1851.

The storm’s rapid development is attributed to ocean temperatures that are as warm now as they would typically be at the peak of the hurricane season, said Jim Kossin, a hurricane expert and science advisor at the nonprofit First Street Foundation. “Hurricanes don’t know what month it is, they only know what their ambient environment is,” Kossin explained. “Beryl is breaking records for the month of June because Beryl thinks it’s September.”

The unusually warm ocean temperatures fueling Beryl’s unprecedented strengthening “certainly have a human fingerprint on them,” Kossin added.

As Beryl continues its path through the Caribbean, communities brace for its impact, demonstrating resilience in the face of nature’s fury.