BVI’s Drastic Fee Hike Proposal on USVI Yacht Charters Sparked Bryan’s 25% Tariff Retaliation

Governor Albert Bryan on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting with USVI lawmakers to impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from the British Virgin Islands. The move, leveraging a strategy famously used by President Donald Trump, comes in response to pending legislation in the BVI that would significantly increase fees for commercial yacht charters entering the territory, a measure that could severely impact the U.S. Virgin Islands’ charter sailing industry. Proposed amendments to the Commercial Recreational Vessels Licensing Act, first passed in 1992, would increase annual fees for overnight operator to $24,000 from the current $400 — a 60-fold jump. Day sail operators would see a similarly staggering increase. The amendment would cause their fees to rise from $200 to $12,500. A well-attended meeting of the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association on Tuesday evening was convened to discuss the matter. “Marine tourism is a vital economic driver to the USVI, contributing mo...