BVI's descent into disaster as narcotraffickers seize control

Augustus James Ulysses Jaspert, known as Gus, reached Tortola, the main island of the British Virgin Islands, on 21 August 2017, mere days before disaster struck. Jaspert, then in his late 30s, was newly designated governor by Queen Elizabeth II upon the suggestion of Britain’s Foreign Office. As a British overseas territory with limited autonomy, the BVI relies on the governor to oversee its locally elected government. For Jaspert, a seasoned civil servant, this marked his initial practical leadership role—and his first visit to the islands. Any hesitation was eclipsed by the allure of Caribbean life. “If you’re in a London office and hear, ‘Go to Tortola,’ you check a map and decide, ‘Yes, I’ll manage,’” Jaspert stated to *CuriosityNews*.

As Jaspert, his spouse, and their two children adjusted, a tropical storm intensified over the Atlantic. Initial forecasts showed little concern, but by early September, the system escalated dramatically. On the afternoon of 6 September, Hurricane Irma struck Tortola, where most of the BVI’s 30,000 residents live. Irma ranked among the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever documented. It tore roofs from structures, shattered windows, and wiped out entire levels of houses. Cargo containers slammed into both local fishing vessels and visiting yachts.

Jaspert hurried his family into the bathroom of the governor’s residence, a substantial white-stucco building with columned walkways. Completed in 2003, it was newer and more resilient than many island homes. (The original 19th-century Government House was lost to a hurricane in 1924.) Jaspert calculated that if the ceiling collapsed, flipping the bathtub might form a temporary air pocket for survival. Ordinary residents, often residing in single-story homes or aging apartments, had far fewer safeguards.

By the next morning, as winds eased but flooding persisted, residents encountered a shattered landscape: 80% of Tortola’s buildings were damaged or razed. Financial losses exceeded billions, dwarfing the territory’s GDP. Officially, only four fatalities occurred, yet roughly half the population was displaced.

Residents, known for close community ties, started repairing homes, but formal recovery relied on two leaders: Jaspert, just weeks into his role, and Dr. Daniel Orlando Smith, the territory’s elected premier since 2011 and a former surgeon. With limited data, no electricity, and scarce communication, they faced urgent choices about water, food, and shelter for the homeless.