THEY’RE HERE
BVI News Staff - Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 10:31 AM
His Excellency the Governor Mr. Boyd McCleary, CMG, CVO. * GIS photo
A two-member delegation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK are in the BVI to continue talks today on the financial status of the territory.
The delegation headed by economist Steve Johnson arrived in the territory last evening.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Orlando Smith and his delegation started talks on the financial status of the territory in the UK last November and in a press conference, the Premier said these discussions will continue in the territory early this year when a delegation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visits the BVI.
Governor Boyd McCleary told ZBVI News that the delegation will be in the BVI for two days and “they will be continuing discussions with the Premier and his colleagues about the management of public finances. Those were discussions that began in November at the time of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council Meeting”.
When asked if the delegation will be discussing the recent budget that was passed in the House of Assembly, the Governor said: “They will be talking generally about public finance management.”
The Governor was also asked if the two-member delegation will be holding talks with the Premier before the budget is debated and passed and he said: “I can’t comment on the details of what’s being discussed. They are going to be talking about the general issue of how the public finances are managed and will be having meetings with the Premier and some of his colleagues. We are looking to get a better understanding. This is a team from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who are coming out here to have discussions which started in November and they hope to make further progress in discussing with the BVI government the management of public finances.”
The Governor also said the whole issue of the BVI budget to be sent to the UK before its passed will also form part of the two-day discussions with the two economists from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
“There are a number of issues to be discussed and that is one of the issues that will be discussed,” the Governor said.
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19 Comments
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This is the first time that sooo many UK bloggers have made their presence known. Please, don’t get the bowels over what killi killi has said, we are not all out of control.
You know what’s pretty pathetic? It doesn’t matter who we blame we all know that we are responsible for our own demise. We manipulate and use politicans, we sabotage and try to destroy each other’s successes, and we tell the young people do as I say and not as I do. All behavior has consequences.
The last time i cheched with the Treasury I discovered that there was a ballance of some $38 million in the banks. However, when I examined the debit sheets I found that there were outstanding payments amounting to some $36 million not including millions owed to the Electricity Corp. It is basically wrong for a government to have its creditors holding the bag while it builds up its reserves. I wonder who is advising who.
Is Glover Park still advising?!
The UK has no right to be up in our business, since they contribute no money whatsoever to our budget. Yes, not one dime. Isn’t that illogical?
It looked so bad that after a while they establish a “Good Governance Fund”, in the Governor’s office, which is throw away of pittances, at his discretion, mainly to voluntary associations.
We got to where we are largely by our own efforts, and some good talent from abroad that made the BVI their home.
UK does not understand pro-growth strategies;only increased taxation and austerity measures. The wrong mind set for these economies, and a misreading of the socio-economic circumstances of small island states.
So, the only premise the UK has for intervention, is this thing called “contingent liability”, which we did not ask for,and for which they have sought legal opinion, and know that they cannot be held legally liable for payment in the event of default….but fear possible international opprobrium.
They are within the EU,but don’t want to abide by the fiscal management provisions established for its members.
Watch out for these: Reduced Civil Service, through voluntary severance packages and the like; Cutting out of Gratuity on pensions, before a contributory pension is established; Increases in taxation; A VAT proposition; A ‘contingent’ of so-called UK experts (some of whom reside in the US and elsewhere)descending on this country whom we have to pay from our pocket. Finally, a change in the political culture and relationship from democracy to autocracy..That will not do. Not in the 21st century. NO NO NO.
i you forgot we are a UK DEPENDENT whether we like it or not so they have every right if we were independent then you can say crap like this
I don’t buy it. UK Government is not *setting* our budget, they are asking to *review* it. Privately. Before it is published. Given the amount of stupidness our elected politicians have pushed through without a comment from anyone, I am happy for someone independent to review it and express comments privately to the BVI Government before the budget is published. People who get upset are people who feel they have something to hide.
So true! Thank God for UK oversight!
@ Killi Killi you are right! It is good to see you are not small minded like some of the people who are in Tola. You are seeing it from a world point of view. People in Tortola don’t realize when they vote that the politicians are their representatives and that is the real reason for the privately reviewing the budget. This situation is the same as Greece. Another point taken is the Austerity measures you mentioned in the first comment. Those who fail to see the changes will end up holding the bad with change(and I do mean pocket change). Tortola is a cash cow for the U.K! And the U.K has sent their lords to make sure the cash keeps flowing into their pockets without any obligations whatsoever to assist if the country goes broke!e.g
Here let me see the books and make sure our part is paid in full. Then you politicians let the public(who voted for you) know there will be drastic cuts. See Greece and you will know what time it is. 
Done a sad situation but just have to pray for the better
Shalom!
Tortola is cash cow for the UK. Need to explain how the BVI financial resources is flowing into the UK coffers. In fact in closer examination, the BVI might be a drag, a dog on the UK. Though for the most part the BVI is self-supporting, the UK provide funding for special projects(HM Prison),its responsible for external affairs and defence. And some of our citizens emigrate to the UK.
Furthermore, the VI is an OT of the UK. The VI benefit from this relationship. And can divorce itself from this relationship tommorow if it desire. The UK will grant it in heart belt. But we should not pursue independence, for the cost will outweigh the benefits. Lets ask the former Anglophone countries in the region how independence is working.
Additionally, though it is highly preferable and desirable that we run our own affairs, the UK has the right to meddle in our affairs as long as the VI remains an OT.
We have to decide if we want to be independent or remain an OT. As noted earlier, I do not support independence. The opportunity cost is too great. Instead, the VI should maintain the current status and try to negotiate a different status that keeps part of the UK family.
Budget review is an inconvenience and may bruise our ego. But oversight is healthy and may improve governance. And if this review is so untenable perhaps we should pursue a divorce.
to ‘The Truth’
What the hell are you smoking? The BVI makes just under $300million a year and spend over $150million a year just on civil service alone, including rental of government offices, salaries, vehicles, pensions etc. The other set of money is spent on infrastructure. What does the UK get after that? LMAO!!!!
Are you kidding me??? There are little counties in the UK that spend way more than $300mil per year please get your head out of the sand boss. The UK is the parent of the BVI. If you co-sign on a loan with your child, you will be responsible if they default so it’s your right to check up on them every once in a while to make sure that they’re capable of handling that responsiblility.
If the BVI defaults on any loans, UK has to pick up the slack. If the BVI needs to defend itself against attacks etc. it’s the UK’s job to defend us. This cash cow nonsense is laughable to be honest. If the BVI asked for independence today, UK would be happy to work over the weekend to make sure that it happens by Monday, don’t let anybody fool you!!!
Nothing is wrong with us being an dependent OT. We elect our own Government and spend our own money, we can’t ask for much more than that.
You blind people look at the paper money and call it an asset or wealth. There is no value in paper! All you all see is the debt in dollars terms not the assets which are priceless. The only reason for the defense is to protect their assets nothing more. Pure brainwashing and mind conditioning from the teaching from the youth up. Money is debt and has no intrinsic value. When I was in primary school, “mnoney” or fiat currency was known as a “tool” Do you all know what you do with tools? You use it to fix stuff that are an asset to you. The real asset is the country itself and the people also! Does money produce anything like land and people can? Come out of the slavery brainwashed thinking people. Geese meson! Got to spell everything out for ayu!
Killi Killi
Without the security of the UK behind us we won’t have a Financial Services Industry, TRUST ME ON THAT!! Further, although they may not give us cash in hand, they are ultimately responsible for every single dime that we borrow from banks, which we often do for major projects. Stop sounding like a damn lunatic please.
They have all right to review the budget. As I said in another post. You have a son who is 25yrs old. He is working for his own money, he has his own apartment, he doesn’t rely on you for anything at all, not one dollar. However, he wants a loan from the bank and doesn’t qualify so he asks you as his parent, to secure the loan for him by co-signing.
Now you are telling me, as a co-signer you are responsible of he defaults and just because you don’t give him money, you don’t feed him or clothes him, that you don’t have a right to check up on him as necessary to ensure that he pays the bank? It’s the same thing, UK are the parents, we are their kids like it or not. They have all right to ensure that we can pay back whatever is borrowed. THe UK themselves are in trouble, do you think they want the OT’s going wild spending crazy to add to their debt? NO!
If they could get rid of the BVI from under them they would do it in a heart beat, don’t be fooled. You can’t expect to enjoy all the luxuries of being dependent and still want your own way. The day we become independent, the next day the Financial Service companies pack up and leave. STABILITY – look it up!
I am 100% confident the NDP will do an excellent job in these negotiations.
Oh yea – the slick NDP taking back handers just like the VIP Lets clear up the corruption and lets get a hospital
Governor, what’s the secret? The questions asked were basic yet you skirted around. stupes!
How the hell he going to answer the questions that will form the part of official meetings? You all can be so stupid sometimes! The man doesn’t want to pull rank on anybody. It’s up to Dr. Smith to hold a press conference after the meeting and let us know what went on. That’s not the Governor’s job, we didn’t elect him. We want to hear from our Government AFTER they have the meeting. Ya’ll like to much mellee and ‘say say’. Let the thing play out then we can ask questions after.. sheesh!
It’s like watching a movie with someone who already saw it and instead of sitting your ass still and waiting for the thing to play out, you keep asking “What going happen next”..WAIT!
@Movements calm your head! The governor could have expanded on his comments
okkk look what the VIP brought down on our heads!!
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