2011 VIP gov’t ‘grossly abused power’ in granting status — audit
This story has been updated
A June 2012 internal audit report of the government’s operations in 2011 showed that there were numerous instances where Belonger status was granted arbitrarily and opaquely.
Furthermore, the audit, which was not designed to be made public, also found that the process was rife with abuse from 2011 Cabinet, which at the time comprised ministers in the previous Ralph T O’Neal-led administration.
Details of the audit were brought to light during the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI) by the Internal Auditor, Dorea Corea.
Belonger status can be acquired in several ways, but is generally granted as an honour, by naturalisation, or can be acquired after a qualifying period of marriage to a BVIslander.
In the BVI, the Department of Immigration’s Board facilitates the process of Belongership under the rights of marriage and residency.
Cabinet abused its authority
While the report commended the board for executing its function well, it concluded that “the process had been significantly compromised by Cabinet’s gross abuse of its authority.”
According to the report, the process used by Cabinet members lacked both transparency and objectivity.
“Cabinet, which in our estimation is a policy-setting body, unnecessarily circumvented the law, policy, and process and failed to ensure that the process they used was transparent, objective and that their decisions were based on sound advice and accurate information,“ the report found.
And though not questioning Cabinet’s authority to approve Belonger status, the audit report registered the concern that when Belongership is granted and there is no sound basis or reason given for the decisions made, it erodes the integrity of the process.
“If Cabinet, as a matter of their right, disregards a process after the process is established in law and policy, then the fundamental principle of the transparency and equity within the process is severely undermined, if not destroyed,” the report stated.
Cronyism and corruption likely from cabinet’s practices
The audit report also found that by taking it upon themselves to approve persons who were not vetted by the board or did not even submit an application, Cabinet removed from the board the ability to scrutinise the applicants, rendering the board’s role null and void.
Furthermore, the report stated that the practice whereby Cabinet approves status for individuals who were not vetted by the established process creates an environment in which favouritism, cronyism, and corruption can flourish.
The audit also recommended that whenever a decision is made by Cabinet or the board to deny approval of status for an applicant, clear reasons as to why the decision was taken should be documented, especially for cases where the board has made a recommendation and it was denied by Cabinet.
The report suggested this will help to ensure the transparency, equitability, and justification behind the decision taken.
However, was found in a follow-up report two years later that this recommendation, among several others, was never implemented.
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And the cronyism continued in the fast track that was meant for persons over 20yrs. Instead, Government ministers and friends of immigration staff who have 10yrs and way less than 20yrs get both, while persons who have 20yrs or a month or two less 20yrs was told that the Governor said is the only person over 20yrs. Well, COI needs to look into the fast track as well.
I know people who have been living here 30 years and still can’t even get residency. And some of their applications disappeared LOL gotta love the BVI system
I now of a person here 23 years and still paying work permit
That would be me…..
Can you spell N**ico
Much to do about nothing really. They gave out be longer status author going to the Board. Whoopty Doo. This government have out almost 5,000 such status in less than 2 years. Which worse?
Hopefully as a result of the COI, the Brits will take over and abolish Belongership just as they abolished slavery. It’ll be the only way there will be a fair and balanced Territory in the future. Just as the Belonger is granted UK citizenship with no requirements, the UK citizens should be granted Territory citizenship. It needs to become the same relationship as the US and the USVI. If not, plan on another corrupt government as soon as new elections are held.
Geh fron here with that… we not going for that we are too small a teritory to allow such a thing.. the total amount of bvi citizen is not enough to make a dent in the uk cotibg system….
However just half of 1 percent of the uk voting citizen population can make a significant differwece in the polical system of the bvi.
Nope we not on that!
Exactly why it needs to be done. The BVI is presently a racist and apartheid Territory granting citizenship basically only to blacks, government jobs only to blacks, politicians can only be black, etc, etc. The people chant their racist crap against whitey when the Belonger is the most racist vermin on the planet.
There are quite a few white belongers. Maybe 1000. But there is no white person in the government or high in the civil service
Your entire premise is false nd baseless.
1) Do you really know what aeparthied is?
2) whites, when qualified also can do apply for citizenship.
3) Most UK, US and EU firms in the territory only hire whites.
As one blogger put it, wheel and come again. Your attempts at reverse racism is a miserable one indeed.
what nonsense. I am white and a belonger as are many of my white friends. Try again
Imagine that a person from yonder preaching when they understand absolutely nothing about the concept of belongership nor are they aware of the island’s European demographics or any of the other races that hold belongership status.
Who’s paying them to visit this site. ???
@Hopefully – “It needs to become the same relationship as the US and the USVI.”
Totally disagree with that wholeheartedly!! Look at St. John and other islands within USVI. We are not stupid; UK is after control of the lands! Wheel and come again!
Every man has his place and deserves his owwn space. Those are his basic of all human rights.
Yet, you are daily advocating for the relinquishing of those basic rights of the VIslander. What tyou spewing is pure uncut white supremacy. It must have noplace to fester in the VI.
This truth, just like all truths regarding historical white supremicist global aggression will be overlooked in the historical records by white supremicist historians,educational systems,and news media.
They can label countries third world, poor,impoverished but won’t disclose what caused these conditions. Haiti is a prime example of this.
Especially their oppressive roles. But I guess in their racist psychotic minds revealing these factual truths is to much to bear “white fragility” caused by “critical race theory.”
It is time to leave VIslanders and the Virgin islanders alone and allow them to forge their own destiny. They deserbe that right to be free from perpetuel UK dominantion. Haven’t they had enough interruption turmoil by the Brit and the European?
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
To the Auditor. One compromising scenario after another.
Thank you for shining light on it all.
Been living in the BVI for 31yrs and they lost my residency application. But, it’s okay, I just pay them every year for my time and let it be.
There are quite a few white belongers. Maybe 1000. But there is no white person in the government or high in the civil service
This is disturbing because it is alleged that this sore runs deep. It is alleged that other Caribbean leaders do it to get votes which cancels out the vote and will of the local people who must live and suffer with their bad policies and bad spending.
And it is a strategy that is been used here allegedly. It is alleged that the place to start is the voter’s list where a lot of people who are not qualified to do so are doing so and to cover this up they are granted citizenship especially through ways that don’t follow the law.
As a BVI, I am glad for the COI. It is exposing what should have been exposed years ago. To much corruption in Government. While I don’t want the Brits to take over, I want the nonsense to be exposed.
@Exactly, If you feel that way why don’t you get the h**l out of the BVI and take your hate with you, you sound like scum.
Finally, bring the 1500 residency people to the light and the real reason Fahie gave so many of them stay here when it wasn’t their time. Just repeating what was done in the past, thanks for bringing this to the light
Some ppl here over 30 years and still aint get any status yet.
Hmm if you ?don’t asked how how can you get
just saying.
mine was not free I payed for it
Old news.been there done that…too long for me.I’m not prepared to join some Ministers church to get favor… leave that to them creeping type folk..yuck.Moved on..doing fine.