688 Belongers wrongly approved based on former AG’s advice — Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has sought to steer blame away from his Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Cabinet, of which he was a part, for illegitimately granting Belonger status to 688 persons back in 2020.
This massive error was discovered in the findings of an audit done on the VIP government’s Fast Track Residency and Belongership Programme. And to correct the error, Governor John Rankin has recalled the House of Assembly to regularise the 688 people before election day.
In a statement following the governor’s announcement on Friday, Dr Wheatley suggested the VIP Cabinet, within which he was Education Minister, received incorrect legal counsel.
“Cabinet’s approval of those persons was done on the basis of the legal advice provided by the former Attorney General,” said Dr Wheatley. The Premier did not call the former AG by name but the person serving in that role at the time was Baba Aziz.
“The recent audit of the Fast Track Programme identified what appears to have been an honest oversight,” Dr Wheatley added. “Six-hundred and eighty-eight persons were simultaneously approved for Residency and Belonger status, when in fact they should have been free of immigration controls twelve months prior to applying for Belonger status, according to the law.”
He continued: I agree with Governor Rankin that this was not the fault of any of the applicants. We live in a democracy and it is important that no one who is qualified is disenfranchised because of this error. That is why I support the Governor in recalling the House of Assembly so that this matter can be appropriately and immediately addressed. The House of Assembly has the power to validate the grant of the Residence and Belonger Certificates made by Cabinet and this is what we will seek to do as early as Monday the 17th April.”
Dr Wheatley, made it clear that the issue is not one for politicking and reassured the public that the scheduled April 24 general election will proceed as planned.
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You’re lie just like for….what a shame….You always sound like a Mother, who never let her child take responsibility for wrongs doing …and will always put the blame on someone else….
The present Attorney General is a waste of time. She wants to degrade all the work & advice by the past AG at the expense of her own people to satisfy the Governor and her ego. This action needs to be taken to court. The Governor cannot continue to be allowed to act above the law and try to make us think otherwise. The present AG was the PS in the Premier’s Office when the NDP has her facilitate an 80-person fast track for their rich white friends ONLY who lived in the BVI less than 4 years & the NDP & her left out the Caribbean people who were living in the BVI for years and this is being overlooked. One must ask why? Now all of a sudden, she as the AG can condemn the advice of the last AG who advised her on her fast track as PS. The Governor, Auditor General and the now Attorney General THINK WE ARE STUPID! This is all another part of the plot to try to influence the outcome of the elections.
But how do we know the previous AG didnt give the correct legal advice, and it was ignored by Fahie to meet his fast track agenda?
The puppet Premier and his HOA cronies may believe they have the power to ‘validate’ the status of the disenfranchised fast track belongers but they do NOT have that power today. This power may ‘restored’ at some future date by the High Court. Today that restorative power is in suspension due to:
1) Primary error of willfully conspiring to disobey the applicable sections of the 2014 Immigration & Passport Act
2) The time bar. UK common law allows 3 years to correct mistakes/error in administrative matters and that expired in 2022.
Judicial Review by the High Court is the correct first step to resolve this not so ‘honest’ mistake.
Immigration Belonger Status whatever one it is, obtained illegally is not valid.
Somehow this sound like a lie! I dont believe they ask him anything.
this is so truth embarrising and shame very sad for those that are right to have belongers and residents and those who are not got it in less than 5 years on the island SHAME!!! AND ABUSIVE ACTIONS!
Weighing Errors or Mistakes
The first time is a mistake
The second time is you did not understand
The third time is willfulness or not taking heed
The fourth time is rebelliousness and disregard
The Fifth time is a reprobate mind
The Sixth time is due for punishment
The Seventh time is the Wrath of God
Waiting 20 years for status is against the law of the BVI . If we were doing what’s right, all those persons would have gotten residency and belongership a long time ago.
So it was the AG idea to do this?…don’t be deflecting
Surly a large amount of cash $$$$ exchanged hands to get belonger status. Oops did I say that.
So we wait for foreigndrs to advise and divide us? How salient and dumb. Aint no foreigner will advise you right