COMMENTARY: Permanent governance watchdog BVI’s last hope
By Dickson Igwe, Contributor
Swift intervention when the rubicon has been crossed from legitimate governance into criminal misconduct alone, will save the integrity of the British Virgin Islands.
OK. A narrative in the UK’s most influential left-of-centre newspaper highlighted allegations of systemic corruption, cronyism, jury intimidation, and misuse of public funds in the British Virgin Islands.
Naturally, the narrative also heralded the deep well of resentment at controls placed on BVI politicians. The story described a governance culture where unaudited spending of a $40m stimulus went hand in hand with the handing out of contracts to politically connected people, a $10 land development deal, the selective granting of Belonger Status, handing out Crown property, and drug running.
Add to the preceding, awarding contracts without following correct procedure, dubious appointments, with individuals appointed to positions for ‘inappropriate reasons’.
The BVI police were painted as having no confidence of the public, and BVI courts were hampered by a culture where favouritism and social links negatively impacted court independence, and due process.
The preceding issues can only be solved with a new architecture of governance where a permanent watchdog: essentially a permanent investigations agency, with an independent auditor at the centre, and a Governor and Deputy Governor given the powers to swiftly intervene and block any illegitimate action before it becomes a festering sore.
There is no other option but strong oversight to bring this tiny jurisdiction into a safe, equitable, and prosperous future.
The territory is clearly unable to govern itself with the type of culture and values it possesses today, and the BVI has become a laughing stock in the international community.
The territory is clearly headed for ‘banana republic status’, if the oversight of local government is not swiftly, and effectively conducted.
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“The territory is clearly unable to govern itself with the type of culture and values it possesses today, and the BVI has become a laughing stock in the international community.” At last, well said.
Facts!
Well said.
The UK needs to step in and rule until they get things straighten out and after that put a watchdog in the place to keep things in order. If something isn’t done soon the BVI is heading down a very dark road a road of no return.
We have an independent auditor. We have good governance already. But we also have crooked politicians. Give the auditors more powers and make it an offence so that any politician who is not compliant with an auditor’s requests should face heavy “personal” fines and face prosecution. There. A proper solution and it didn’t need all the words in your non-solution article. For goodness sakes.
Igwe you have once again hit the nail on the head. With the income from the financial services sector and the tourism sector the BVI could be the crown jewel of the Caribbean. Instead, the theft of money from government coffers has left infrastructure and education in a third world status. This must stop at once and the only way forward is a brief period of UK governance to correct the corruption issues and create a system where not only the ruling families have control of everything. The main issue is allowing a simplified and greatly shortened route to citizenship for more people to vote and take a part. Being apartheid is not the answer for the future of the BVI.
you may have a ?point that WIG joker seems to get energized post a piece of my comment and it’s not only mine / as the truth hits home , he get vindictive , like a spoiled child ( the coi is getting himself overgrown EGO
you may have a ?point that WIG joker seems to get energized and only post a piece of my comment and it’s not only mine / as the truth hits home , he get vindictive , like a spoiled child ( the coi is getting him to him and his overgrown EGO
thats the first thing he has written I fully agree with…
Well said!
Mr.Igwe, you are the most controversial opinionated when it comes to “OUR” BVI politics. Stay the hxx out and leh we clean up and remove our politicians and speaker as we see fit. You can always fly away from the BVI but most of us must stay hear( here). The present government must be removed or there would be tears. They must go, “WE FED UP!” Stay the hex out we way!!
That is why corruption will continue . Nobody else must say anything except Bvi inhabitants .Stupid philosophy!!! COI would make the ruling . Small minded thinking . What a shame !! The man is married to one of the Permanent Secretary so he should shut his mouth . All like this thinking is what is costing the country
Another good read. It angers me that we are at this stage in our political maturity.
the BVI has become a laughing stock in the international community
Yup
Igwe, why not share with the world, the evidence at your disposal that highly placed politicians are involved in drug runing in BVI. Is it true that the present structure does not allow the Governor or deputy, the power to checkmate corruption?
BVI slanders are so caught up in their own world that they are afraid to point out wrong doing … They get upset with you for speaking the truth and wait for an opportunity to squeeze you when you voice a difference in opinion .
No matter how much you help and contribute to the country it is push under the rug because you are not a true son of the soil
. They were taught that exp is taking away something from them and it is a betrayal when a person not a local BVI person married into the family . The person is never accepted . They use every opportunity to rub it in their r face that you are not part of them . They are not subtle with it either . That is why the country will
Always be divided . Let them fight their own battles . Let the COI make the best decision God don’t like ugly
Why doesn’t Igwe ask Britain to take over truly corrupt Nigeria where he is a son of the soil. Especially since he seems to like the idea of Colonialism. He must be sorry the British left there which is why he came to the BVI. He likes the British in charge because they are better than black people. He believes the British have the right to rule us. Igwe, take your fool talk back to Nigeria along with your desire for them to be colonial over the BVI. You should be standing up for democracy in which free people are supposed to rule themselves and take the lead in fixing their own problems.
Typical imbecile resident in the Queens territory- and why this place is today a s**t hole – and by the way Igwe is as British as any Englishman – w*nker