Current gov’t structure still gives Premier’s Office too much power
Despite indicating his support for the new National Unity Government, Opposition legislator Julian Fraser has expressed his concern that the current structure of government remains the same as before.
Speaking with BVI News last Friday, Fraser said this structure gives the Premier of the territory too much power.
“My whole thing about the Premiers of this country is that they are omnipotent. They have powers that are unbelievable when compared to the other ministers,” said Fraser who is to become Opposition Leader.
“I use my hand [as an example]. There is five of them (Cabinet ministers) and this is the Premier,” Fraser said while pointing to his thumb. “The other four fingers are over here. There is no diversity in the cabinet. So, that is what I am talking about,” he added.
The Opposition legislator also referred to a previous decision by former Premier Andrew Fahie to remove several statutory bodies from the Ministry of Works; a move Fraser that said indicates the unchecked powers the territory’s Premiers possess.
“There is no way that a Premier could have gone into the Ministry of Communications and Works and take out the Ports Authority, take out the BVI Airport Authority, take out BVI Electricity Corporation and take out the Communication Regulatory Commission. All of those things came out of the one ministry and there was no push back. It should not happen, and it is not supposed to happen,” he stated.
This unity gov’t is maintains the old way of operating
Fraser said although the current unity government is similar in structure to his proposed all-party government, it still maintains the old way of operating a government in the territory.
This, he said, has been proven to be an issue.
“What I see right now is a Premier and ministers and I am afraid it’s going to be the same business as usual with a Premier and ministers except the only difference right now is that the spotlight is heavy on us, and he (Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley) made some promises. But it is not codified on if he can run the government as equal partners. It is not codified so he is going to fall back in the old way of doing things,” Fraser said.
The Opposition legislator noted that everyone in the House of Assembly, including himself as the only sitting member of the Opposition, has a big role to play in the wider context of things. He noted that everyone in the House is concerned about portraying a sense of unity for the sake of the territory and its people.
“So, whatever is being done in that room, we are supposed to do together. How is that going to work in practice? It is going to take the will of us all to get it done,” Fraser said.
Notwithstanding his concerns, the senior legislator said he remains optimistic that the new government spearheaded by Dr Wheatley will not follow the blueprint of previous administration and will work towards implementing the Commission of Inquiry recommendations while maintaining the democratic integrity of the territory.
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How is this man still in a position of power when a judge has recommended a criminal investigation into him.?
Behaviour like this is why the UK is going to take over , at least for a while.
Funny how criminals beg for justice when confronted by it. He’s complicit with the corruption here and has to go.
Congrats on the baby!
No matter what fault ayo find of him we in the 3rd district will still vote for him because there is no other one who will represent us the way he did. Talk that!
or pass the white envelopes
All of them in there pass envelopes from the Premier down
Your jealousy and hatred for fraser is gonna choke you
If “democratic integrity” truly existed in the territory, the Unity Government would call for a referendum to find out what the people want. Do they want the Unity Government in its current form or would they prefer direct rule?
But they will never do that because they (the Unity Government) know what the outcome will be. These entitled few and their followers STILL have everyone over a barrel. Please Governor Rankin, call for a referendum! Please allow the people to decide.
it has already happened and less than 10% of the electorate want the government to keep going its 90% for UK to step in and sort this shit out!
Hopefully today we get the help we need so we can finally become a county on our own without all the corruption.
Another opinion suggest that the government should have immediately been dissolved and have new eletions within a reasonable time frame..
When shocking words such as the following, “those before did, so i going in to do the same, were spoken on the topic of curroption and stealing the people’s money by a now elected official, one expects that is exactly what will occur…
Hence, that was an appaling thing to say, from a horrific mind. Such illustrated complete disdain for the people, their money, right and wrong, and much more..
What a terrible political position the peole of the BVI has put themselves into..
Weeping without tears!!
You joke and play with us poor people Sir, if you were Premier, you would probably love the power too. Acting like you are some sort of sage like saint guiding the ignorant. You are not! You would grab all that would be of use to yourself and your Hog City Cartel.
Don’t worry, Bi-W***r, Di**cel, Sea Cow’s Bay Marina, and a lot of other stuff coming out on you soon enough. You have no shame!
All under the VIP and you all forgot all of this and so much more and still voted for VIP headed by DREW!
if yo carnt beat him join him…simple
As leader of the opposition he will keep them in check. He is politically smarter than the rest and he is the right man for the job——— 4 MORE YEARS
He give us better water for cheaper and made cellphones affordable
THIS MAN IS A FIGHTER FOR THE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THOSE IN HIS DISTRICT
His district is in the BVI. He needs to fight for the BVI.
because of fraser everyone living in the BVI can afford a cellphone, some have 2 some have 3
Here we have a gentleman speaking in an attempt to be relevant. Problem is, he’s not saying anything. I was under the impression that we all wanted to recover from the recent occurrences in the country. Instead, he’s trying to discredit the new government that he himself claims to have fostered. Sir, you got what you wanted: to be leader – to be in charge of a party. Now it’s either you get onboard in rebuilding or simply step aside in the interest of the country.
Farewell old friend!!!
The right man for the job {leader of the opposition} because he calls a spade a spade.
..vocabulary.
You only jealous, Julian, because you’re not in the position.
Had you stayed the course, and WAITED, you would have been Premier today!
But you, like so many others, believed that if you formed your own party, you all would have been in charge!
NOOTTT!!!
I congratulate Dr. Wheatley for staying the course, and waiting; hence, he got the reward: He is Premier today!
“Good things come to those who WAIT”, Julian!
Its because of Fraser’s wisdom with the suggested unity government Wheatley is Premier today so stop your hating on the man
The VIP NDP parties and these legacy politicians need to go. They are supported by the 1% and establishment that do not represent the ppl. I aint marching / protesting with none of these ppl.
Isn’t there a whole chapter in the COI on the Sea Cow’s Bay rehabilitation project and what went gravely wrong there while this man was the Minister and the Rep? All of you need to go.
He is squeaky clean
I dont know what kind of game Mr. Fraser is trying to play here. If he had reservations about the unity government, why is he a part of the entire thing as opposition leader? He is signaling his reservations after the fact.
Look, the way I see things is that this unity government will all be but temporary as a UK takeover appears imminent, and they will be all gone soon.
If Frasier does not believe in what he has become a part of, this might be a good time for him to call it a day and resign.
There are reasons enough for him to consider doing so since there is a dark cloud that has gathered over his head based on projects done in the third under his watch for which the COI is recommending potential criminal investigations.
I thing his comments are ego driven here. He is no different than the others.
Just that Mr. Frasier know, if he thinks being the opposition leader will one day lead to him being Premier one day when the dust is settled, he can forget about it. The country yearns for a fresh start and new blood. That card he is playing will not fly.
This man supposed to be one of the more intelligent politicians. The land about to go to the dogs and all he can do is look for power? Boss: go sitdon