Demand good governance even if it means being called ‘anti-BVI’
Governor Augustus Jaspert has urged members of the public to continue fighting for better governance, even though some may label them as ‘being against the BVI’.
At the start of December, Governor Jaspert rocked the territory with news that his office is investigating a slew of complaints regarding lack of transparency in government spending, as well as intimidation and victimisation in the public sector.
Though the governor’s revelation wasn’t well-received by members of the Premier Andrew Fahie-led administration, Governor Jaspert reiterated his sentiments in his end-of-year message to Virgin Islanders, saying those who speak up are courageous.
“Sometimes those who raise their voices are said to be against BVI. Actually, those who raise their voices are the complete opposite — they are championing the values held up in our constitution and actively working to make BVI a better and more democratic place,” Governor Jaspert’s statement said.
“I hope that the community can continue to have open and honest conversations about what we need to do to build better governance – governance that truly reflects BVI’s values of integrity, fairness and openness. There has been a great deal of conversation about this recently and a number of individuals from across the community, businesses and the public service have come to me and my office to raise their concerns. It takes great courage to have these conversations,”
He added that the BVI must be proud of people who believe so strongly and passionately in good governance.
“For me, these conversations reflected the true heart and soul of BVI and its people,” Gover Jaspert said.
At the end of his message, Governor Jaspert sent best wishes to all Virgin Islanders saying it’s “been an honour and privilege to serve this territory”.
“I will forever be grateful to those who have welcomed my family and I with open arms. We wish you all a very Happy New Year from the bottom of our hearts.”
The background of the allegations
When Governor Jaspert first announced the allegations earlier this month, he said there is currently a lack of proper legislation to support the measures that need to be taken in order to address the concerns of the public.
Premier Andrew Fahie who had called Governor Jaspert’s allegations irresponsible, later made a stern promise that his government will be moving to have the Integrity in Public Life Bill passed through the House of Assembly before the end of March 2021.
This legislation is something Fahie had promised during his 2019 election campaign.
Amid the allegations, Opposition leader Marlon Penn raised fresh concerns when he questioned the recent termination of outspoken political critic, Cindy Rosan-Jones, from the state-owned BVI Tourist Board. He said he believes such an action raises a number of red flags in the territory and may lead to persons questioning the BVI as a true democracy.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Colonial slave master tactic by the governor and the UK as usual
This man:
(i) announced at short notice that he had summoned the Navy – but the Navy had been scheduled to visit for month.
(ii) applied for and was granted a 12 month extension of his contact until Aug 2021
(iii) was told by the UK Government that he was being recalled 8 months early in January
(iv) left the BVI in December (but might be coming back in January for a few days – a great use of public finances to fly him around in the last fes days of his contract)
(v) announced in December that he is staying for longer than intended – in fact he might be staying a few days longer than his original recall date, but he is still being recalled 8 months early and will not be Governor at the end of January.
(vii) has spent his time in the BVI taking big about good governance, but does not actually seem to have achieved anything. I appreciate that he is a back room worker, and not used to being in the public glare, but given his propensity for bigging himself up it seems unlikely that he would have kept quiet any significant progress he had made with respect to governance.
(viii) had bought the curse of Jonah to the BVI since he arrived in 2017.
The BVI will be better without him, and he will be better out of public view back in the UK. Good riddance.
SHUT UP SKANK. FROM YOUR COMMENT, YOU ARE A D**N OUTSIDER FROM TRASHVILLE THAT IS IN THE BVI TO MOOCH OFF THE SYSTEM AND FOR THE AMERICAN DOLLAR. SIMPLY SHUT THE F**K UP OR GO BACK TO TRASHVILLE TO THE DIRT FLOOR HUT AND BANANA LEAF ROOF THAT YOU CAME FROM YOU WASHED UP PIECE OF GARBAGE THAT THE SURF REJECTED.
Such a fake you well know that’s a local, which you only pretend to be and talk your s**t all caps trying to make yourself look dumb for a reason to start confusion.
You keep pretend and talk all kinds of s**t to get a response. Transparent pervert.
For myself I am looking forward to the first arrest of a senior member of the government machine. Because we all know it’s coming and that’s what the squirming and anti Governor rhetoric is about.
It is odd that so many people dislike my comment – it recites some truths that people clearly don’t want to hear. Not liking a truth does not make it untrue. We need to face up to the fact that when compared to McCleary and Pearey, Jaspert has been a disappointment. Lots of talk but little results.
Where was it ever announced that the Governor was being recalled? We know he is leaving early….could be for any number of reasons….but I don’t think we have heard a word about being recalled. He did a terrific job.
A comment from a true racist, uneducated, brainless Belonger. How sad that people like you reproduce and continue the legacy of a rotten mind. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Yours was a waste since birth. Happy New Year.
That attitude is why the Territory is in the state it’s in. There will be no improvement until the Brits force an increase in the eligibility to vote. I’m sorry to see this Governor go. I think he’s done an excellent job in difficult circumstances.
The Royal Marines are scheduled to arrive next year and set things straight. The queen is not happy with the territory’s position and direction it is heading.
Time to set things on a new course
What are going to do, come in and begin to slaughter the native Black people like they have been doing for centuries around the globe?
Carry on old era mentality english man.
Native black people? You mean Caribs or Arawaks?
And….
Here’s your anti bvi, racist, nationalist. Thank you for that.
But carry on…
All the thumbs up are of whom you refer, but times are changing and they are losing their economic status in our country…what they Fear is at hand. The Worldwide crumbling of their white statues! The façade is over! A new year has began!
why is it a slave master tendency to question and investigate. Congratulations to him for investigating and let the public know. Fahie and his administration is not above any other including their predecessor (Smith).
I am black and I am a born Virgin Islander in my sixties with many generations going back. Stop seeing black and white in everything. Black people have participated in inslaving black people as well and whites have died to stop slavery.
A lot of black people problems today are caused by corrupt BLACK leaders in the Caribbean and Africa and elsewhere.
Just be true to all keep everyone feet to the fire and make them do right irregardless of who they are. Try love instead of hate
Whoever you are, I love you. This was a most sensible comment. Love it.
carry on.
We also wish you and your family well. You were one of the best Governors in the BVI’s history and who stood up for the people when we needed it the most.
Thank you for everything you have done to make the BVI a better place for the generations to come. Please leave here knowing that the way you were treated was not a true representation of who we are as BVIslanders.
You were the “People’s Governor”
What about some of those investigations and their findings that were not publicly disclosed that you and the commissioner and public prosecutor played with like a football, playing the bVI people for fools. What exactly was your intention when you played everything soft.
You had everything in your hand to be an effective Governor. The country was run like nobody was sitting in your chair. Even the BVI people begged you to do something and you just sat there and did nothing.
Why isnt this news on V***????????? lol
Please Leave.
We were blessed to have you and wish you and your family God speed
This governor thought Andrew was sweet when he kept coming to him at the White House bringing false news on the NDP government. Now he see who Andrew really was once he got power with his help and then turn around and embarrass you every chance he got. He really see who is l**r now and he enabled him.
Farewell to you. Back to the train and tube station you go. Word of advise to governors – keep out of local politics because you don’t understand the history behind certain actions. Stick to your duties and stay out of the melee.
Hope the next governor comes with a big broom , dust pan, mop and water to clean every corner of these tiny Islands. And send the crumbs to the UK and put in a corner behind bars. That way on Sundays they cannot be visited by family and receive no family Sunday afternoon cake!
Be careful people you do not know when you our your children will be Governor.
Have respect for those in authority.
Stop the guile…
Pray and ask God direction for the future you going to need him. He knows and he alone who will be in charge of our islands.
Take it or leave it we have a unseen creator
not money not education a Holy spirit…
Wow ! check those thumbs up bouiy. The real racist and anti-BVIslanders and Black people haters are having a field day today.
It is clear that those people can’t wait subjugate us again, beginning with gun boat diplomacy and their marine’s.
But,,,,,,,
Seek help.
I wish the Governor well Jin his future endeavors. As a BVIslander I fully support the efforts of the. UK Government to highlight the issues of corruption in the BVI. BVIslander would be ignorant to believe corruption does not exist in the BVI. I hope the next Governor carries on the work to promote good governance in the BVI.
He’s like a rat you can’t catch…I thought he was gone for good.
Funny, ignorant, backward thinking and non progressives for a Belonger to be praising a non Black man for a position he nor any of his children, grand children and on and on will never be able to aspire to and hold in their own BVI.
Where is your national pride. Do you not see any thing wrong with that? Do you see contradictions here with the charters set forth in the charters of the UN and human rights? Go and have a study. Who of us can go to or be appointed to any such position in England.
Our people are still so blind and mentally challenged.
The way you put it, had he been a black man it would have been ok to praise him. Stop with your racist thinking.
His job as governor is oversight.
Don’t praise a black man/woman because they are black and condem someone else because they are not.
If you know anything about history you would know that black people enslaved other black people and sold other black people and helped subjugate other black people the white man did not do it on his own and white people have also died and sacrificed all to free black people.
Think of right and wrong not of colour.
This was the worse Governor in the history of the BVI.
After seeing all the smuggling, the drug and money busts, the guns and unlicensed scooters seemingly everywhere we have to see that there is corruption that is keeping us from moving forward. Look at Prospect Reef Resort owned and run by the goverment and the sewage and water problems, and the goverment wants to spend money on a bigger airport? Look at Lambert resort and Long Bay Resort! We are moving backward!
One of the most saddest moments in the political life and history of the BVIslander was the passing of Mr. Elton Georges.
Here/he was a man who reached the pinnacle of political and appointed positions, but could never reach no further.
That is a human right shame, and the UK should be ashamed and embarrassed functioning like that in the 21st century, by denying people of their country access to top positions of their country.
He Mr. Georges could not aspire to or attain the governorship office of his home, the BVI. What a travesty.
Unfortunately, that position, against all normal democratic and human rights conventions, are set aside for white English men.How could that be right?
Was Mr.Georges and others before and currently not qualified to govern us and these islands?
These are questions need to be brought up and resolved as sooner or later people will begin to become less accepting of such obvious unfair political arrangements.
Some are comfortable with this colonial relic. Others are highly disturbed with its obvious unfairness on so many levels.
You know the recent Governor appointed to BERMUDA is black and a female don’t you??? Anyone here in the BVI can join the FCO in the UK and work their way up to a Govenor. All BVI people have UK passports so it is totally possible.
Governor Jaspert did a good job. From the crap of Irma into Covid plus trying to bring the good goverence and less corruption that the BVI population is crying out for. The Premier used him to try and score his own home political points, which backfired for many people.
The Words of Mercury are Harsh after the Songs of Apollo.