Despite new gov’t, no final decision made on COI recommendations
Despite accepting the cross-partisan National Unity Government proposed by local legislators to help maintain the democratic integrity of the territory, Governor John Rankin said no final decision has been made on whether the recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry Report will be implemented.
Speaking to BVI News after yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony for Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and members of the the new government, Rankin said he accepted the proposal in line with the constitutional powers given to him as governor.
“The answer is, it was a weighty decision and as [UK Overseas Territories] Minister Amanda Milling made clear on her departure from here, she was here to listen and learn and decisions have yet to be made on the final recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry Report. But for the time being, I acted in accordance with the constitution, as I am obliged to do as governor, and of course, made the appointments I have made,” Governor Rankin said.
He mentioned that there will be further discussions with the newly appointed government and the United Kingdom on the best way forward for the territory.
“The Minister for the Overseas Territory has returned to London, and she will reflect on what she has learnt here. She’ll have a discussion with the British Foreign Secretary and no doubt further discussions with me and the Premier. A decision will be made thereafter. But in the meantime, I am looking forward to working with this new government,” Governor Rankin said.
Dr Wheatley had moved a motion of no confidence against former Premier Andrew Fahie in the House of Assembly yesterday. It was supported by members. The no-confidence motion resulted in the appointment of a new National Unity Government led by Dr Wheatley who was sworn in as the Premier at Government House last evening.
Kye Rymer of the formerly governing, Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration retained his role as Minister of Transportation, Works, and Utilities and was given the added responsibility of Deputy Premier.
Sharie de Castro was promoted and sworn in as Minister of Education, Youth Affairs, Sports, & Culture; Alvera Maduro Caines was sworn in as Junior Minister for Tourism, while Shereen Flax-Charles was sworn in as Junior Minister for Trade, Commerce, Economic Development, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Former Opposition Leader Marlon Penn (of the National Democratic Party) was sworn in as Minister of Health & Social Development while Opposition legislator Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull (of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement) was sworn in as Minister of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration.
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Well done Governor! We don’t trust the new government as well. We need to start from a fresh slate. Let’s follow the COI suggestions line per line and bring our country back on its own feet. Just a couple of years in a nation’s history is peanuts! Keep on!
PLEASE TAKE US OVER UK!!!!
We cannot govern ourselves. We are corrupt, incompetent, criminal children who cannot and will not balance a budget or spend the peoples money wisely
We must have new leadership. And NOT from here
Jim,
Are you a Caucasian?
It has nothing to do with white, only what’s right. Placing a new head or Minister is easy, it’s the morals and integrity of the civil servants and people at large that’s truly in question. The case of the recently released letter from the Premier’s office sent in attempt to have the X-Premier released on immunity terms is precisely what is endemic in BVI community and it’s people
I believe he or she is blue! A direct descendant to a Smurf.
You only have to look a few miles away to the USVI, and see how much better they are now, compared to 15 years ago. 15 years ago the US government, including the DEA, moved in and started prosecuting people. It turned the USVI around. Wasn’t a Black-White issue. Now people in the USVI are generally very happy with how it is run. But until the Feds came in and cleaned it up, it was becoming a pit.
Are you a racist?
Are you African?
Who is going to conduct the dozens or audits and criminal investigations? They certainly need to be done but we haven’t even produced a simple annual audit on time in the last 15 years. Right? We need Scotland Yard down here now. We will even take Slow Horses (great new series). PLEASE HELP
I fully agree with you, Andrew Fahie was not alone in all the wrong he did in this country he had 6 willing and able accomplices who benefited and allowed the victimization and corruption to continue, and all of a sudden the veil has been lifted and they are righteous and honest. Same people that passed the greedy bill, passed marijuana and gambling legislation without any public consultation. I guess we waiting for the next Andrew Fahie or Jim Jones to come and lead them away like sheep again. I really think we need an election ASAP
The COI has recommended dozens of criminal investigations. Who is going to oversee these? None of issues highlighted by COI are new to us. The challenge is that our own judicial system has been incapable of addressing these matters. Perhaps we should take a deeper look at our judicial system and adjust that as well. Why was Hodge allowed to avoid being extradited to the US? If Fahie escapes back to the BVI would our courts refuse to extradite him?
They should have all resigned.
They don’t want to resign they want their pensions. That is what this is about. It has nothing to do with the country, its about saving face at the expense of the people.
That is not true. But you have your agenda Virgin Islanders cannot govern themselves b/c of a few. God helps those that help themselves. Seems many of you are seeking a foreign saviour instead of being honest about the problem.
The same people who were sitting in Cabinet while a lot of questionable things were going on are the same people in this Unity government. Point to one who complied with the provisions of the Registry of Interests Act. Name one who objected to the BVI Airways debacle, the school wall, the land for Delta, the radar barges, etc etc. Just name one. Any one.
And this corruption has been going on for decades. Where were our own saviors all that time??
They all find it hard to resist me. They will do whatever it takes to get my sugary treats,even if it means putting on a show and acting like they want what’s best for the territory, when in fact, they’re doing what’s best for themselves. But, they forgot, too much sugar can cause diabetes
Whatever!
UK is a set of dogs running away with your tails between your legs.
You came and listened to a babbling group of extremists hell bent on milking this country dry, while acting as though you actually did something.
A majority of us remain standing here shaking our collective heads in disappointment. We stupidly allowed ourselves a glimmer of hope that something, (anything) might change!
Set of pretenders!
It’s true I expected better from the UK and the outcome of this COI but let’s not give up hope yet. They haven’t said the Constitution won’t be suspended. It could still happen. We could still be free of this bunch of th**ves.
They have not yet made a decision. WTH you all talking about?
Whitehall janitors to clean up own mess.
Where’s the representation for the majority of the population? Governor Rankin,Honourable Milling,the majority favors a UK takeover and this can easily be assessed,if needed,by a nation wide vote.
A nation wide vote by actual people who can actually vote would never vote for UK direct rule… you could never be a virgin islands voter and talking that kind of non sense!
Remember if you will, trial by Jury in the BVI has and is considered to be wrought with problems. Again, vastly a community void of moral and ethical reasoning puts the judicial at risk as well as the politics of a nation. Until we as a community are honest and change our lying ways, sadly things will remain the same.
I am a BVI voter andI fully support firing this government , having a period of reform of our institutions and then elections under the new constitution. I do not support a permanent British takeover.
I believe my position is the position of the majority of the people in the VI.
Being a Virgin Islander is precisely why the vote will be to sack this government and take the two years to right the ship
Are you a racist?
What happened here is so disappointing. Anew government made up of the same set of people who were part and parcel with robbing our territory blind. Don’t tell me that the UK were blinded by this fake bunch excreting pure s**t about serving with integrity and loyalty that they are not capable of. If this sham of a government is allowed to stand then the COI was a waste of time. On the other hand I pray that the UK will stand with the masses of the population who prefer direct UK rule for 2 years. The system must be purged totally and this government can’t do it, because they are all part of the mess. We the people are throwing ourselves at the mercy of HM Queen Elizabeth to please deliver us from these wolves. Thank you.
Agreed. I think we need oversite. Just because there is a new govt doesnt mean it is not full of corrupt politicians.
Milling came here and spoke to politicians and church leaders. The very people who have caused the problems and who are milking the country dry. She did not talk to ordinary real people.
Disgraceful.
The final decision will be made by Millings boss Liz Truss who is the Foreign Secretary of the UK.
You can contact her at [email protected]
I suggest all those who wish to express an opinion send her an email.
I know She also met with other organisations, NGOs and private citizens. Get your facts right.
Say who.
2 D NEW COMEDY CLUB ? / SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND NO INTEGRITY ,WHAT A SHAME OUR ANCESTORS GOT TO ROLLING IN THEIR GRAVES AT THESE SET OF HYPOCRITES ?
Yesterday was one of the most sickening day in BVI history. I am not an Andrew fan and he has to answer to the law for his actions. But all of them made it look like he was the worst thing for the country when in fact all the nonsense in the coi they condone without publicly standing up to him for the people.
As for the opposition they never brought any serious challenge to the house against him because they too were afraid that he would reveal their skeletons.
This UNited Government nonsense could never happen in the UK so why are they allowing it here. A government and opposition that were investigated for corruption which produce a report over 1000 pages and 40 recommendations which include criminal investigations are allowed to be a sitting Government.
The people are once again left with the shitty bag being led by a man who pledged his support wholeheartedly for every nonsense the premier did as far as Government Business was concerned. What are we supposed to do now is just pretend that these men made a mess of the country and never did anything and implement the policies that the people will suffer from.
This continues to be a place where the bad is always rewarded and it condone from the highest level. I will wait to see if the UK agrees to this folly or if they will do what is morally and ethically right and prove that rewarding the bad in this society does not extend from their level.
I am not sure why Noone is advocating for the return of fahie. They all need to go om trial for dishonesty and deceiving the people. Uk needs to bring him back let us punishment them all for making a mockery of the constitution.
On another note why have they turned their backs on Fahie? Isn’t he one of us? Shouldn’t we fight to get him out of the US. Why leave him to fend for himself….he stands a better chance with UK defense. Comeon UK bring him back.
It was his duty to swear them in …just that and only that! Prepare yourselves!
This is the only sensible comment I’ve read so far! If they know what’s good for them they better prepare.
Seems to me that one of the challenges here is the very narrow requirements to hold one of these government positions. It means that there is but a small pool of persons to choose candidates from.
Maybe it’s time to look at who’s eligible to run for these offices so we can expand the options and better represent the voters.
Don’t mind their titles, Dr. Dr Dr. from what school?
I would love to see a future government made up of
1. Clarence Faulkner (As Premier)
2. The Auditor General
3. Dorea Corea
4. Ronnie Skeleton
Can you all think of 9 other BVIslanders that would stand on principle and move the BVI to the next level of development and who would represent us well both locally and internationally.
We have individuals right here but I am not certain why individuals with no proven record of doing any or even leading a small team are often the ones who are interested in leading the BVI;
We need to look at who can vote and who can stand for office. It is a national disgrace that persons who have made their lives here and been here for 20 years or more have no vote. We need to get in line with the rest of of the world and look at citizenship after 5 years living and supporting yourself here.
And we need to get rid of the requirement to be “ barn here “ to stand for office.
That’s the way the incestuous ruling elite will be removed from power.
I agree with you 100%. This is just sickening!!!!
“After joy comes sorrow”
you will be the first one to be laid off when the UK start cutting jobs, always be careful for what you wish for !
We can watch closely, let UK make their decision come next election after this group have had time to prove they are worthy and have the best interests of the BVI in mind.
?? Keep the pressure on them. This “interim Government” is made up of the same parties that produced the scoundrels that caused the COI. This is just a bandage, if you want to call it that, on a gouge. The VIP NDP and party system must be banded.
… a 9 figure amount of money you wished to put through the British off-shore services. Would you use the BVI right now? I wouldn’t due to this unstable enviroment.
That is why he is here. This nonsence is cutting in to their global reputation and profit margins… just like a Mafia doesn’t suffer outlaw wannabes bring heat on them.
All the UK government/banking sector wants is for the country to be stable and get back to business as normal.
They don’t care how this all plays out or who runs things, as long as the end result is peace, quiet, stability and profits.
But He does have that look of someone 5 steps infront with an agenda.
The big brain and an old school tie mafia lol
So the government just decided to create their own new government without election. They have formed a coalition government but left only 1 opposition member whom will be out voted every time on every issue, so basically the sitting government can do whatever they like! And why is the Premier allowed to be the Minister of Finance too, surely this opens up the opportunity for further corruption as he doesn’t have to account with anyone about spending public funds. If there was a separate Minister for Finance this would give more accountability. Hoping UK come and remove the government as nothing has changed, just the name!
They were all in there doing their own thing – full of themselves and their own so-called power and not doing the work they should ahve been doing but furthering their own agendas.
Ayo dont start to celebrate and jump up yet because it seems like we gonna have a bumpy ride from here onwards
Why would you allow the same people who have been ripping off the people of the BVI to choose who will be the next Premier You need to clean house, get rid of all of them and have a new election. An inquiry needs to go all the way back to Smith and his administration. Everyone is trying to pretend he or she is the innocent, but none of them are. Seize their properties and bank accounts. Give the people of the BVI back their money.I you start questioning them one by one, the will be like song birds telling on each other. Put the fear of God in all of them. CLEAN HOUSE! Make, don’t give them a chance to resign. Have new election and let the people choose, but remember to keep an eye on the new group also. Go all the way back to Smith and make them pay for ripping off the people of the BVI .
It needs to go back to at least Ralph and his administration. What about Biwater? The contract that requires the BVI to pay millions a year in perpetuity before a single drop of water is processed and one which the Smith administration was purportedly advised would cost more to terminate than to continue paying the millions for ever. And what about the greenhouses? A similar arrangement with those. And no transparency as to who the counter parties to these arrangements actually are.
That is why you have elections. The coalition government ought to function until elections are held and a new government is elected.Democracy must.prevail.
One thing I don’t see in all this debate is someone pointing out just how bad things can get if the corruption is not rooted out. This is not a BVI vs UK thing. This has become a BVI vs US thing. And don’t believe that the US don’t have some big hammers in their tool box. With the corruption comes drug-running, the US can consider the BVI a “narco-state” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narco-state
Say goodbye to banking, off-shore finance, visas to the US, etc. etc. The US can make some **hurt**. So don’t go there. Let the UK clean this place up!
Same book, different page. THEY All NEED TO GO LIKE YEARS AGO.
Under the new constitution the Premier minister of finance) should be voted at large and must have at least a Degree in Finance
All candidates for the legislative should pass a fit and proper test including (1) screening with no prior record of misconduct even in the magistrate’s court (2) all loan commitments are in proper order. (3) no outstanding debts outside of their mortgage exceeding $100k without detailed explanation
Under the new constitution the Premier minister of finance) should be voted at large and must have at least a Degree in Finance
All candidates for the legislative should pass a fit and proper test including (1) screening with no prior record of misconduct even in the magistrate’s court (2) all loan commitments are in proper order. (3) no outstanding debts outside of their mortgage exceeding $100k without detailed explanation
Once Vincent weathley is out as the minister for labour and immigration everything will be alright.He was an ab**er.
I don’t think Britain should take over. I think working along with what we have in place is the way to go, I think it’s going to take Britain involvement to clean up some entities and Departments that the people been complaining about for years and the local govt ignore is or don’t have the ball, or know how to fix the issues..These have been the complaints for years..Labour, Immigration, Customs, NHI, Ports, Boards, No bid contracts, unnecessary consultants and their high fees…It’s going to take Britain involvement working with unity government to get those fixed.
The BVI constitution as defective as it is, is still in place, pending its suspension and imposition of direct rule. I believe Governor Rankin assertion that he was acting in accordance with the current constitution in swearing in the new Unity Government. However, doubt his assertion that no decision was made. Suspending the constitution is a fait accompli. If not so, I may eat my shoes. If Amanda Millin truly wanted to listen, she would have given the public time to peruse the CoI; the Governor had the CoI for weeks; public a few hours before she arrived in country to meet with people.
From an unscientific sampling of the comments, the self-haters are out in force. This is awfully painful to say and will offend many but unapologetic. We Virgin Islanders have an inferiority complex. Like Sambo in Harriet Beecher Stowe classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin, we prefer and support others, especially the supposed dominant caste, over our own. Others promote and celebrate their own (not all our own are politically corrupt scoundrels); Virgin Islanders tear down their own in crab in a bucket fashion. Even before the ink was dried on swearing document for the new Unity Government, the haters were out in force. Pure self-reinforcing discrimination that subscribed to the old adage: if you are White you are right, if you are brown stick around and if you are black get back. Does the BVI have problems? Yes. Have some past leaders allegedly behave in a corrupt manner? Yes. Can Virgin Islanders fix the BVI problems if afforded the opportunity and get the support of the people? Yes.
Moreover, the BVI was the last in the region to get fully aboard the education train. The BVI didn’t get a small secondary school until 1947 and comprehensive secondary school until 1968. And perhaps as a consequence, we may be the least enlightened on racial history, heritage and culture. And may be the least racially proud; we seem ashame of who we are while others are super proud of who they are. Here is a news flash. Others are not in to us as we thing they are, flowery language aside. We earn no respect with our nauseating behaviour. They view us as buffoons, grin in our faces, and laugh at us behind our backs. We need to get some personal and national When the nobility gather at Government Housr( Mount Olympus) or Palace of Westminster or Privy Council in London or Number 10 Downing Street or Buckingham Palace over tea, they enjoy a hearty laugh perhaps saying that these negroes are still behaving like slaves after hundred of years of slavery and colonialism.
Folks, the UK does not give a rat’s ass about the BVI. They care about the British in the British Virgin Islands being tarnished. The vast British Empire that enriched Great Britain has faded into the history books. The UK still wants to project itself as a world leader, looking to regain some of its lost prestige. Voila!!!! Global Britain.
People don’t be fooled by COI recommendations,its actually Hickinbottom recommendations which he and the Governor is on the same team.
Britain does not really want to govern the PVI, but I don’t see why they shouldn’t be a bipartisan government with supervision from the governor, and maybe one or two extra people, perhaps an accountant and an attorney, who can teach the elected BVI politicians what is required to run a government of a very small island nation, and perhaps also bring in elected politicians and civil servants from other historically British islands like Barbados or Bermuda for a mentoring role.
New Government ? Two faces are missing, all they’ve done is shuffle some positions around. Still the same old cr**ked faces. Can’t accept that they’re done.
The corrupt individuals who are going to bring them to task ?
Their aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins ?
This is not going to happen. Blood thicker than water.
The UK needs to suspend the constitution , carry out its investigation and call elections after two years .
Then the lesson of dishonesty and misuse of the public purse will be learnt ,
UK needs to solve this problem in the BVI civil service before any progress will be made. Maybe transfer the whole civil service to other BOT’s around globe and bring in the UK to run the BVI civil service. Falkland Islands has lots of empty position in the public service!