Don’t blame UK for BVI’s failings in public service — Governor
Laying blame at the foot of the governor or the United Kingdom for inadequate policy development and funding for the BVI’s public service is not an accurate reflection of those truly responsible.
Governor John Rankin expressed this view when he appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recently.
He insisted that the elected government is responsible for issues surrounding records management and for underfunding the training for public service workers.
He further said his criticism was not directed to any specific administration.
Rankin told the COI the UK has sought to play its part and the evidence of this can be seen in the £2.14 million Britain doled out to the BVI since 2018. But this figure, the governor said, is in stark contrast to the training investment made by the elected government in parts of the public service.
He further indicated that training in specific subject areas could actually help to support policy development.
Governor Rankin said he agreed there’s more that needs to be done in the area of policy development and noted that this is what was being put forward in an existing policy paper for the public service transformation.
The document is currently being moved forward in agreement with Premier Andrew Fahie.
Governor Rankin said broad areas such as good governance, e-government digitalisation of the public service, better customer service being delivered to the people of the BVI and better human resources management are among those being proposed for attention.
He said the issue of policy planning capability is also listed to be addressed within the broader areas.
“One of the reasons we need this initiative now is, in my view, because of chronic underfunding of training within the public service,” the governor argued.
“What I don’t accept is, with respect to the submissions which have been put forward by the Attorney General, that the lack of what is viewed as ‘policy development skills’ is an explanation for a number of failures in governance,” the governor said.
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“the lack of what is viewed as ‘policy development skills’ is an explanation for a number of failures in governance,” I don’t accept that excuse either!!!
Its only the VIP have a problem with governors
Governor I disagree with you on this. You have the constitutional responsibility for the civil service, the police, courts, prison etc. You cannot expect to exercise control over them but yet escape blame if they are not functioning well. The governors coming here have to do a better job at doing their jobs.
The Governor has control of the public service but it is the elected officials who prepare budget and make police decision. The Governor does not make policy decision for the Public service in isolation.
There was one instant when the Governor saw the stark under-funding of the police and he authorized money form the consolidated funds to assist and you can remember the uproar that created. The Elected Government needs to lead. There will have to be more revenue streams and it will have to come from BVI islanders. When last was land Tax increased. In todays age people cannot expect to pay $20 and $30 for land Tax. Not even $50 dollars. This is just a fact. But this is Tax when collected, that should be invested in our people and the infrastructure and not be dole out to contractors or use to pay for frivolous law suites.
Better human resources personal. Please, the police force has a human resources she is the worse. She is very ineffective.
I agree with him! We hire our own people, we send them away to study, we spend our own money. This is what we tell the electorate. When it comes to positive stuff they send out flyers, have ceremonies and they beat their chest saying “LOOK WHAT WE DID!”. When you point out the shortfalls that’s when you hear “WELL WE ARE A YOUNG GOVERNMENT AND UK NEVER TOLD US HOW!”…It’s shameful to watch!
So the BVI Government is saying we need to pull away from the UK and have more independence in the running of our Territory but then we still say we need the UK to help us with putting things in place? I don’t understand. So when the COI recommends more direct UK involvement citing the statements made by our own elected officials we will then hear from the same officials that this is colonialism, racism etc. The same Premier that called for a COI years ago, got it and now complaining. The same Premier that says we should be independent went on record during the COI saying they were a young Government. Their own Lawyer Cox said they didn’t know better and needed UK guidance. Be careful what you ask for.
vi public service doesn’t
BVI’s only public service is take from the expats and feed the “locals” that have NO ethics.
If policy development skills is lacking of those holding office to effect the changes needed, it is either you fire the incompetent impostors or train them and put them on probation.if they fail probation relieve and or replace them with people competent and professional to execute the duties required of them.
The public service needs to get rid of it’s dead wood and the Government is too scared to do it because of votes so trying to throw it on the Governor. stop the job for life bs and make it performance driven. Too many laws here protect bad employees.
Third World caliber incompetent uneducated an untrained people working for the government do worse and worse job so less and less people wanna come to our territory and then we’re still paying these fools that is not sustainable
Look at the BVI now. It’s a shame to see we are now logging behind most Caribbean Islands..To quote Pastor/Bishop Clyne “Every administration had a billion dollars to spend and they did a poor Job of spending it, the BVI should have been further ahead”…I agree 1000% With the Governor…