Elections on! COI recommendations roll-out binding on any future gov’t
With the United Kingdom deciding not to suspend the constitution or enact direct rule over the territory, the British Virgin Islands will be having its general elections next year.
Premier Dr Wheatley gave that indication on Wednesday after Governor John Rankin delivered the news that the UK also accepted the BVI government’s proposal on how to implement what remains of the 49 recommendations outlined in the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report.
The government now has 24 months to roll out the recommendations or the UK will likely void the agreement and effect direct rule over the territory. Therefore, any administration that follows the existing National Unity Government must be prepared to follow through on this agreement with the UK.
“The [aforesaid] proposal mentions a two-year timeline and of course, as you said, elections are due probably somewhere around May next year. This means this proposal is binding on any future administration,” Dr Wheatley said.
“These reforms begin right away. As the Governor has mentioned, we already started by making changes, but this will be our main priority right up until the election and any future government of course will have to be true to those commitments over the years,” the Premier added.
Dr Wheatley further said the public service will play an integral part in the reform process as the COI report focused mainly on the inadequacies and inefficiencies found within the territory’s public service.
“When people read the proposal, they will see there is a role for the Governor. There is a role for the Premier and the ministers in the Cabinet. There is a role for the House of Assembly and there are roles for all the ministries in the reform,” the Premier stated.
“If you look at the COI report, you see there are things in there on statutory bodies, [and] contracts. We [also] have the issue of Belongership and residents. There are a number of issues that affect various departments and ministries of government, and I am actually excited to get into the details of some of those things with the public and have a discussion with the public about reform that must take place throughout the government,” Dr Wheatley added.
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I RECOMMEND FRASER FOR PREMIER
I recommend that we change the title. Premier is far too often associated with Narco or despotic regimes. The title should be inline with our new brand – friendly, drug free, and open for business. Chief Minister worked well – I suggest we go back to that.
Godfather is nice.
Then we could be the first place in the world with two former Premiers in jail.
Not with that haircut
This is another obvious reason why this suspended suspension may well not work. If elections take place and a party is elected which objects to the reforms, which is very likely given the civil service is to be reformed; and we will still have our tiny electorate which doesn’t represent tax payers; it will cause a constitutional crisis to suspend that new government then. It would not have done so now given the CoI and Fahie’s arrest etc.
The above is blindingly obvious. Who is running the UK’s strategy here? Have they graduated from high school?
All of a sudden, the one who inherited premiership {who was always against the UK} is now doing all the lap-dancing for/with them which makes me believe that he was involved in the plot against the head coach.
This is the team I see best in the HOA. However they end up whether in the government or the opposition we will be solid. This is not a full government so some new names would have to be added but I believe where we are now these are people who could really help. This is my opinion.
Mitch Turnbull
Julian Fraser
Kye Rhymer
Kedrick Pickering
Marlon Penn
Myron Walwyn
Ronnie Skelton
Ingrid Scatliffe
Sandy Underhill
Obviously you are an NDP. People want fresh faces with fresh ideas to move this place forward not recycled characters! Not representatives indoctrinated into the way of doing things which we now see ourselves trying to reform.
We elected fresh faces with fresh ideas and look where we are…all the VIP members in Government were “fresh faces” expect for Andrew
It was the behaviour of Andrew, Claude, willock, Sowande and the rest of the VIP misfits that got us here. If the UK needed to call a COI before they would have done so. It is the actions of the last three years that caused this. We should not re-elect anyone who was a part of the government at that time. They are all complicit.
I agree with you however the poor governance practices started many years ago in the early 2000s. Also, remember Head Coach called for this CoI during NDP administration and never thought it would fall in his lap. What we need are much better managers and implementers of policy. How many of the current administration actually ran a successful business? Head Coach ran a store into the ground and for a former math teacher numbers were certainly waaaay off!
Put Dancia in the mix also Preston Stoutt or Sylvia Moses or Shaina
Who you have for the 9th buddy? Cause VW ain cutting it!
You all better come again we need a new set with morals and who will fight for we the people
Anthea Smith
Janice Stoutt
Julian Willock
Jugo Sprauve
Kye Rhymer
Alvera Maduro Caines
Kedrick Pickering
Marlon Penn
Janice George Creque
Ronnie Skelton
Danica Penn
Sharie De Castro
Kevin Fahie
Ok. It’s JW who write this list. Nobody in their right mind would want disgraced wiggy to represent them.
I doubt jw will want to be on a team with smurf, ronnie and Kendrick.
But at least four of them on that list can win
The only ones could win is the first three but they have to run in the districts for example wiggie esteemed can’t win at large plus other winners are Marlon and kye… the rum boy has a chance
sorry, but your list is contaminated with criminals.
Except for Rymer and Fraser these are all NDP has-beens. This isn’t an excuse to get your party in power so you can get into the cookie jar again. What part of “reform the system” don’t you understand? These kind of provincial small time me-first attitudes are what got us trouble to begin with.
This is how I see it:
Archibald Christian
Melvin Turnbull
Julian Fraser
Colin O’Neal
Kye Rhymer
Marquese Maduro
Natalio Wheatley
Marlon Penn
Shereen Flax Charles
Darrell Ruan
Sharie De Castro
Sharon Flax Brutus
Cindy Rosan
Cindy that mo mo you got to be kidding me
H**l No
Every 90 days this recycled HOA must report on their CoI progress to the Guv. If they fail in that goal then the BVI constitution is suspended and UK direct rule commences with no elections.
Meanwhile the CoI investigations into civil service corruption continue so those results will also influence any plans for elections.
Best advice is to wait and see what happens in Sept. and Dec. 2022 and March 2023
Moving on, the next challenge is how to avert a Constitutional crises in lieu of the agreement between the unity government and the governor’s office?
Please improve hospital services. Why go St Thomas if we can have our own proper efficient health services. Beautiful building but very poor service.
What we need our constitution review to enclude is no more party politics. We the people of the British Virgin Islands must rightfully be evolve in choosing who we want as Premier.
I think Fahie was moved out of the way for a reason. He likes war, so let Showande clean up the mess he helped to create. I think he will do a better job at that.
SONIA ONEAL WEBSTER NEEDS TO RUN.
SHE WILL WIN..
BECOME PREMIER AND KEEP OUR MONEY IN ORDER.
THATS THE ONLY PERSON I WILL VOTE FOR!!
The Battle for the BVI
There is a Battle for the BVI
Cause our Leaders have gone astray
And have left the Nation reeling
In Corruption and Dismay.
Our Former Leader is in Prison
For the alleged wrong he had done
And the Parties that were reigning
Have crumbled to the ground.
We all are shocked, and sadden
And feeling quite ashamed
But we all have failed to cry out
So we all must bear the blame.
The Commissioner of Inquiry
Has release a sad report
And the information there in
Burns with fire and with smoke.
There’s many recommendations
We are commanded now to do
And all will be affected
As the process comes in view.
The UK hammer hangs over our heads
With drastic investigations
And threat of DIRECT RULE
Is hanging o’ the Nation.
Look at how the people
And the Country have been fooled
And now we all are threatened
By the UK Direct Rule.
Our Nation is in trouble
And is fighting to survive
And there is a Battle Raging
It’s for the BVI.
May God help this little Nation
From this blow, it will revive
This is “Nature Little Secret”
The Battle for the BVI.
Poem: By Phyllis I. Mercer