Existing constitutional structure insufficient at tackling abuses
Governor John Rankin has surmised that the BVI‘s current constitutional framework is insufficient at addressing the corruption allegedly found within government.
Speaking recently on the status of a proposed constitutional review as recommended by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, Governor Rankin said talks were in their early stages.
But the Governor said he remains committed to working with others in taking forward the much-needed constitutional review.
“The current constitutional structure has not had sufficiently strong checks and balances in it to prevent the abuses that have taken place,” Governor Rankin said in a recent interview.
The COI report found that almost everywhere, the principles of good governance and even the rule of law are ignored.
Governor Rankin said a structure is therefore needed for the constitution which prevents a recurrence of what has happened.
According to the Governor, this would mean having an Auditor General who is not blocked in their work, having an internal audit department that is not blocked in its work, and having ministers accepting that they must not act with unfettered discretion.
“[It would mean] ministers recognising that they, too, like everybody else, must operate within the law and within set parameters,” the Governor expressed.
Further to this, Governor Rankin said the BVI will continue to need independent courts, an independent Director of Public Prosecutions and a police service which he said should have operational independence in law enforcement.
“We’ve got to look at where the constitution has proved insufficient to tackle the bad governance which has occurred and have a modernised constitution which can help us to get on the right road,” he added.
In the meantime, the Governor said he supports the BVI‘s quest for self-governance, calling it a perfectly legitimate wish.
“The difficulty is that we have not been on the road to better self-governance, we’ve been on the road of bad governance and I believe that by carrying out these reforms we can actually get on the right road to where the aspirations of the people of the BVI want to take us,“ the Governor stated.
And while he noted that he could not commit to exact timelines regarding the proposed constitutional review, he expressed hope that the work would begin very soon.
“Constitutional review doesn’t happen overnight, but we’ve got to get the work underway and of course we’ve got to get public consultations underway. I think constitutional review will take at least a year, it may well take a bit longer than that. We’ve got to get going now,” he added.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
To the UK, If you really want to help the people of the BVI please fallow the COI recommendations and take us over for at least 2 years that’s the only way we stand a chance of getting out of this mess, if you don’t you spent over 3 million for nothing.
Our reform should consider the need for all senior government officials including elected officials and appointed officials to submit financial disclosure forms which can be reviewed and audited by a new statutory institution to prevent future corruption.
It has long been rumored that elected officials receive 5-10% of our money spent on large capital expenditures.
The mere thought of having to submit financial disclosure documents will weed out those seeking to profit from us rather than serve us.
The penalty for failure to disclose the documents should be jail time. And the general disclosure statement should be made public for everyone to access.
The obligation to report should extend to all family members and continue for 10 years following a person’s service.
well said governor, I am with you
?? now. Here.
Make the BVI British again
is necessary. The current one lasted 19-20 years, was poorly drafted, inflated the civil service and was never enforced. Limit the legislature to a HOA of 5 independent at large elected members. No political parties and district reps. BVI government should be 5 or 6 ministries with the Guv’s office controlling all Security and Financial matters including auditors.
the laws are there and were not adhere to when some new persons in charge read and find them they hurriedly start implementing some and not all. laws for shipping registry etc so what about laws for residency application after living here over 10 years why were it not hurriedly implemented too like the rest
Y’all had a party. Everyone paid for it. Only 5% got to party. Y’all left the place a complete fkn mess, and the house got all trashed. Mommy Liz said you’re grounded now, and there’s gonna be a long ass lecture for the bad kids. You don’t get to trash the home for $4 billion over 20 yrs, while only 50 families partied. The 29000 that weren’t let In the party are pissed off because they paid for the party. Now Liz is going to stand over you and point at the mess you made and watch you clean it up you will be moving forward with the new house rules this is just what happens when your absolute shithd children in administering the British Virgin Islands trash the house we call home. The rats better find a place to sleep and eat because we are renovating this house.
Most constitutions have been designed on the basis that no one in power is to be trusted. Thus there are built in checks and balances, the separation of the powers of the executive, the legislature. and the judiciary.
Right now in the UK we see an example of how the legislature is calling the executive to account by the calling of a vote of no confidence in Johnson. We saw the bringing down of a US President who stepped over the line with Richard Nixon.
We must in BVI have some form of legislature that can ultimately control the government. Maybe it would take the form of a national council with committees set up to oversee sections of the government like the US and UK committee system. The Council could be elected separately from the Executive. It need not necessarily consist of full time politicians , in fact it would be better if it did not.
We should never be able to get into the situation again where a crook like Fahie controls the whole of the government, executive and legislature. We must design a system where that cannot happen.
Let all ministers be at large and the Premier be identified
BUT TRUE ? JAWS AIN’T GOT NOTHING O THESE PIRANHAS / WHO VEX , VEX , ITS THE TRUTH
Many of us regular folks would support u.k rule if it meant we got the necessary rules put in place so another coi is not needed
Agreed Gov. Rankin, whatever is the next step, it needs to be clearly stated in our Constitution to all current and aspiring politicians, that all MP’s are SERVANTS of THE PEOPLE, and as such are obligated to put the territory’s best interest first, and any found guilty or liable of breaching this trust on an onus of probability, must be imprisoned for no less than 4 years and forfeit all financial benefits re pension and social security benefits.
I listened to Ron Grant intervie of former Speaker of the Legislature in Montserrat. It was very informative. Lots were put into perspective. BVISLANDERS Islnders should listen. Those who have roots in the BVI.
Could not have said it better myself.
Its ironic that the downfall of the BVI has come at the very hands of the few that wanted its independence so that the corruption and unrestricted access to the coffers could be continued.
Where he gonna get decent people in the Government? The Auditor General was decent and she got pushed back all the time. He may have to get expats first to get it up and running. All Government officials, including politicians should have background checks, provide financial returns and details of all sources of income. BVI has been run for the few who have taken their unfair share and now it should be run for all. The schools, the roads, the sewerage etc. should all come first. And get the guns and murders under control as well as all the law breakers. All companies should pay their tax, nhi, and ssb bills.
He also has to look at the work permit fiasco. The reason there are long queues and waits for the majority is because there are some companies that use people who have ‘friends’ and manage to the work permits through much quicker. Why do work permit holders have to renew every year? There was supposed to a 3 year work permit introduced but some for reason the Government did not want to collect the 3 years fee upfront. This the average stay for most expats and if they leave before that date there is no refund so the Government doesn’t lose out.
FIX IT