Fraser decries loss of political power
Third District Representative Julian Fraser has expressed concerns about elected officials in the BVI losing power to statutory board members and unelected bureaucrats.
During a recent House of Assembly (HOA) sitting, Fraser highlighted how ministers seem to have less authority over statutory bodies, a significant shift from when ministers had a more direct role in decision-making.
The veteran lawmaker complained that some legislation brought to the HOA by the government was an “existential threat” to the country’s path to self-determination.
“Taking the powers from the Minister, placing them back in the hands of the Governor, claiming that they were going in the hands of the Deputy Governor, claiming that the Deputy Governor is one of us,” Fraser said. “It’s [about] where the power belongs. Ministerial government places the power in the Minister’s hand. And if you are a Minister and you can’t uphold those simple principles, then you have to question yourself.”
Fraser cited his experience with the National Parks Trust as an example. In the late 1990s, he was dismissed from the board of the Trust without clear reasons. Years later, as the Minister responsible for the National Parks, he noticed a change in how statutory boards operate, suggesting that ministers no longer have the same influence. “I don’t recognise the situation that I’m hearing about,” Fraser added.
“We have to be careful not to allow ourselves to give powers to the central government, meaning the public service, over these statutory bodies,” Fraser cautioned. “I see where they are allowing the Financial Secretary and the policy that governs central government finances to get involved in statutory bodies.”
Additionally, Fraser pointed out how statutory boards now function with less oversight from elected officials. He criticised the process of appointing board members and questioned the new practice of advertising for board and chairmanship positions.
“No wonder the Ministers now have to resort to sending WhatsApp [messages] telling the chairman of a board to resign,” he said while referencing a recent government incident involving Health Minister Vincent Wheatley and the BVI Health Services Authority Board Chairman, Ron Potter.
Fraser linked this shift to an increasing trend where government employees, rather than elected officials, make critical decisions affecting the territory. “We have to be particularly careful as to how we are being led into creating legislation to curb the intended independence of these statutory bodies,” Fraser argued.
This issue of bureaucratic control is not new for Fraser. Earlier in 2022, he complained about government employees in the Ministry of Finance dictating where funding goes, often sidelining ministers’ input. He noted that funds allocated for specific purposes, such as removing derelict vessels, were redirected without ministerial knowledge.
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One of the advantages of Statutory Boards is that they are supposed to be free from influence by politicians. The lat thing we want is an politician interfering with the running of a statutory board.
https://bvinews.com/fraser-denies-conflict-of-interest-in-brothers-role-in-scb-project/
Hon. Fraser, it is evident that the politicians have a hard time not having access the money and spending it the way you want to without any restrictions.
The country can not continue to run like how you guys want it to. There must be check and balances. There must be transparancy and accountability.
Hence, why you feel as though you don’t have any political power. Each of you singlehandly destroyed the country.
Retire, matter of fact RESIGN!
It is not good. We vote for the politicians in a democratic process. Look at residents calling resignation man not stepping down when the people say to.
That’s what you get my boi for all those years of wasteful spending and mismanagement of the Public Service and Statutory Bodies! All those years of spending, spending and more spending without tangible benefits to show to this society. Every project regardless of size, scope and budget has had dismal results and cost overruns yet in 2024 the BVI’s look like a forgotten country.
You and your colleagues (VIP post 2017) had a golden opportunity; so too did the NDP ruling governments. It was squandered, fumbled and wasted on party politics and personal gains.
I am sadly waiting for the next crisis and failure of the resultant inadequacies that have persisted for years while pork projects and special interests prevail over the good of all and those elected officials whom have lost their moral compasses.
God be with us all in these times!
It is comments like your , mine and others that we have, and will be reading for the next three years.
Such represent the state of the country, its lack of governance, the state of mind and hopes of the people.
We can only hope now, since this government has signed into law the take over of the territory, through legislation, that our Human Rights and others will not be be legislated out of existence by our premire, Ministers and others.
If this type of governance is allowed to continue, we the people will be be relegated to the status of pigs, as in the not so faraway past.
People can shout all they want that “BVI Health Services is a statutory body,” but that doesn’t change the fact that it is the only public health provider in the Virgin Islands and remains directly accountable to the Ministry of Health. This principle applies to all statutory bodies. No statutory body should operate entirely like a private entity – they are, by definition, empowered to function with some autonomy. The key word here is *empowered* – empowered by the House of Assembly through the Ministry and the Minister of Health.
The core issue facing the BVI is the treatment of public offices as if they were family businesses, leading to a disregard for the rule of law, abuse of authority, and a lack of accountability. A major problem is the passage of various laws and amendments that negatively impact statutory bodies, while the responsible Ministers sit in the House of Assembly as though they are on a permanent vacation.
When statutory bodies like the BVI Health Services are underfunded or mismanaged, the ultimate responsibility falls on the governing Ministry, which must ensure proper oversight and implement sound policies. The current leadership has failed to meet the needs of the islands, particularly in providing adequate healthcare to the sister islands. Are there any specific actions or plans being discussed? No, just a bunch of individuals in the House of Assembly acting as if they have no power.
You claim that ‘the current leadership has failed to meet the healthcare needs of the sister islands,’ but do you honestly believe this is a problem that just emerged in the last year and a half? This has been a persistent issue, driven by deep-rooted systemic problems and ongoing budget shortfalls that inevitably affect the quality of services. It’s this kind of selective amnesia that prevents us from solving the very problems that continue to hold us back.
@ Aurelius I agree. Your last sentence though! Ministers act as if they have no power. Well, what’s the balance? We see here the current minster exercising his authority (which was the case previously) and the public fallout on display.
Hon. Frazer on another article on this media, decries his diminished power and that of the cabinet.
The Vote of No Confidence by the opposition was clearly against the Minister of Finance and his inability to stop the hemorrhaging of all branches of government. Why is it that none of the government ministers and backbenchers see/feel the need for this painful circus to end?
simple common sense / THEY ARE ALL OF THE SAME FEATHER \ OR – DOG EAT DOG . JUST STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY , WHEN THEY START TO FLEX OFF THEMSELVES ON EACHOTHER ( OH , THEY ALREADY GOT A SCAPEGOAT ASUSUAL
ITS THE UK AND THE GOVERNOR ( AKA ) THE COLONIALISTS SLAVE MASTERS FAULT
WELL HOW CAN WE ❓️ BUT he only doing as the rest doing / looking out for family FIRST ) WHY you
think he and his
ASCIOATATES are creating all this
drama for ? ALL AH
DEM got SKELETONS
in their closets so ALL AH DEM USING THE ” COLONIALISM RETHORIC AS A DISTRACTION .TO FOOL US , LIKE ONLY THEY ALONE WENT TO SCHOOL / the COI IS MAKING THEM EXPOSE THEMSELVES – ONE BY ONE
IN THEIR CLOSETS / SO THEY ALL USING COLONIALISM LYRICS