Governor denies rushing controversial Police Bill
Governor John Rankin has denied accusations that he tried to rush a controversial Police Bill through the House of Assembly (HOA), causing lawmakers to postpone debate on the bill after an uproar in the community.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley had made it clear recently that lawmakers collectively recognise several “clearly problematic” areas of the bill and that “there is no intention by any member of the House of Assembly to pass this Bill in its current form.”
But Governor Rankin, who holds responsibility over the police force in the territory, insisted that his aim had only been for the territory to have an updated Police Act. He also suggested in the process that the existing legislation was deficient in the area of modern policing techniques, such as taking DNA samples.
“The Police Act and its updating has actually been in progress for many years and therefore it is not a rushed piece of legislation,” the governor said. “And what’s also important is that while protecting human rights, we also give the police the modern techniques which are required to tackle modern crime.”
Committed to human rights
With some critics signalling that the new Police Act in its current form would run roughshod over the human rights of residents, the governor also attempted to put those concerns at ease.
“I’m fully committed to protecting the human rights of individuals within this territory. BVI is a territory which benefits from the European Convention of Human Rights applying to it, and with my own background as a human rights lawyer, I would always wish to do nothing which is a contravention of international human rights standards.”
The governor said he made no apologies, if for instance, those new techniques, such as DNA fingerprinting could be employed to catch a rapist.
He stated that the BVI needs a law which is effective for policing the territory, but also respects the human rights of residents and said he was hopeful the HOA would be able to pass such legislation.
Act should be passed before elections
In the meantime, the governor shared his optimism that there could be progress on the Bill during the current HOA session, and said he was hopeful the Act can be passed ahead of elections which are expected to happen by mid-May, 2023.
Governor Rankin further stated that he would be surprised if lawmakers did not implement changes to the current bill and addressed the question of whether he would decline to provide assent to the Act once it is passed with changes.
“My hope would be that those changes would not be a backward step either in terms of protection of human rights, which would remain important for me, and in terms of giving the police the techniques they need to be able to fight the crime, which sadly, as I speak today, we’re all too aware of in the territory,” the governor said.
He added: “But I hope very much the bill whenever it’s passed is one to which I will be able to assent.”
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Sorry governor but I don’t believe a word from your mouth. You believe only you have brains but some of us see you.
They going take ting from off the street and “find” in the property
So Rankin whats the rush what this bill have to be pass before this Unity Govt is moved
Why is he so adamant to pass this thing before elections?? Why this Bill? There have been many other bills that he the Govervor refused to assent to but now he rushing to pass a bill that infringes on people’s rights?? No way!!! Anytime Sowande pass this bill, that will be the last thing he pass.
We do need to upgrade these areas but there is a propper way to do anything. For example(por ejemplo si tu no entiende englis pero embiase aqui.)it is a violation to jump up and demand finger printing unless theres some kind of suspission(right) but if this becomes a neccessity which it is then our prerequsite should be if you want to enter this territory then this is what you must go through. Other than that you are denied entrance. While at the same time you have ways to take those of who reside through tax office or other means like NHI and Courts.police records social security. I could see the UKstill play around and trying to MAMAGUY US..X more to come.remember they tried this already. Fool me once i learn. Twice im an Donkey.(intentional grammar)
Truth be told the Police Bill been around since Dr. Smith was Premier and successive Premiers have been bouncing it around. Let the journalists do some research and see.
Legislation is merely a word , laws the same , the HOA continues to draft and sometimes even pass all kinds of modern high minded
cntent for any number of arrears of government statute , they then deliberately and cynically pay no attention or budget for any implementation or enforcement of the statue merely point to the written word and claim to be Holier-than-thou.
“BVI is a territory which benefits from the European Convention of Human Rights applying to it.”
Europeans were very good at violating humans, if they found it necessary to create. They were the first to created it all.
Rankin is a big l**r don’t believe him remember what he said about Andrew he can’t be trusted he and Collins and Pam needs to go they are all l**ser wake up vi islanders
With all the childish and ego driven games & plots they played and pulled back and forth, the propaganda, the paid bloggers. Covid-19 political wrestling with our health on the line.
Premier fighting Governor remember it all from Jaspert to today…
we need to be very careful in a democratic society of any thing an unelected governor tries to rush through if there is any doubt as to its purpose
Meanwhile the governor does nothing to advance our cannabis bill for the people of the territory that he claims the police bill is necessary to protect.
The Uk is holding back our medical & financial prosperity at the least from increased visitor arrivals seemingly to spite a select bunch of politicians.
we all suffer from the continued oppression in the form of lack of access to medicine, racial tensions, police alienation from huge sections of the community. Thanks governor.
When people call for roadside stop n search do they realize a dirty cop can say they smelled weed at any time, and boom there’s an excuse to hold innocent Christian biometric data for seven+ years.
Effective stop n search would destabilize the whole territory as more otherwise innocent people go to jail for a plant.
The current legislation and unselective engagement with the forever war on drugs is not fit for purpose considering the reality of our modern Virgin Islands culture.
Stop and search would be likely to make the carrying of illegal firearms less frequent. There are far too many illegal firearms in the Territory. The interests of the law abiding majority need to be balanced against those of the people who would be stopped and searched.
“The interests of the law abiding majority need to be balanced against those of the people who would be stopped and searched.”
The majority of Caribbean people, in fact the majority of the western world, especially the younger 20s generation do not support infringing on otherwise law abiding citizen’s rights
Not for simple possession of a scientifically proven medical & therapeutic plant medicine.
Legalization will take away this idea of police being the enemy for whole generations of people young & old.
Weed being illegal is the very reason why people post up on social media the location of police stop & search. Five minutes after police set up its all over social media.
Do not change our police bill. We are humans and have human rights. When you do your damage and go back to the UK, we will be stuck with this mess. First of all most of our current police officers are not even Natives. This is pure nonsense. Leave our bill alone!!!!! This is not an apartheid state. You are trying to set us back in time. Please stop it. Our culture is historically Black/Virgin Islanders. Not White. We are good people who live in peace. Those current murders have nothing to do with us. Check out where these people from. and allegedly committing murders among us. Again, please stop.