Governor launches inquiry into allegations against top cop
Governor John Rankin said he has launched an inquiry into the allegations mounted against Police Commissioner Mark Collins.
The Governor made that disclosure at a recent press conference where he promised to seek additional powers from the United Kingdom to help enforce Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations.
Dozens of concerned officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) signed a petition last month for Collins’ removal from office while citing a myriad of allegations, ranging from misconduct to abuse of power.
The petition outlines a series of 55 allegations against Commissioner Collins, including issues such as interference with justice, abuse of office, and violations of fundamental rights.
“I have, in line with UK and international best practice, asked a senior police officer from another Overseas Territory within the region to carry out an independent review of the complaints that have been made and looked into,” Rankin told the media.
The Governor said he took all complaints seriously and promised that once the review was completed, and any findings or recommendations were made, he would make them available to the public.
The Governor was then questioned over whether residents should trust in a system filled with bias and run by a Police Commissioner who lacked the trust of his subordinates. He was also asked whether they should be made to wait until a report comes back in six months or a year to say that nothing was found.
But Rankin refuted any claims of personal bias and argued that his decision to initiate a review of the complaints itself showed his impartiality.
“With respect, I reject the accusation of any bias,” the Governor said. “Secondly, I’m not aware of anything which suggests that the majority of officers in the RVIPF do not have confidence in the Commissioner.”
He added that some of the complaints in the petition are different from others and promised that they would all be looked into.
“I do not believe that there are grounds for not having confidence in the Commissioner of Police,” Governor Rankin stated. “But I await the outcome of the review and I shall receive it without fear or favour.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Why is this ra**st mark Collins still on his job?
….because he’s not racist. You are.
Yes you are troubled because you have written an opinion that has NOT been researched according to law. But misguided opinion is rampant and abusive. Are you saying that it is not legal or appropriate to call in experts? Who are you trying to educate with such folly?
A long dissertation that is truly a made up piece of garbage. It is quite long and there is absolutely nothing there, but more chaos.
When the news of this matter was first reported here on this forum, I had indicated in a response post that I was unsure what to make of the petition.
I queried whether the complaints were coming from a disgruntled group of officers, or there was legitimacy to their complaints.
I thought then that both sides needed to be heard and the best way forward was for the governor to order an independent inquiry to address all concerns. So, I am in agreement with the governor in ordering this inquiry.
Now, What I find a bit troubling is the following:
1. The governor “asking a senior police officer from another Overseas Territory within the region to carry out an independent review of the complaints that have been made and looked into”.
This is so pose to be a formal inquiry. Why is he asking? That’s problematic to me. The notion of governor asking a senior officer from another jurisdiction does not strike me as a formal process or one that is being taken too seriously.
It sounds more like the governor picking up the phone and dialing a friend and saying to him/her, hey..I got this problem here in the BVI, can you do me a favor and look into it for me.
2. I am also troubled by the fact that it’s a singular person who will be conducting this inquiry.
What are his/her qualifications apart from the fact that they are allegedly a senior officer? Have they conducted similar inquiries in the past? Just who are they beyond their senior officer title?
That does not look good, and lends itself to more accusations of bias as it appears this person is hand picked.
3. Additionally, I am troubled by the governors statement: “I do not believe that there are grounds for not having confidence in the Commissioner of Police”
That statement is troubling, and tells me that the governor has a pre-formed opinion before the inquiry even gets on the way.
If the governor does not believe there are no grounds for not having confidence in the Commissioner of Police, why have the independent inquiry to begin?
Is it just to appease his critics, or is this matter really being taking seriously?
The governor has gone to pain to say he has no bias in this matter, but unfortunately that statement on it’s own paints a different picture probably unintentionally.
With him stating this publicly, one has to ponder if that thought was communicated to that “senior officer” and if so, if the results can be relied upon if unconscious bias somehow got communicated.
Specifically, it’s one thing to ask the senior officer to perform an inquiry into the matter, but it’s a different thing to communicate that you are asking for that person to conduct an inquiry but you believe there are no grounds for not having confidence in the Commissioner of Police.
That in in of itself can transfer bias to the investigator and really affect the outcome. Clearly, I don’t know how the governor communicated to the senior officer, but if he is making this statement publicly, who knows if you did not inadvertently transmits those feelings to that officer as well.
In my view, while I agree with the governor’s looking into the matter by independent inquiry, I am troubled by how it is going to be done.
The governor does not wish to whitewash this inquiry. (No pun intended). IMO, he should want to get this right so that the public can have confidence in the ultimate findings whatever they are and those findings can be fair to both the petitioners and the Police Commissioner.
Just hand picking as it appears a singular individual to conduct this inquiry is not a good move in my opinion. Doing so raises more questions about the process.
Surely there will be some people who rightfully would query how did the governor arrive at his decision to select this individual? What is his/her relationship to the governor or the Police Commissioner if any?
What is the race of the person conducting the inquiry? Yes…what is their race? Why? Because there are already accusations of racism in the governors handling of this matter, therefore, it is imperative that there is no appearance of bias at any level during this inquiry.
One does not want to have a situation whereby it will appear to some that whatever decision was made was made by white folks only leading to further charges of racism and colonialism.
Long and short. In my view, right decision to have an independent inquiry. Questionable decision to have a singular senior officer conduct it. Questionable unconscious bias on he part of the governor relative to the outcome.
In my view, there should be a small group of senior men/women of different races performing this inquiry as oppose to a singular individual. After, let the chips fall where they may.
You remind me of myself when I was
4 years old. I grew up and stopped believing in fantasy and I hope you do too.
You have one big imagination but need to grow up!
V* L* is west bank he given information to killer he live with J* T* , l* is one of the cops thet protecting west bank but don’t worry the street’s going to deal with u cop or no cop
everything is a trouble to you you complained about the retired judge in the COI you complained on the UK – the GOVERNOR , but you didn’t had any TROUBLE with the person who begged for the same COI and here you are having TROUBLE again with the person that the GOVERNOR got to do this other INQUIRY and you never have trouble neither this news site and chamber been criticizing it all the time / yet you cannot dystopia blogging on it / if Jesus was choosen to conduct the inquiry , you would of had Trouble too , ( bvi news should not allow you blogg your long and boring racist blogg as normally you do on your yello site
@@TROUBLED. I cannot help but smile at your response. It’s hilarious to me because you do not have nota definitive response to it other than to call me a racist and complain about the length of my post.
The reason for that I suspect is that you cannot give an intelligent response, so you resort to the most common denominator that you are capable of: trash talk. I’m not impressed.
First you and the other person who responded to my post have me all confused with the reported owner of the “yellow site”. That poor man has been catching hell for my post.
I realize some of you have issues with him, but please do not confuse me with him. Just drawing that conclusion based on someone’s writing is just silly.
Just for the record, I am not him. I am my own person who has been blogging on here for as long as BVINEWS has been around.
I thank you for reading my post; however, you are not my intended reader. You don’t have the capacity to comprehend and respond intelligently clearly.
So do me a favor: If you see one of my “long and boring racist blogg (let me correct that for you. That should be blogs)”, please keep it moving. Don’t bother yourself to respond. They are not intended for you.
Now, the accusation of my being racist is just laughable that does not even need a response.
All you have are insults from which I am immune. Try an intelligent response next time. Name calling just proves to me that you are not worth my time or capable of having an intellectual discussion.
Stay in your lane, and I will continue in mine.
Lets get rid of the Governor, police chief and all other Caucasian aliens so that our dear Premier becomes President of the new Republic.
But after all them remove only drugman and criminals left?
in charge of cocaine republic
GTA VI BVI DLC
Both the top COP and the governor needs to be investigated. The comments made by the governor are most reckless, nonsensical and improper. And if the latter is not investigated, he needs to be removed from office at once. You cannot put new wine in old bottles.