Governor welcomes report that labels BVI “corrupt”
Governor Daniel Pruce has welcomed the findings of a new UK-commissioned review that paints a troubling picture of corruption and serious crime in the Virgin Islands, calling it a roadmap to reform.
The report — the second of its kind conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services — reviewed nine critical law enforcement and criminal justice bodies. These include the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the Customs Department, the Financial Investigation Agency, the Department of Immigration, HM Virgin Islands Prison Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Magistrate’s Court, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and the Attorney General’s Chambers.
The review concludes that the BVI is plagued by “local serious crime and corruption and transnational organised crime (including financial crimes),” raising concerns about the territory’s ability to manage key law enforcement agencies without external support.
In a statement, Governor Pruce praised the report’s recommendations, calling them “an ambitious and far-reaching roadmap for change, to make the territory safer over the next decade and beyond.”
“It recommends improvements designed to optimise and support law enforcement agencies in performing their duties,” he added.
Controversial recommendation to strip gov’t control
Among its most contentious recommendations, the report suggests placing the Customs Department, Financial Investigation Agency, and Immigration Department under the direct control of the Governor — effectively removing them from the elected government’s remit.
This proposal has been met with strong resistance from local leaders, who debated the report in the House of Assembly on April 8. Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley denounced the recommendation as a colonial overreach and urged the public to reject it.
“The people of the Virgin Islands must rise up and say no! We will not give more responsibility to the Governor! We will not take areas that have been devolved to the elected government back to the Governor. That is taking us backwards in the wrong direction,” Dr. Wheatley said.
Other members of the House also expressed outrage, calling the report another attempt by the UK to undermine the territory’s self-governance.
Despite the pushback, Governor Pruce said collaboration will be key going forward, noting that he looks forward to working with the Premier, National Security Council, and other justice system stakeholders.
It remains uncertain what action the UK may take if the recommended agency transfers do not occur. In the meantime, the Governor has announced plans to relaunch the search for a new Police Commissioner, following the recent departure of Commissioner Mark Collins.
He said the selection process would be guided by the report’s findings.
“We will be looking for a leader who can deliver transformational change in a complex organisation,” Governor Pruce stated.
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The mere fact that Cline and Natalio are bold face and shameless enough to open their mouths against the obvious trurhsdepjcts the levels to which these Vi have sunk.
I am relieved to read the Gov stance and findings.
The place smells of the spiritual funk lies and wrongdoings..
A simple act of omitting the place of deportees who flaunt thieving in our faces properties is impossible for want ceven trying…Trump for 1 day!
I read both reports – neither appeared to mention that the DPP is the weakest link in the criminal justice system, and that the reason she is so short of staff is that allegedly no decent lawyer wants to work with her.
Kettle calling pot black. Show me any body more corrupt than UK. Danny-Boy trying to sound like the man of valor when in fact he is just like the rest of them, a little weasel
Good job to CSC and JC. While they fight against the best hope for the country on the grounds of who indigenous and who badgering who, they forgot that their colonizers whose last names they so proudly carry, waiting to recolonise them. Congratulations and good job to these set ah ….
I wonder if after all that stupid talk,the neighboring Caribbean will come to the defence of this sick country again, knowing how the so call indigenous really feel about them.
Andrew always used to say time longer than twine.
While these pair form the fool, the UK laughing on the side waiting for the perfect time to do what they want.
Andrew also used to say that without a vision…you finish the rest.
Bloody good job.
The further the neighboring Caribbean stay from these VI,the better
Nothing good ,worthwhile has developed because of their presence,as evidenced by the comparisons of before and after.
Education, quality of life, family structure,crime..all backbone of standards for positivity future, once the traits of these VI p are absent and conforms to that of the Caribbean chain from where they originated. A place the BVI where we never saw a policeman to one where we cat get or find enough… a newly built prison niw full to the max from an old world 2 room empty structure .?we need a reprieve..hundreds of other demographics share this cozy space BVi but you never hear anything negative or anything at all…a demograhic change for improvement is urgent..
To the Caribbean community and all non indigenous…take note of the hatred and misstatements in deep port’s response. The country is an embarassment to people with common sense.
Why are you here? If your country is a beacon of light (which I am sure it is not), why are you not there? Please do us all a favour and leave.
My friend you have been brainwashed by propaganda. The names that black people are carrying in the BVI are names that belong to black people in the original.
Some of us have white ancestors who in themselves had black ancestors. Don’t read the his-story books. Instead do the research.. Blacks ruled Spain for over 700 years.
It’s obvious you are part of a wicked conquer and divide propaganda machine that wants to strip this country from the people who have worked hard to build it with some help from others despite some bad apples among us.
Really now (haha). The slaves were stripped of their african names and were named after their slave masters, with slight variations in spelling, so they can be identified as the property of their slave master. Those slave masters last names from back then are the same last names that are proudly being carried around today to label who claim to be indigenous. Ask Sowande. I think he did his PhD in this subject when he decided to change his name from Wheatley to Uhuru. While they are indigenous to their slave masters, they are not to these islands. Can’t change facts no matter what bogus hiSTORY you want to make up. They need to quit the indigenous talk because all they are doing is glorifying the slave masters whose name they carry. According to them, their history starts from slavery. If their history started before that, they would realise we all as a people have more in common than what separates us. You tried but you are only proving my point.
It is fact Caucasians are not indigenous to Europe and blacks are not just indigenous to Africa. My history is not bogus it is fact just like how the bible which is a black history book has been twisted and skewed for an agenda.
Don’t tell me who is NOT indigenous to countries not included in this discussion. Tell me, since you are the expert,who, I say who is indigenous to the BVI. Drum roll pleaseee….
BVI is corrupt and has been for decades..let’s fix it
Translation: Too many black people have too many things, something is definitely wrong because in the UK and other places it’s not that way, so it is all corruption. Funny that the RVIPF is one of the most corrupt organizations here and the Prison is a big party, the civil service is a big mess. All of these fall under the unelected Governor, but nobody cares because white is right. Be careful what you wish for! Corruption is only corruption when it’s black people. The UK sends a report explicitly stating that expats must be hired to do XYZ, in our country and that is fine? Is Turks and Caicos better off today than they were 10 years ago? The UK has been in there ‘cleaning’ up but are they really better off? Is the UK better off? The UK is in trouble right now and many of their people are seeking shelter in BVI hence the creation of jobs and taking back of power. They are trying to turn BVI into USVI but they underestimate the fight they will get, let them keep it up.
I agree. The fact that the family of the late RT cannot explain how his estate got to be so huge (many, many millions of $$$), apart from the endemic corruption under his administration, or the family of the late CR cannot explain how they amassed $$$ millions apart from his own corruption, speaks volumes to the endemic corruption that has enriched some BVI families over the years. Those same families have played the “anti-colonial” card very well and reaped huge personal benefits, at the expense of the ordinary BVIslander. This country should be rich, but many do not benefit. Open your eyes to who is stealing your money!
Those are fighting words!
Can’t you just tell he how great a job he does? Where is the love!?
Based on CSC and the other Cline’s definition of who the BVI is, it is the indigenous peoples. So I read the title as “report labels bvi indigenous peoples as corrupt”. Claim it CSC. Claim it John. Stand up proud.
you all think the UK is free of corruption?
is now coming to the BVI in parts.
Part 1: Guv to control Customs, Immigration and FIA.
Part 2: Guv replaces Lt. Guv for all legal services.
Part 3: BVI leaves ECSC and all judges come from UK
Part 4: HOA reduced to 5 at large members.
BVI people are so caught up in nonsense they cannot see what is happening here.
The latest security report from the UK recommends closing the Virgin Gorda airport for all international flights, effectively closing the airport. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN. THE VG AIRPORT IS IMPORTANT TO BRINGING TOURISTS TO VIRGIN GORDA
When people speak of corruption in the BVI, what exactly are they referring to as evidence of it.
Based on all I have come to know of the BVI either thru the grapevines or thru the media, it does not strike me that the BVI is this very corrupt place.
I have not seen nor have I heard of any major documented evidence of corruption where I can point to and say: See, there it is.
People throw around that word all the time, and it’s clear to me corruption means different things to different people in these neck of the woods.
It could be as simple as someone who claims their trade license was being held up or denied who then claim corruption.
The former Premier, now federal inmate in a US federal prison in Georgia once stated for the world to hear that the NDP government was the most corrupt.
He did not give any examples to my recollection. Turns out he was talking about his own dirty deeds that eventually landed him in prison rightfully so.
No doubt, we do have crime here which appears to be mostly related to the illicit drug trade, but corruption in high places such as within the government proper, or let’s say the financial services, I simply have not seen any convincing evidence of it.
There may be, but I have not seen any convincing evidence of it to warrant branding the country as corrupt or rising to a national security threat? There may be, but I have not seen the evidence of.
Yes, people do shady things in these parts, but in my view, it’s more individualized rather than systemic, certainly not to the level to label the entire country corrupt as a whole. This is coming from a person who calls things the way I see them without fear or favor.
If I thought there was widespread corruption in the BVI, rest assured I would not be holding my tongue.
The point I am trying to make here is this: Some folks use the term corrupt liberally/loosely for everything some real and some imagined that it’s hard to discern if there is actually valid and documented corruption or just the usual hearsay/gossip in the BVI.
When I hear people say the word corruption in these parts, I instinctively listen and try to discern what they are talking about because once these people continue talking it becomes apparent what they speak of is without evidence of true corruption by definition, and amounts more to personal grievances.
Quite often people say the word without proof of anything. Just their assessment of whatever situation they are dealing with.
Bottom Line: If you are going to allege corruption, just don’t throw the word around, prove it. Come with receipts.
Corruption isn’t the right word. Any corruption is a symptom of the problem, which is that of an ineffective public body. I won’t say anything of the public servants. It is a pure failure of leadership to lead, command, and produce results. Surely, this is something you see.
Moreover, the government has weak command, control, and processes. The corruption, in whichever form it takes, exploits the system to the detriment of the people. Yes, much of the corruption is individualized. At the same time, it’s unchecked because of weak institutional organization.
As for receipts, call them whatever you want, but they’re right in our face. The list of specific incidents is long. The objective measure is the good results for the people produced by the government with the available public purse. I know my judgment on this.
Currently, the BVI operates in an ineffective government capture. The bottom line is that what’s needed to move the territory forward doesn’t get done.
@Corruption isn’t the right word. What is the right word? We have a report submitted to the governor that allegedly labels the BVI as corrupt. What should we call it. I don’t get your point of view.
An ineffectively ran government does not equate to corruption, and we have a remedy for poorly run government. It’s called election. Every 4 years we the public have our say on that.
As for receipts of corruption “they’re right in our face. The list of specific incidents is long”, please spell them out rather than alluding to some long list of specific incidents.
Stating that is not helpful and lends support to my argument here that people just allege corruption without saying exactly what they are. You are doing the same thing here.
Please list the most or frequent occurrences of corruption with evidence in the BVI. Don’t allude to some undefined long list. The top 5 (five) would suffice. List them. I’m waiting. Thanks in advance.
I don’t want to leave you hanging.
Here are the five you requested. But really, it’s under every rock.
BVI Airlines
Fishers and Farmer Payments
NHI
Greedy Bill
Vybz Kartel Payment
You’re wrong about elections being the solution to the ineffectively run government. The systems are too broken, and no one in the political sphere has the traits to fix them (as evidenced by prior performance). When I say government capture, I mean there currently is no future-looking scenario from the elected body or potential challengers to change the narrative. Sadly, not effecting the change needed has become so normalized that it has permeated society. If your life is good, bread is buttered, and you’re enjoying the climate, Godspeed. I assure you that people in the BVI are suffering, and the people’s future is denied because of the failure of the not corrupt, just grossly ineffective government.
P.S. Where in the report does it label the government as corrupt? Every government will have corruption, just as any society will have crime. As far as my reading has gone, the report is about reforming government systems to prevent corruption. You’re on the wrong side if you can’t get behind that.
Thanks for getting back at me. I’m not here to debate per se. I’d rather say I prefer to engage in meaningful dialogues. The easy and simple typical like or dislike of posts I don’t care for as there is not much to learn from it.
My goal is simple: Having folks read my post. I am very satisfied knowing they have done so. Why? Once you read it, it becomes a part of your memory unknowingly that cannot be erased save for some form of dementia. Right or wrong, that memory remains, and that applies to what I read and respond to as well.
So to those who do not wish for me to enter your brains, simply keep scrolling because I am after your mind. If you stay, I hope to get you thinking, and your bringing your best to the conversation.
You appear up to the challenge to engage in a meaningful discussion, and I welcome and appreciate it.
Now, before I get to my response, lets get something straight, I am not for any form of corruption in government or elsewhere.
I am also not dismissing the plight of others who may be having hard times. However, my mindset is not to blame the government for everything that goes wrong in our lives.
We have a role to play in what happens in our lives. In other words, I believe in individual responsibility. No one owes us anything on a personal level, and that includes government in my view.
Now, thanks for providing the list I asked of you. Appreciated. As I look thru them, I cannot think of corrupt intent in all but potentially one. Lets go thru the list shall we.
1. BVI Airlines. Corruption? I don’t see it. Seems to me like the government may have made a bad business decision in it’s haste to bring commercial flights between the US and the BVI. I don’t think the government vetted the person on the other side well, but I don’t see anything corrupt about it, as the government lost their investment.
2. Fishers and Farmer Payments. A possibility given that rumor has it that some people who were not farmers got money. Gossip is one thing. Proof is another. So corruption has not been proven here although it’s been suspected.
3. NHI. No evidence of it although I would admit the private clinics and doctors are milking the system dry. They are able to get away with it because it appears there is no cap on what they can get reimbursed for.
That is, they can charge whatever they want, but the government apparently is not restricting reimbursement no matter what charge they submit. Some are getting rich overnight giving basic service in a marketplace of limited
Their are loopholes in the system that needs redress and tightening if NHI is to survive.
4. Greedy Bill. I don’t see corruption per se, but as the bill has been nicknames, it appears that you have a bunch of politicians trying to build a nest egg at the expense of general population. In my view, as they are being greedy as the the bill has been nicknames, and all the criticism leveled at them was and is justified and rightly deserved.
5. Vybz Kartel Payment: Again, I don’t see corruption. What I see is yet again, government making bad business decisions. The government should not be in the business of funding private events such as that was with public funds. Let it stand on its own.
I can understand some funding from the tourist board for advertising and logistical support, but paying the artist went too far in my view.
I am awaiting the final tally to see how profitable it was and if it was worth the money, but if government thought that concert was the best they could do for our tourism product, then that’s troubling.
Now, no government is perfect, and yes some of our politicians appears to be coming up short, but I am not willing to throw away the baby with the bathwater to spite our faces.
As such, I do not share your view that “there currently is no future-looking scenario from the elected body or potential challengers to change the narrative.”
We are a bright and capable people and I will never discount or marginalize our potential. If not this crew, someone will emerge to lead us forward. All of our politicians are not all bad. If we give up on our own governance, who are you willing to entrust that responsibly to?
I am not willing to hand over responsibility for our futures and that of our children and grandchildren to people who do not give a rats tail about us and are not like us.
I will never give up on our people and our leaders despite their shortcomings who may be deficient in some areas. I will meet them at the polls. We have to strive to better and yes improve our governance. Divided we fall; together we can rise.
Again, thanks for the dialogue. Be a part of the change you wish to see. I understand your frustration and points of view; however, I say to you, don’t give up hope, nor lose faith. We have come a long way as a people and we have further to go.
The stage is set. We must act now or bawl later.
Can today tolerate the white English man coming in and taking over everything we/our ancestorshave built?
Do they have more rights than we who have ben here since emancipation from their slavery?
Who gave them those rights?
Isn’t the notion of ownership through colonialism a bankrupt and immoral one?
Will we stand by and allo allthat we have built, are building to be taken away from us?
Are prepared to beforced into second class citizenship again?
Are we prepared tohave our good jobs taken away from us and into the hands of the white English man? Are we.
If not,opne your eyes, see what is being placed into motion and begin taking steps to stop it.
Last, some say we are not ready for total independence, but living in a counry where entitled white men have come in and ruling everything is not an option i am prepared to live with either.
There is corruption in the UK, US, EU and all around the world.
Why are you and your UK government singling us out? Is our corruption so inique? Not that it is condoned here either.
Are there ulterior motives?
Well, there seems to be a lot of name calling and finger pointing at the UK while shouting “It’s all their fault”. You reap what you sow. The BVI has brought this on themselves and is now going to get what it deserves! BVI is corrupt from top to bottom. When a “Native Islander” gets things done quickly, discounted and has a rights above someone from anywhere else, that is corruption! The BVI will be swimming in British detection forces soon to stamp out everyone and everything that is wrong with this place. The automatic right to anything you want, or wish to do, is about to expire! Expect a lot of people to be arrested by Non-corrupt police, dragged before competent Judges with teeth and jailed in humane prisons. Fairness shared out equally! You may not like that, but then at least justice will be fair.
Thank you! As local who born and raise here i welcome this report as well
i am not a part of the prominent family names in the bvi nor am i among their close peer group
as a young person going into work life i realized that there’s a lot of favoritism going in when it comes hiring in government areas.
then the politics where i see an excuse for everything to no improve or fix areas in the bvi to help us progress and look and operate like our annual budget but as soon there’s a party or someone needs money like friends and family all of a sudden we have money for that! (boards, renting, poor quality construction etcc)
then we have our youths who are negelected and are exposed to the fast life via our local business (……………… etc) local rappers, “businessmen” , artist who in gangs and criminality etc. the youths see this and chase that life. then when its pointed out at the school that there serious problems the parents backlash at the school for doing. thats some serious corruption almost like the parents benefiting from their kids selling sex drugs and weed at the school….or getting young underage girls hooked for when they eventually graduate…
then there’s the group of young men who steadliy dropping out of school and joining/forming gangs….
theres a real unjustisfied hate for police here when we never had police burtality or police shooting here compared to USA and other infamous Caribbean isalnds…. but customs and immigration never in the news for positive work or arresting their own like police but police are hated… weird…
when i look around i see so much rental companies, laundry mats , bars clubs etc but such a small place… young people without jobs but have multiple cars,boats apartments etc it makes you wonder is there any sort of Finacial investigation going on at all in the bvi? from the banks? from financial services? from police to an extent?
then our politicians condemn crime but when its party time its criminals or artist who sings about crime,gangs,sex,vilolence, drugs etc like really??
andrew almost sold the country and yall defend him
just the other day we had a woman in the usvi saying she paid 8k to get smuggled to USVI lmfao
yall deny it much as you like
we corrupted as s**t and not even independent yet. imagineeee
Corruption in the UK and elsewhere do not justify us
being corrupt.
No the BVI was not sooo corrupt but the riff raff you let in the country and getting impregnated by BVI men who leave their seeds in the single parents home have given a very high rise to the social ills in the society.
BVI men with money cheat on their wives T alarming rates and then force on their wives to accept their children they father out of marriage- even have them in their homes .
This help to create anger in families and dysfunctional homes.
This we failed to realized
The Governor too and his colonial masters know how to paint a great picture of the BVI
The UK do not want to weaken their powers in the Caribbean they will NEVER give the BVI independence especially that a trade war can very well lead to , a world war
Watch my friends independence will not happen with the world in such an economic tail spin
Britian will not let go of its colonies at this time
WHEN USVI catch on that yall steady human smuggling into usvi them going look at that waiver treaty yall got there lol
go independant and you will lose the UK Esta as well
soon ga smuggle bvianders to USVI
yall shooting yourself in the foot for greed
Today’s current UK political ideology is still based on the old colonial belief that whites alone are qualified, by racial superiority, to have full and unfettered control of political life of the state and the nation citizens.
Where the only quasi legitimate argument to their claim is ownership through gunboat diplomacy and genocidal practices during the colonial wars.
In other words, it was impossible for an “inferior” race, the offspring of slaves, to act as citizens with full access to participate in the civic and political life of their nation.
This belief is foundational to white nationalism, white supremacy, and the practice of racism against non-whites.
The planned take over of customs, immigration, law enforcement and police are steps towards the full consolidation of removing power from the local Black hands.
These are critical developments that should not be taken lightly. They require an immediate response.
It is that the elected officials are in tune to the back door approach being utilized by the UK to full take over of the territory’s purse, management and full control of the people and their way of life. It must not and should not be allowed.
As,we have human citizen and personal and individual rights of freedom and the pursuit of happiness and more.
Welcome UK, It’s about time.
The review concludes that the BVI is plagued by “local serious crime and corruption and transnational organised crime (including financial crimes),” raising concerns about the territory’s ability to manage key law enforcement agencies without external support.
We should act to better these islands.
Where there is smoke there is fire me son.
The UK doesn’t want to it’s simply obliged to .
Anything that makes black people look bad.
If there is corruption in the BVI then do what has to be done to those doing it but don’t use it as an excuse to destroy the people.
Those portfolios under those who are responsible for enforcing and preventing a lot of corruption have failed and want to be awarded more power what’s going on.
WE KNOW THAT LONG TIME.
IMPLEMENT THE SOLUTION.
List countries where leaders are black and that is not corrupt.
Maybe the governor didn’t hear about the arrest of Picko and Kishma? The corruption always try to hide, and cover up corruption by silencing critic and instilling fear in the people. Need a example look at Trump now compare his actions and I’ll sure you will find some not so good things in common.