Gov’t never gave RDA a full chance so I sympathise with CEO’s decision to resign — Governor
While expressing ‘disappointment’ that Paul Bayly has resigned as CEO of the BVI’s Recovery & Development Agency (RDA), Governor Augustus Jaspert has made strong suggestions that central government caused the New Zealand national to quit the $300,000-per-year job.
“It is disappointing that the Government of the Virgin Islands has not fully given the RDA the opportunity to realise it’s potential. I therefore understand and sympathise with Mr Bayly’s decision,” Governor Jaspert said while reacting to the news on Tuesday.
The governor further gave indications of being concerned about whether Bayly’s departure will stunt the territory’s recovery process.
He, therefore, said it is now vital for the RDA to ‘build on Bayly’s achievements’.
“The RDA is incredibly important to BVI’s recovery and development – a top priority for us all – and I sincerely hope that the setback of BVI losing such an experienced and talented CEO does not hamper recovery efforts,” the Governor said.
“The RDA requires the full support of the Premier and his ministers so that it can work with government, bring in funding and deliver transparency, value for money and a full and prosperous recovery for the people of this territory.”
Job opening an opportunity for locals to step up
Government, in the meantime, said the CEO job vacancy at the RDA now affords a local to step up to the challenge of running the RDA.
“We thank him (Bayly) for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavours,” government said while noting that Bayly’s resignation came as a surprise.
It continued: “The government has invested in its people, and our people have invested in themselves. We are therefore confident that Virgin Islanders have the necessary skills to lead the RDA and to continue taking the Virgin Islands forward with the recovery, which is on the move.”
The RDA announced Bayly’s resignation late Tuesday.
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The VI is a right to work territory, ie, workers can quit when they so desire and employers can fire employees for cause. It was Bayly’s choice to resign as CEO of the RDA; there is no indications that he was forced out. In fact, Mr. Bayly suggested that his skill sets are no longer needed. Look as if A. J. U. Jaspert, the crown rep, wants to publicly throw shade on Mr. Bayly’s personal choice to resign as CEO of RDA, creating friction and confusion. The territory is supposedly self governing but the reality is that it is jointly govern by local government and the crown. The crown is responsible for a)defense and external affairs, b)internal security, c)civil service, d) RVIPF, e) jail (shared with local government) and f) judiciary. The territory is self supporting(think since 1979 under the Wheatley government ); it receives little or no grant-in-aid from the UK. It is important to note that some of functions falling under crown portfolio is funded by VI taxpayers, not UK’s. To me, it looks as if the crown rep is quick to pull the trigger to publicly criticize the government. What is up with that?
The genesis for the RDA seemed supposedly to be lack of confidence in the local government. The VI has a local government and is partially self governing. Yet the RDA an alternative government was forced upon the people of the VI, serving as an embarrassment to the people of the VI and setting back the gains they have made. The RDA put a thumb on the scale of local self governing. It was a step back into colonialism. Whoever decided to pay the CEO $350K plus allowances need a cut ass and banishing to Round Rock. A qualified Virgin Islander wouldn’t have been paid $350K. In any event, a thorough and serious search is needed for a qualified Virgin Islander for the next CEO. If none is found or interested in the job so be it.
Did I hear that? Governor jump in to criticize government? Where was the Governor in 2017 to now? How many times we called on the governor to give a voice, investigate the previous government?
This is unbelievable to say the least. Hon Premier hold your head up as high as you can. We know and understand better.
The Chief Justice congratulated the government on Monday. She did not say anything positive about the Governor! He has promised a lot and delivered very little. Hopefully he is actually doing something – I guess time will tell but his term will soon be up. Maybe the next one will be more like Peary or Mcclearly – is be popular and and be effective. Please no more mid grade civil servants in the job.
Surely the only man with the experience for this kind of job is the Overspend
@ Quiet Rebel You still with that ignorance about alternative government. Go read the RDA legislation and stop posting piss on public forum.
@SMDH, congrats that you read the RDA legislation and you are entitled to your opinion and me to mine. The RDA is an alternative government. Are you saying that the NDP government was so “LESS” that it could not manage a £300M (~$400M) loan? The UK government insulted and belittled the people and government of the VI. Wonder if it would do the same to the people and government of the Falkland Islands? It forced the RDA on the VI, treating it like a mentally challenge colony. Drop ?.
@SMDH, congrats that you read the RDA legislation and you are entitled to your opinion and me to mine. The RDA is an alternative government. Are you saying that the NDP government was so “LESS” that it could not manage a £300M (~$400M) loan? The UK government insulted and belittled the people and government of the VI. Wonder if it would do the same to the people and government of the Falkland Islands? It forced the RDA on the VI, treating it like a mentally challenge colony. By the way, when you come to the piss, turn the page. Drop ?.
This Government CONTINUES to promote racism and hatred.
There isn’t a qualified Virgin Islander…. which is much the reason why so often external appointments are made.
Why isn’t the territory investing in its future – it’s children.
Schools still don’t have roofs, secondary education is poor, and the areas in which the Territory could excel – marine biology, renewal energy technologies, ecotourism – it does not.
Change the narrative, change the future.
The question that begs to be asked is, whether New Zealand would have allowed a qualifiable BVIslander, to earn three hundred grand and more, in a time and period of THEIR recovery in THEIR country?
This is what vexes many of us when reading of these types of contracts!
There is no RECIPROCITY with these types of efforts!!!
Only Kingdomers, and those that LOOK like them, are even considered qualifiable, for these types of positions and contracts!
Good job, there, Premier Fahie!
KEEP UP THE PRESSURE ON ‘EM!!!!
After a major disaster you need to hire experience above all else.
To pick up garbage?
To build balloon houses or coups with outside toilet or lartren as they were called in those days? People, especially senior citizens still displaced leaving with friends and neighbors? Where is the expertise in this? WE gone pass outside toilet moons ago. Expertise to take us back in ancient times??? Wheel and come again. We can do better and we deserve better for God sake.
You want reciprocity? Really? What exactly does the Belonger bring to the table? Racism? Arrogance? Crookedness? Uneducated? In fact all of the above!!! You are a third world shithole and remains so due to the inhabitants of the Territory. However you want reciprocity to go manage a first world country? Well my dear sir take a look at South Africa. Once a thriving nation now being taken back to the Stone Age by its black leadership. Greed, racism and theft flourish while the brain trust escapes the land.
Fortunately Reciprosity, no one in BVI needs to debate or even consider opinions like this. If these beliefs jack you up, all power to you.
reciprocity need to go mind his sister who give birth to him who he is now married to. oh don’t forget to feed your 4 legged girlfriend. With your unwelcomed looking @$$.
Go back. As someone south African who benefitted from apartheid I think your compass on racism is way off.
There’s no point reasoning with someone like that and you’re very angry so go back.
its a black country so locals cannot be racist
BVI Government please stop these racist white South Africans from coming here, let them stay in South Africa with their racist ideals, exhibit A @ Reciprocity
To are a bigotted, evil, racist, small minded devil.
Unfortunately you and many of your ilk are living among and hating on us.
You and yours bring to our table racism, arrogance, crookedness, uneducatedness, decietfulness, cunningness and many other illnesses.
You and your race since the beginning of time has proven to be a curse upon the earth. Your history has proven such, and your language being posted here continue to reinforce that premise.
A terrible unciviized animal you are.
The US secretary of state can make a base pay up to [Executive level 1 – $210,700 maximum]
The US president’s salary is $400,000
Whoever in BVI approved Mr. Bayly’s base salary needs to be removed.
Absolutely! Right on thuth. And why is it that the European cannot stand truth? He knows he is wrong and you are right and my god he will still disagree with you.
Just what does the BVI RECIPROCITATE?
Another circle run around you Governor. You have the Commissioner taking us the people as fools passing the Buck to the DPP. It’s just too much they destroying the country with this marijuana nonsense. It’s just too much.
No matter how good it sounds, that medical marijuana thing you guys are getting into is going to get out of control. Tortola is not ready or equip to handle such a task. Your security better be on point at all times, where an how is your dispensary going to be set up, who is your buyers and how many Doctors is going to be involved in writing the prescriptions and issueing the card.
alen whetley wil mek a good candidate
Good idea to bring in the sheriff, our monies will be safe with him !
Ther must come a time, when centrality of power must be yeilded by the people of the nation, and not by newzealanders,ukers, or anyone else, despite the lingering colonial neocolonial handicaps/realities. The latter will change, eventually.
Thank you for opening your mouth. Thought you were a moron but now your statement confirms it and all doubt has been removed.
Only you alone seem to be the moron! As any wise leader and dependent territory would want to one day see itself in self-determination and independence and hence would want to equip its own people to run the show in its territory. Only a close minded moron like you would see different…it’s good for the gooses but not for the gander. He had near 2 years…a local should have understudied him for the job and let a local take over. And for the record, I am an expat.
Thank you. Your response was correct and appropriate. Thank you for putting that fool in his/her place.
Many locals were understudying him and should be currently partnering with real expertise brought in. But there is very little being done because both govt and opposition are playing games and undermining our development for personal gain.
The experts we have managed to get here, and the potential funders are all losing patience dealing with this unprofessional garbage and lack of commitment to the rebuilding of the BVI.
For as long as i remain a free and independent thinker, and desire not to be ruled by a newzealander uker or other, then i don’t mind being considered being a moron by the small minders of those countries.
Your country still have certain strangle holds over certain political realities of our BVI political realities due to past political colonial/neocolonial contacts, but for sure you don’t now nor will never determine how i think, see history, or how i view my self going forward.
You can never define me. So go on back where you come from and cherish your slave blood inheritance money.
There will come a time when such exobitanr contracts will not be set asides for conolial children, but will be for BVIslanders first.
There will come a time when the political realities will change to see BVIslanders become cebtral decision makers and leaders of the destiny.
But no, you have a problem with the Black man being an independent economic and political entity. And so when i speak to such, i am a ” moron.”
Well as long as there are Black men and women of courage and intelligence alive, there will be efforts towards achieving their freedom from people like you, moron.
Please get a room
What ever happened to the $7.2m investigation? What ever became of the school wall investigation?
The Governor is dealing with it!!!!!! Nuttin happin!!!!!!!!
The same person who undermined fraser is the same person who undermined this man
As a citizen that was born and raised in the BVI, thank you for the service that you provided Mr. Bayly. Another incompetent will be put in the position to mess things up. This BVI is based on putting friends and cronies in positions. The BVI will always be ten steps behind in everything. That is one of the reasons so many people from the BVI left and refuse to move back home to help rebuild the County. There is to much unfairness breathing in this Country.
One for Claude?
there is room for some serious overspending in this dept!
Sometimes we try to get rid of people because We think they are bad, but the worst part is we do not know what we are going to get. The new CEO could run the RDA and also the country into the ground. Let us remember to petition the Lord in our decisions.
The question is, should there have been an RDA in the first place? Let Dr. Smith, Kedrick Pickering and the NDP answer that.
so many comments about the man’s skin colour and nationality. All rubbish – they’ve drunk the cool aid.
There is a team of very highly specialised and experienced people employed to look after our interests – develop the BVI to come back a lot better than it was before as a platform for future prosperity. This team includes a number of BVIslanders and Belongers and RDA people who came from abroad, many who moved here lock stock after military careers, are vocal proponents of the skilled local people they have been able to employ. We don’t have a vast degree of disaster recovery or mass infrastructure talent here – why would we? No territory of this size would hope to need it as an ongoing thing. So, we need to get comfortable with the fact they we have recruited the best we could.
Colonialism, slavery, white man arguments as regards our development are laughable in their reasoning and completely unjustifiable in fact. Many former colonies now lead the world in infrastructure and education. Many countries in the Caribbean and elsewhere are doing better even after recent or current wars. Why?
We have a population about a third or less of the attendance at a major sporting or music event. Yet we have had successive budgets in the many hundreds of millions for 30-40 years. All that money has been squandered. We have crumbling infrastructure. Even the taxi gang complains of the maintenance costs on them. We have very little public amenity for our people or beautification. We have school facilities and staff that are so far behind the World leading position they should be in. Why?
Ask yourself where did all the money go that we on’t have a resilient infrastructure and vast reserves so as not to need the UK to guarantee any development loans we might get. This is recent history, not 250 year old events. People are diverting our attention by riling the masses (as Trump does) with a completely false narrative smokescreen. Not only does it hold the country back, this division just makes day to day life and harmony all the more unpleasant for all concerned.
Wakey wakey BVI
The truth is that the BVI has enjoyed revenue as a consequence of the financial services industry over the last 35 or so years which should have made every BVIslander, man, woman and child, resident here or abroad a millionaire. The streets should be paved in gold, with the best funded schools, full scholarships to the best international universities, world leading healthcare. BVIslanders shouldnt need to work, the state has had more than enough money over this time to keep everyone on a substantial national income. Where has the money gone? Corrupt politicians is where. These people have systematic lined their own pockets to the detriment of the people of these islands.
Now the gold-rush times of the financial services industry are coming to an inevitable end, and when it does in 10-15 years from now everyone will scratch their heads and say “what happened?”. These islands will be like Haiti: their natural beauties destroyed by high volume/low income mass cruise ship tourism, with third world infrastructure. It makes me so sad to watch. When this happens, the foreigners will leave and I guess then the crabs in the barrel will be happy to have their islands back, they will “win”.
@Jane, a lot of money flows through the BVI on paper via financial services. Nonetheless, it does not mean that money stays in the BVI. What money from financial services gets into the local economy? Government collect fees, employees pay employment tax, external employers rent real estate………etc. I would agree that with a $1B GDP and an average $300M operations budget that the territory should be built better.
You have it totally right, the BVI financial services industry powers $1.5 trillion of fund flow through the World, annually. Of course materially little actually sticks here in BVI. BUT, the BVI government receives in over $300 million EVERY YEAR. There is no way that a small group of islands with a population of around 30,000 people should not be enjoying an extremely healthy surplus. I often wonder if this place would be better operated with no government at all, and the revenue simply distributed to each BVIslander to spend as they felt appropriate. That would work out about $20,000 per person.
Both of your two cents added to the discussion are rather truthful…and concerns every BVIslander should pause and ponder; even cry about. At least that’s the way I feel; like crying for my country now, (Today), and for tomorrow’s generation assuming ownership and leadership roles; not far into the future.I recall within the last year or two, discussing with a friend and past political candidate, the Money flowing through BVI and saying to my him that BVIs financial situation was akin to having a couple Oil Wells, likely at Paraquita, with every household qualifying to receive average of $1,000-$1500 monthly, all taxes waived and still have the benefits and niceties already mentioned.Regarding the 1B GDP annual productivity economy and the $300 million budget, I say there’s room to live within our means and still live comfortable; giving our mere 40, thousand or less population, mostly educated, employed and own land/s. Among our challenges is the problem we have regarding money, our size and the 2 killer perils we are constantly exposed to; (hurricanes and earthquakes); and the idea that we are rich or well off; therefore the ability for government to assume leadership in Employment, Private Building Rentals, Benefits galore, Excessive Benefits to investors, who in many cases are reaping Tax Benefits from their home countries also; (US, Canada UK +++ etc)expensive cars, travel, salaries, expensive Consultancy deals, +++ (all at the expense of “Joe & Jill”, the worker Bees.Is it any wonder the UK’s response to us vs Dominica, when after Irma it was revealed that average annual income was at $35,000? or that the imposition of RDA on us?
The Hon Premier, while in the Opposition, championed several words; (including Transparency and Accountability);
and the phrases: “If we don’t Police ourselves, we will be policed by others in ways we will not like” and “We don’t have a money problem; but a Money Management problem). Now in the Drivers seat, he has every opportunity to continue to champion those catch words and phrases. Let’s see you continue Championing those expressions; especially in the absence of a strong opposition that you headed. Best Wishes to you and Team Vip in 2020. You have much on your plate and riding on your leadership
Where is Brodrick Penn. Get him out of FSC fast.
Preparing to run for seat
I had taken a hiatus off the streets of Road Town but this issue has awoken me free slumber. Like the real Socrates on Athens street corner, my trademark is asking a series of probing questions, Socratic questions if you will. So here we go.
1. Was P. Bayly forced to resign; was he forced out?
2. Is the crown (FCO, Guv) showing a dislike for the current government? Does it get irritated and publicly lash out when government does not act or behave in its likeness?
3. Is the crown relishing going out of its way to embarrass the local government?
4. Is the Guv disappointed that one of his boys, CEO RDA, resigned? Does the Guv show the same disappointment non-whites resigning their positions from government or statutory bodies….etc?
5. Did he publicly show his disappointment for example when Mr. Linus? (MD Port), a St Lucian national, vacated the position? What is the difference b/w Mr. Bayly and Mr. Linus?
6. How come the Guv is speaking out now but silent as a church mouse with the proposal to buy him an $80K high end vehicle?
7. Is the RDA an alternative government? Does the RDA creation a return to colonialism/neocolonialism/imperialism?
8. Do Brexit, Megexit, RDA, public support for the boys, Windrush, River of Blood speech (Enoch Powell)……etc share something in common?
9. Would a Virgin Islander be paid $350K plus allowances?
10. Does the RDA needs to be abandoned?
11. Should a Virgin Islander be hired as the next CEO of RDA?
You are stretching here. You are comparing someone that came here to run the RDA which is charged with the recovery of the ENTIRE BVI to a ports director going back to St Lucia. Are you serious right now? We are not naive and there’s racism etc. but stretching and exaggerating things doesn’t make it better for anyone.
You have a warped world view. Getting post disaster infrastructure recovery expertise here is going to cost money, the going rate. It’s highly specialised and dependent on decades of experience. It has nothing at all to do with the person’s birthplace, nationality, skin, hair, what he has for breakfast or which team he supports. You need to wise up.
If the government is constraining the RDA and the territory’s ability to build a proper infrastructure, the voters and resident tax payers ought to be all very concerned and pressing the government on this. It has already been two years and more, it is also the Crown/Governor’s concern that the BVI should get proper infrastructure that is future proof and will be a platform for the BVI to succeed and be self sufficient. If the whiff of political gaming and corruption threatens our redevelopment it is right that the Governor and Crown have a viewpoint- they are stuck with the mess when things go wrong and they have a duty to the British Overseas Citizens here.
9: of course, but there isn’t one with that level of experience. 10,11,9: We need some people with that specific skill set to be here for a few years, during which time, a wealth of knowledge and skills would be passed to RDA workers, contractors and even government officials locally. That’s something else our government is currently jeopardising with its politricks.
@Socrates, look like you getting under some people ”kin”. Why the focus only on 9,10 and 11. No one touching 8.
Lenius Lendor was fired without cause. He did not vacate his post. There is no comparison with the resignation of the RDA former CEO.
And 9.B – who the hell needs $350k PLUS allowances – me thinks that a smart person could probably “get by” on ‘just” the $350k.
It may never be known or told but, the Premier and his select bunch of ………………. I am a born here cronies I have the power to do so is behind the whole messy stuff. They were never behind Mr. Bayly and they were undermining everything he was doing. They ran him off. Well, there goes another position for another Political Favor. No matter how much power is in your hands, you slip up, the power is going to turn on you.
I am offering my services as a qualified Virgin Islands for a mere $300,000 plus allowances. I will do my best and you can call me what you want I promise not to resign
There is no need for the RDA in the BVI in 2020. We have come very far since September 2017 and there is no need to pay anybody $300,000 per annum to lead the recovery. Right after Irma the whole territory was looking like a battle field and I could see why they would think we need an entity like the RDA but we have since recovered enough to make the RDA null and void. All major buildings have already begun reconstruction or have completed or near completion. The RDA was to be functioning from 5-7 years according to their memorandum that’s a potential $2.1 million dollars that goes to one man that ironically could have helped our further recovery.
We finally have a Government that using their brains to benefit the people and the Gov is lashing out…hmmm…we don’t have no more leaders who leading for themselves…the Government now trying to strengthen the hand of the people and this…hmm…Gov I like you but it doesn’t look good to see you openly criticising the Government/Premier…last time I checked this was against convention…For one, you Gov is the head of the Government on behalf of the Queen…so are you saying that you didn’t give the former RDA boss a chance?