Gov’t operations the main concern emerging from COI community meetings

Since the framework agreement with the United Kingdom and BVI to implement the Commission of Inquiry recommendations, the Government of National Unity has hosted a series of community meetings in which Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the main concerns of residents surround the overall sustainable operation of government.

In response to questions at his recent one-on-one press conference with the local media, the Premier said people who have attended the meetings are most concerned about government operations and whether his administration can conduct the necessary reforms and simultaneously operate a government without having the constitution suspended.

“It is a challenge, but we have been able to do so successfully so far,” the Premier admitted.

Dr Wheatley also noted that attendees expressed grave concerns about the fallout if the government missed a deadline on the tight-scheduled implementation framework.

“Hopefully people are less concerned about that now. Where I made reasonable attempts to be able to do things within the deadline, if there is a deadline that we can’t meet for good reason — for instance, something needs more consultation and we want to do things in a proper way making sure stakeholders are involved and you don’t rush through the process — I think all parties have accepted that as being reasonable,” Dr Wheatley said.

“There are other challenges that persons have looked at whether they think it is realistic. Quite a number of concerns varied concerns as well. Some people come to the meeting and have questions that have nothing to do with the COI reforms. They are concerned about what is happening in the community and I think the interaction is good,” the Premier added.

Dr Wheatley said there are quite a few meetings missed during and in the build-up to the Emancipation festival and it is his goal to have those meetings and have people from the community express their concerns.

“We want to make sure we do good to those communities and have those meetings and give persons an opportunity to share their views. And then we are going to continue with meetings as I said in relation to residency and Belonger status and continue having meetings as it pertains to specific areas of reform,” the Premier said.