Human Rights Bill to reshape public service
Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office, Sharleen DaBreo-Lettsome, has highlighted the significant impact the Human Rights Commission Bill 2025 will have on the public service, emphasizing the need for a shift in how public officers operate.
Speaking at a live public consultation on Tuesday, March 4, DaBreo-Lettsome underscored the inevitable changes that will follow the bill’s passage.
“As public officers, we have to change the way we go about handling information, our clients, and responding to the public,” she stated.
“The bill gives provisions on how we are going to be effective as a public service while making sure that whatever we are doing, we are focusing on human rights and ethical standards,” she added.
She noted that the bill represents a firm commitment to upholding human rights within the public sector and ensures that officers remain aware of their responsibilities.
“We have to make sure that when we carry out our functions, it is at the back of our minds whether it is a violation,” she said.
Strengthening accountability
DaBreo-Lettsome further explained that the bill is part of the government’s broader good governance legislative campaign. One of its key provisions is that any individual can be reported for potential human rights violations, regardless of their position.
“No one is exempt from being reported if they have been found to have violated someone’s human rights,” she emphasised.
Debates on human rights protections have intensified since January, particularly during discussions on the controversial Police Act, which proposed electronic surveillance, covert operations, and controlled deliveries. Some lawmakers raised concerns about potential infringements on civil liberties, leading to pushback from the parliamentary Opposition.
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has voiced his support for the Human Rights Commission Bill, stressing the need to protect fundamental rights. Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and other lawmakers have also expressed that the establishment of a commission is long overdue and could play a critical role in future legislative discussions.
Residents will have another opportunity to share their concerns and ask questions at the next public meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, at Maria’s By the Sea in Tortola. The consultation aims to ensure community input in shaping the Human Rights Commission Bill 2025.
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Police Act, which proposed electronic surveillance, covert operations, and controlled deliveries. Proposed didn’t it pass?
They are public servants, and very few of them are worth of the title ‘officer’.
In looking back at gross human, professional and economic violations of one pedagogue between the time period from 1988 – 2022, do reflect clearly a diabolic mentality of principals, department heads, some CEO’S and subordinates, which knowing minds such like Stalin and Hitler can clearly and historically paint or illustrate a true picture of why the Human Rights Commission Bill 2025, though late, and may not even be enforced, is clearly needed piece of legislation needed in our society today
Such legislation, at least on paper, and where basic human decency and human rights were not items were ever present in superior management modes, clearly marks a step in the right direction of human management vs. human oppression, curtailing and or minimalizing the mental, psychological and economic destruction of professional individuals.
At the major educational center on Virgin Gorda, to include the elementary institution in North Sound and the major institution on the main island, dictatorial and evil minds and ways went unchecked and unaccountable.
Indeed, not only The Human Rights Commission Bill 2025 is needed for future protection of human beings in the professional world of pedagogy, but that it should have with it contingencies for those who were gravely violated, and who have subsequently suffered grave deprivation and mental illnesses should have an avenue to claim compensation for vile damage done over time.
Here in today’s time, humans need an avenue to submit complaints of human violations without fear of retaliation, and where corrections can be mandated for punitive damages cased by superiors.
The educating work place should be an environment where trained minds come together for a noble cause, not one where oppression of some is the day today treatment, and where no recourse is available.
More f**king rubbish by those making over $100K a year for doing nothing while the Territory crumbles. Just a bunch of sick, power-hungry people spewing the same s**t over and over.
Expat human rights will continue to be ignored and trampled in the BVI. Certain BVI family members will be immune and protected from claims of violating human rights of others in the BVI. The downward spiral continues!