I didn’t stop gov’t workers from protesting — Archer
Deputy Governor David Archer has rejected reports that he made efforts to stop public officers from participating in the protest against the government that was held in Road Town on June 2.
The protest was organised by businessman Floyd ‘Heritage’ Burnett, who urged the public to voice their frustrations over issues including water shortages, the high cost of living, poor infrastructure, and the absence of a national energy plan.
Days later, there were reports that some public officers wanted to join the event but were prevented by Deputy Governor Archer’s orders.
However, in a June 4 statement, Archer categorically rejected those assertions as inaccurate.
“This statement addresses the inaccurate statements, impressions or expressions, indirectly or explicitly via a media platform which falsely reported the Deputy Governor’s refusal to allow public officers the opportunity to express their constitutional rights to expression and assembly, ” Archer said. He added that Governor Pruce had given his office instructions to inform public officers of their right to protest peacefully.
Archer said his office did as the Governor requested and even “included instructions on how public officers can be released if they intended to attend the march while ensuring the delivery of services to clients, which is in line with established policies within the Public Service.”
The June 2 march was widely viewed on media platforms but was not well attended by members of the community. However, Burnett said the protest is already yielding results as it triggered a response from Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley.
In the meantime, on the June 4 broadcast of his Morning Braff radio programme, Burnett confirmed that Governor Daniel Pruce has agreed to meet with his group regarding the protest letter that was submitted regarding infrastructure improvements in the community.
“I can’t wait to go and meet with the Governor. Brother Pruce thank you for granting me your time. You won’t regret this, I promise you. I won’t come to your office in the name of a lodge, NDP or VIP. I’ll go in the name of the Virgin Islands. These people (elected leaders) have done us far worse than slavery could ever do,” Burnett said.
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Does this topic require a whole press release? Deputy Governor, don’t you have anything better to do with your time?
If he didn’t respond, you too will join and said he did it. Stop stirring up problems for our people. Yes, set the record straight.
Govt workers ought not to have been allowed to take unpaid leave to attend the protest, and should have booked holiday if they wanted to attend. Anybody skipping work to attend should have been fired or at least given a written warning.
Most people watching online did so for the amusement value because they had heard that Heritage warned the police that he was expecting over 1,000 protestors and they wanted to see if more than 4 turned up. Amusingly only 8 did turn up, and then at least 1 left after the protestors started arguing with each other about what the protest was about.
A complete, but highly entertaining, waste of time.
No, he doesn’t have anything else to do. His job is the easiest with no measurable for performance. Only in the BVI buddy
This is the problem in the Territory in a nutshell: when things fail, no one takes responsibility. A protest draws no crowd—not because of poor planning or lack of public support—but somehow, it’s still someone else’s fault. The irony is glaring: a man preaching accountability fails to apply it to himself.
As usual, Archer becomes the convenient scapegoat, yet time and again he demonstrates that he can defend his position without retreat. The reality is plain—most people in this Territory don’t want this man speaking on their behalf.
Campaigning is easy its just talk . Actual Governing is difficult its about results. One requires charisma; the other demands competence and consistency. Too many still confuse the two.
People act as if they can just come off the street and just govern. Would you just let anyone come off the street an operate on you at Orlando Smith Hospital? Would you let anyone walk off the street and fyl you to MIA from Beef Island? We need to start realizing that there should be some experience in Gvernment required. This is not to say the regular man on the street should not the opportunity or right to seek to represent, but me must look at this more seriously.
You should have been were j s is today u is not a good man and not the man for that job
Yellow man is his best friend so his son will go jail once he is governor
Are these the types of +ouse +egroes the people will still have to look forward to and live under when the time for progressive. action and leadership begins?
What a blight on a nation.
Only death threats