I have a clean accountability record, says Deputy Governor
Deputy Governor David Archer says he has maintained a clean accountability record over the years and doesn’t believe his office was operating below good governance standards at the time the Commission of Inquiry (COI) was called in the territory.
Archer made the statement on the Talking Point radio show recently, when he was asked to comment on shortcomings of this office that may have contributed to the COI which sought to investigate instances of poor governance in the BVI.
He said the Governor’s Group — which has certain responsibilities relating to the performance of public officers – didn’t “drop the ball” and has been striving to operate according to good governance standards even before the COI was announced.
“For example, on the good governance standards that we want to have for the public service, we’re about 99 per cent complete with all of them. This is something that took place before the COI came on board. So as it relates to dropping the ball, I will say no because we’ve always been holding people accountable,” Archer stated.
I won’t point fingers
While defending his office, Archer said he won’t point fingers to blame other leaders for poor governance because all leaders have a collective responsibility to ensure the principles of good governance are instilled and practised.
“There is no way that I will purport blame to anyone. It (the COI) didn’t say for example, that only things on the governor’s side should be reviewed. It’s a balanced approach as I see it. No one dropped the ball, except that we were placed in a position that forced us to stop, look, hold account, and regroup towards a way forward,” Archer added.
Leaders have been doing a lot of introspection since the COI report was handed down and the United Kingdom threatened to take power away from elected leaders. Most have admitted that there were instances of poor governance over the years but none has agreed that power should be taken away from local leaders.
Instead, elected officials have purported that the good-governance issues that have affected the BVI over the years are typically found in democracies around the world.
Deputy Governor Archer said, in addition to elected leaders, the people should also hold themselves accountable for the issues that have affected the BVI over the years. And he said the community should see the changes that leaders are now trying to make as a good sign.
“If someone believes David Archer is responsible for making these changes and no one holds me accountable for making those changes, then it’s not David Archer alone who’s not making a change, it’s a collective responsibility,” Archer argued. “At the end of the day, the fact that the territory has stopped and taken a look at some of its actions and there is a formal plan by a government to correct those actions towards greatness, that’s exactly what you want from a growing society.”
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But you only do work in the absence of the Guvna. So you don’t have too much seat time to be unaccountable
Okay so let’s talk about the law reform commission. Why is the Deputy Governor stopping the Attorney General from including the Law Reform Commission in her portfolio? In any event, why has the Deputy Governor not ensured that the Law Reform Commission is up and running? Accountable, my behind!
Bragga was a fine dog but Hold Fast wasn’t none
That might be true, but someone needs to check to see if the same is true about the current and last Guvna. Everyone might be surprised.
Archer is part of the problem. The London Bridge fell down under his watch and he is in denial. On one hand he agrees that there were instances of poor governance but then he says no one dropped the ball. Great leaders accept responsibility for their failures and seek to do better. This is precisely why we are fighting an uphill battle because so call leaders like Archer can’t find the fault in their ways. I am sorry but you dropped the ball sir and the sooner you can own it the sooner we can all move on.
I would like to know how it has escaped his attention that the majority of his employees, the Public Service, are surly, impolite, rarely open their service desks on time, rarely appear at meetings on time, and are inefficient. The Finance person was 45 minutes late at the Port Saturday morning, Customs’ officer was 25 minutes late. This is the norm and David must be living in an alternate reality when he states otherwise. We need someone far more effective than Mr. Smiley at reigning in the misbehavior rampant in the Public Service
He full of f..he is a.
It’s all about him. He is the only one that can’t see the public service is in shambles. He needs to step down. That’s it that’s all.
Well hear dis MS bout accountability!!! Lawd send help!
Accountability my a**!
Archer for President of the USA!!!
Oh s**t only in the Be We Eye you could make dem bold false statements.
GTFOOH!!!
He is the biggest problem
Ask he bout the Members Club Liquor License fee . Why Members Clus only paying 300 an the rest over 1000. All the men in the HOA voted yes for it to happen. 2 of the women voted NO
Mr. Deputy, the people need their increments due them years now.
Do something humane and Godly and give the people their over due increments, please.
Check the cost of living lately? Low end earning retirees are suffering while government is holding to their salary they have already worked for. That is neither Christian, Godly or humane.
So do you think your self-praise will win you the election. You would better stay where you are and secure your post. You will never get elected. Go sit down!
“Instead, elected officials have purported that the good-governance issues that have affected the BVI over the years are typically found in democracies around the world.”
He’s right with that statement there. Our elected officials always trying to downplay their short comings of good governance and poor leadership by stating that other countries have the same problems as we do. It’s like they’re saying “ohh let’s not make a big deal of it, we’re not the only ones.” Instead of owning up to their problems.
Archer has been at the table making decisions at the highest levels for the public service for now over 25 years. He was head of HR, he was PS, he was advisor to Governor , he is Deputy Governor. The public service has not been lower in morale, reputation or good governance structure than during his term and has gotten progressively worst, and yet the UK goes along with the constant pretense of “transformation” , “reform” without substance year after year.
His focus all these years has been on making himself look good at the expense of the BVI’s public service and its employees, Hand picking his minions to protect his positions like a puppet master. The COI has not address this and maybe its because the UK wants the Public service which is the key to Governments’ stability to become weaker and weaker so that they can justify bringing their people to increasingly lead the service. I am begining to believe that he and his protectors some at PS and other very senior levels have caused more harm to this Territory than many of the incompetent political leaders since his uncle HL Stoutt passed on.
David tell us why tradE ain collect money for dayss. you are in charge of the Civil Service FIX IT BOWTIE MAN. WHOMYOU PROTECTING
Not doing illegal drugs, nor laundering money, nor pocketing government money is not the only unclean activities as a leader
INJUSTICE to others
Not speaking out for the underclass – tarnish and dirty and soiled ones character
Are you clean there ?
So why do we need another article expanding on what was said on Talking point show, This is just an atempt to distratc people from the negative comments made in the previous article about Mr.Archer.If he has nothing to hide why the cover up?
This article is an accurate assessment of misrepresentation of the truth! We need a COI on the Deputy Governor.
The public servants are tired mentally and physically without getting motivation (increments/promotions) to keep on pushing
Who is working for?? The people of the Virgin Island or the UK?
Bulls eye!!!! Right on target!!! You hit the nail on the head. Couldn’t have said it any better. His day of reckoning is here but he doesn’t realize it yet.
Accountability, justice and doing what is right go beyond the walls of anyone’s office.
“Leave your gift at the altar and reconcile with those you have wronged”.
A native Virgin Islander to the Nth generation.
You will always be deputy where you are.yall sellout blackmen will never get it right.
People looking at the civil service as providers of poor or less than desirable service but we are really providing a service without reaping benefits due to us. The only ones getting sympathy, psychosocial days, excuses galore, gifts, and other incentives are the teachers who happen to have the most vacation annually and a continually high failure rate of studentd during their reign of perpetual terror ( there are a few great teachers… thank you but most are impostors at best…investigate and ye shall discover.. parents focus). Public officers are requesting our unpaid increments for 2019, 2020, 2021 and soon 2022. Thank you
Over 2 million land purchase from ss, land thief in Cgb via Moses and sexual harassment
Public Offers must provide customer service, care centre etc. Plus work on call or overtime with no incentives or extra pay. Can we at least get the rest of our increments please? Another broke Christmas