New law enforcement review very skewed and demoralising

Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has complained that the recently released law-enforcement review report confirmed elected officials’ concerns about systematic bureaucracy that has been compounded by implementing Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations.

During yesterday’s sitting in the House of Assembly, Wheatley described the territory’s situation as akin to being stuck in “wet concrete,” highlighting the difficulty of effecting change under the current system.

The law enforcement review prompted by the COI report aims to enhance the public services in the BVI. However, Wheatley slammed the review for being “very skewed” and failing to acknowledge the significant strides made by various government departments.

“I think this report may be more aptly named ‘Scrutiny of What You Ain’t Get Right’. It’s not a full review. It’s a very skewed review,” Wheatley protested.

He continued: “I don’t believe any of the departments mentioned in this [report] will be throwing cartwheels based on what is said in here. These hardworking persons, you’ve totally ignored all their hard work and sacrifice and good things that they have done and simply see what is wrong with all the areas.”

In the meantime, the Health Minister highlighted the apparent disconnect between the review’s recommendations and the BVI’s operational realities. The review calls for immediate changes and funding. Still, Wheatley pointed out that such transformations are not practical under the BVI’s existing systems, which do not allow for rapid implementation due to extensive bureaucratic processes.

Wheatley argued that tightened procurement rules following the COI have inadvertently hampered the efficient delivery of public services.

However, he acknowledged the government’s shortcomings and emphasised their ongoing efforts towards improvement, noting that they had already implemented several initiatives suggested in the review. For instance, he pointed out that the Labour Department was preparing to introduce an online system to streamline the issuance of work permits — a development that had been planned before the review’s recommendations were made.

“You’re telling us what we already know and are already undertaking,” he argued. “I know you’re paid to do a report, but don’t make it seem like we don’t know what we’re doing and that we can’t think of anything on our own.”

Wheatley’s frustration was further compounded by what he perceived as a misunderstanding of the local governance structure. He stressed the need for clear distinctions between the responsibilities of elected officials and the civil service, pointing out that many functions cited in the report fall under the purview of the Governor, especially in critical areas such as internal security and judicial administration.