No UK gov’t response since last COI review — Governor

Governor Daniel Pruce has stated that the newly formed United Kingdom (UK) government has yet to provide feedback regarding the latest Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendation implementation review.

Governor  Pruce, while speaking on the “Talking Points” radio show, commented that the delay follows recent elections in the UK, which have caused a reshuffle of government roles and responsibilities.

“I sent that recommendation, that report, back to the UK and to the Minister for the Overseas Territories, who at the time was David Rudley. But almost immediately, parliamentary processes all stopped because we went into a general election mode,” Pruce commented.

In his May report, Pruce recommended to the previous UK government that the COI implementation process should be extended to the end of August.

He told the Talking Points show that the setup of the new ministerial team is still underway, which might further delay the process. “We now have a new Prime Minister, new Foreign Secretary. We have a new ministerial team within the Foreign Commonwealth and Development office. I don’t think portfolios have yet been allocated within that team, but I expect that will come pretty soon,” he shared.

I haven’t sought additional powers

While many questioned whether the previous governor, John Rankin, would follow through on a threat to seek greater powers from the UK to speed up the implementation process, Governor Pruce reassured listeners that he had taken no such steps.

“I didn’t recommend any change on these questions of the Order in Council or the additional powers to me,” Pruce stated. “The focus was very much on following through on the collaborative work across all agencies involved.”

He also commented on the recently published but highly controversial comprehensive report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The report proposed 138 recommendations for enhancing law enforcement in the islands, and Governor Pruce commended the report’s thoroughness.

“It’s a very thorough and deep piece of work,” he stated. “It sets out in a lot of detail, areas which in the view of the those that conducted the report need to be subject to attention and intervention and action on the part of all of us involved in law enforcement here in the Virgin Islands,” Pruce.

Continuing the implementation process

Governor Pruce also stressed the importance of continuing the implementation work to enhance governance and law enforcement across the territory.

He expressed optimism that once the new roles within the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office are confirmed, the awaited feedback and directions will help align the BVI’s reformative actions with international governance standards.

He emphasised that despite the delays from the UK, the commitment to transparency and improvement remains a priority for the BVI government, ensuring that governance reforms continue to move forward for the benefit of the Virgin Islands’ residents.