Penn relays Cayman warning: BVI must unite before UK talks
A prominent Cayman Islands legislator has issued a stark warning to Virgin Islands leaders as the territory prepares for crucial constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom.
District Eight Representative Marlon Penn told the House of Assembly that during a recent conversation with Caymanian House Speaker Ezzard Miller, he was cautioned that the BVI must not approach London divided.
“He said to me, ‘Whatever you guys do, do not go there divided. Do not go there fighting,’” Penn recounted. “He said, ‘You have to leave here with one view in terms of where you want to take your country and its people.’”
Penn added: “I agree, this is too important an issue, of a document, of a process for us to do otherwise.” He stressed that the process must rise above political divisions.
“This process has to be one that is void of politics, void of partisanship. It has to be truly one of nation-building. The decisions that we make in this committee stage and subsequently in the negotiations will drive the way of life for the people and for persons who are going to sit in this House long after we are gone.”
His comments come as the BVI remains politically fractured, with elected officials frequently clashing over major policy issues — from the Commission of Inquiry reforms to public spending priorities and the timing of governance changes. These disputes have raised concerns that the territory may struggle to present a strong, cohesive front when it faces UK negotiators.
But Penn said the goal must be to resolve internal disagreements during the committee stage, then leave with a single position that represents the will of the people.
“Once we’ve argued, once we’ve debated, once we’ve discussed, finalised and voted on it — that is the view we are taking forward on behalf of the people of this Virgin Islands.”
The constitutional review process, which will help shape the future governance structure of the territory, is widely regarded as one of the most consequential political exercises since the 2007 Constitution was adopted.
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If the HOA members approach London, they must present what the people want, and not their own selfish aspirations
and this is what they don’t seem to get into their thick greedy heads.
But that is the same thing Hon. Penn is saying.
The Virgin Islands has united, against the current HOA members who has shown time and time again that they only care about themselves and their cronies, while the wider BVI is sinking fast.
Amen to that.
AYO ONY UNITE WHEN AYO FULLING AYO POCKETS FOH WITH THAT BS
1:Embracing every nationality and ethnic group living in the BVI
2. Respecting AL levels of society rich or poor
3. Leaving your personal prejudices and preferences in your house and deal with the public with dignity and integrity
4. Be proud of your ancestry without putting down others
5. Putting people in positions who have empathy and compassion
for the elderly and those who are disabled and I fortunate financially
6. Leaders who support all Districts without bias for their own districts .
7. Leaders who demonstrate that they are there for the people not just themselves , family and friends.
9. Ensuring that our children are highly educated-
Education is the key out of generational poverty
10. Stop using the unfortunate, uneducated youths to carry out illegal activities
11: Place people in positions according to their ed skills set and knowledge not based on immigration status or birth status
12. Pull down the curtain s on wrong doers irrespective of connections
13. The churches need to stand out and call sin by its right name.
That is unification!!
Last time they went up to negotiate the current constitution, they went up united with one vision and one plan. By the Time Frazer get pull into a private room, what we sent up for our Constitution came back completely different. But they think out memories short you see!
Getting paid to talk crap. What a career. Only in the BVI people sit silently watching this set uh embarrassment. ONLY in the BVI.
Contrived unity for a London visit won’t cut it. What is needed is long-term, sustained, and meaningful alignment. The veneer of fake unity will be seen even through the darkest of sunshades. You can’t dress division in matching shirts and call it unity. London will smell the rift before they see the flag.
before they even set foot on the plane at beef island, the uk would send some one to speak to them on a one and one basis undercover, and you know we like white supervision? we get validated that way. so they would incourage each person to be self opinionated and not to work in cohesion,the uk will always attain the elongation of colonialism.