Police, DPP to probe suspicious Belongership grants to cronies
Governor John Rankin has asked the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate the issuance of Residency and Belongership statuses in 2019 — to persons closely connected with elected officials — to determine if any offences were committed.
This was revealed in the Governor’s third quarterly report on the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommended governance reforms.
Governor Rankin noted that the previous Andrew Fahie-led administration had announced in a June 2019 statement that as a result of public consultation, the qualifying period under the ‘Fast Track scheme for Belongership’ should be raised from 15 to 20 years.
However, he said amendments made to the Immigration and Passport Act at the time gave Cabinet discretion in exceptional cases or “for any other reason” to grant a certificate of Belonger status to persons who had been ordinarily resident for not less than seven years.
Because of this, Governor Rankin said some 64 individuals who were awarded status as part of the Fast Track initiative did not meet the publicly-stated 20-year criterion.
“There was evidence that some decisions were influenced by policymakers who directly benefited in some instances,” the Governor said in his report. “For example, some persons closely connected to Members of the House of Assembly received status as part of the Fast Track scheme despite not being resident for the stated 20-year period.”
Former Deputy Premier, Kye Rymer, previously dismissed claims that House of Assembly members took advantage of the scheme for their own benefit, describing talk about the issue as the spreading of misinformation. Rymer insisted at the time that persons who benefited from the Fast Track scheme, and who were closely connected to elected officials, had rightly satisfied requirements for the status they were given.
Backlog climbs above 2,000 applications
Meanwhile, Governor Rankin noted in his report that his last quarterly review issued months ago showed a significant backlog of residency and Belonger status applications remained, and that there had been little if any progress in dealing with these applications.
He said it was disappointing that this is still the case, despite the government’s Framework Agreement commitment to follow the residency threshold defined in legislation.
According to Governor Rankin, that backlog stood at 2,226 applications as at 1 June.
“I recognise that this is a sensitive area,” the Governor said. “But we need to resolve the applications of those who have been lawfully living and contributing in the BVI for many years and who are entitled under the law to receive status.”
The Governor also disclosed that Premier Wheatley has committed to an early action plan to clear the backlog.
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What an evil man.
When you are digging a grave for other people, dig one for yourself as well. The universe will fix a lot of things in this season. Anyone for popcorn with extra butter?
Breach of trust coming fast and furious.
Rankin already knows the truth! He knows mishap was done. Fahie wasn’t easy mehson!
It is time for Government to understand that there are no secrets here and if you want to be in Government you had better be an upstanding and honest person, not a Sunday only repentant!
Government in the sunshine is our right; the money Government spends is our money; we expect Government to spend it responsibly and in our best interests, not theirs.
But the 4th house of assembly once called back addressed this matter the man is worse than racist Jaspert but even rope has an end!
The governor is right some of us here in the BVI like to much freeness and not doing things the correct way
The names of everyone who was awarded but didn’t qualify as 20 years are public. Click the links in the governor’s latest report.
You may be surprised at some of the names who got through. They all need to justify how they skipped the line.
Do your research. These 64 were not included when the house was recalled
Amazes me that people keep saying how evil the Governor is. Why are we so willing to accept wrong doing ? Just look at the facts, he is not being evil but wants the laws applied properly which benefits us all. Is it just because he is white?
The Governor knows that one of the people who got status and is connected to a minister had been on island for less than 20 years.
You are right. Whatever was irregular was regularised at the last sitting when the House was called back before the elections. Nothing to be investigated. A whole hype for nothing again. Stop wasting the police’s time. They are already under-resourced. The obsession is abnormal. People, let us see what is happening, stick together and focus on the real issues that plague the country. I will scrutinize sowande and the government but I WILL NOT stand divided against them for we are all one people. United we stand, divided we fall. NO DIVISION!
This place has been run on corruption for so long that it has become, um,well, like a culture thing here. And,now that someone has come along and is trying to clean up the place, y’all calling the man all kind of names and sing yall usual song of racism, cause in your eyes all other races are racist towards blacks LOL. All that hate towards the governor because he calling yall out. LMAO!!!
It was exposed but not concrete measures were taken to those granted status under seven years and people her contributing to the country, they born children who grow up here contribute and turn around and confiscate their belongers card
If people tell you the stories done to them at the hands of SOME immigration officers and SOME passport officers you will be SHOCKED at the INJUSTICE
Some of them are no better than the White police who do RACIAL Profiling on Blacks in America . We need to clean up this place so that JUSTICE overcomes INEQUALITY and INJUSTICE
yes investigate .bout time who vex dead. the present premier to investigate his them. and get rid of that vincy he place in the premier office making a frig. since she came the place hell broke loose .
Governor Rankin No one is entitled to receive citizenship in another man’s country it’s a privilege.
was that guyanese bar tender by mulligans fast tracked?
Poor Rankin!
The poor people of the BVI have been so conditioned to mistrust their own and love the enemy. Since the COI, the UK has not sought to assist the BVI with anything of substance. Look at their focus, criminal investigations, more Police, fix the Prison. Nothing about education or overall infrastructural development. People that claim to care about us and our wellbeing would prove it in action. Trying to paint as many local government officials as corrupt as possible does not help the BVI. The RVIPF are involved in the biggest cocaine bust in the BVI yet the Police is on bail and there was no COI or formal in-depth investigation into RVIPF. This is despite many of their own on trial for misdeeds. If Customs were involved in that big cocaine bust heads would’ve rolled, but not with RVIPF because they are under the Governor. Many will dislike but the truth is the truth whether you accept it or not!
Like the Governor has too much time on his hands.
Calling others racist is becoming old and played out now, y’all are more racist that others!!! LMAO!
Incorrect, the issue was raised but the underlying reasons for why some were illegally given status. Sadly, if you are not part of the answer, then, you are very obviously part of the problem.
Can the governor fix the public service please.
Vet all them backsides especially some of those Police Officers. Vincy in Premier’s Office ( WOW)
To all born here Belongers. Time to wake up and face the music.
What happened to the billions of Govt revenue paid in since the 1980s? Look around, it was wasted or stolen. We are a third world dust bin.
We dont owe these people nothing because they already have a privilege to be here and nobody is chasing them.
It is time we stop this finger wagging once and for all
Blaming Government
Blaming Governor
Blaming White people
Blaming Caribbean nationals
Blaming Expatriates
The Senior Civil setvants, politicians and prominent businesspeople all need to take a hard look and see where our BVI is heading .
If UK can send in persons to help clean up the killings and unsolved murdres , clean the streets and bring normalcy why are we so Xenophobic. Dont we all want to live in safety for ourselves and our future generations
Gunned down in broad daylights and nobody talking … so we blame the Governor for bringing in help.
I am so rorry for my one track blinded people.
Look the latest news on our former Premier. Who pushed him to that ???
One man cannot fix a broken unjust system it take the Police force, the political leadership, seniir civil servants and more just than unjust people
Exactly, he knows, and he been giving them time and opportunity to correct themselves, but in typical fashion they have no respect for law and authority and now when he start to air them out, everybody wanna be vex. you kno better do better!
Good move..They doing what they want.opprwssing and disrespecting the people who deserve they cant even get a status update. Yet they breaking the Law for their friends, families and cronies. This is serious…Time they realize that they cant do what they want…
They gonna say it was just a lil mistake.
If you think “We stand united” in corruption you are wrong, not all of We standing with you to defend evil.Say no to corruption for the sake of your children and grandchildren.They deserve a better BVI where the people are truly “law abiding citizens”. Thank you.
What’s wrong is wrong. But, is it not 10 years? NDP was saying 20, but the written law said 10. Please clarify. Thank you.
You right to laugh. Keep laughing. Why the hell should the UK send UK citizens tax payers money to unethical unqualified people so they can keep party. Continue laughing idiot.
acts of justice and parity always seem evil to the wicked.
The minimum requirement for belongers status should be 25 years.
I need my monies. 4 yrs everybody getting their increments.
All statitory Boards BVI Electricity, sociAL Security board
What the helL wrong with BVI Ports Authority.
We needs our monies its been almost 4 hards years.
Why is the port not paying 2020 increments. Paying patsy a set of money for her building.
The place mash up we got to work in them conditions. Why the Governor not looking into our monies. We need our incrementS. No memo nothing WE just sitting in the dark. Theses people come here taking our monies and doing all kinds of things with our monies. We got family too we also human beins just like every one of them. The managers making big pay checks we the workers cannot get nothing. You gave the board members a raise but yet BVI Port staff cannot get anything. Pay us. Its high time someone look at our interest. Everytime something going with the monies. Honorable wheathley said the budget past for the increment and april the first quarter done gone. Not even a memo to explain why we didnt received our monies. BVI PORT STAFF NEED THEIR MONIES TOO. TOO MUCH LAIRS IN THIS PORT. SOMEONE NEED TO EXPLAIN WHATS HAPPENING. WE NEED OUR MONEY. PLEASE. THEN ALL WE HEARING IS GOSSIP WE GOING GET IT SOON AND STILL NOTHING.
STOP THE DAM LIES.
WE GOING TAKE THIS TO THE MEDIA. SOMETHING GOING ON. WE NEED OUR MONIES PLS.
Where is the link? Send it let us all see who all get it. Can’t seems to find it
Read how that sounds. Why do we need the Governor to fix the civil service?! We brag that we are highly educated people and we do not need help. Then we should not need the Governor to fix the civil service! What is the Deputy Governor doing? Come on people…think for yourselves and stop listening to our leaders blaming the Governor and the UK for everything. What are they doing to fix the issues? The UK is not blameless but we need to help ourselves esp if we are shouting about independence every chance we get.
What I notice is people like they don’t care about what’s right or wrong any more once they getting what they want. All of a sudden the governor is evil because he investigating if people were granted belongership status as political favors. The problem is that we letting too much of them in in the first place!
You mean, that’s what the requirement for the USA citizenship for yall who wanna move there? LOL yeah, that sounds better
We need independence from all who do not like the BVI, live among us and backbiting us. Most of all we need independence from those who begrudge us for what our ancestors got branded for, raped for, and last, we need Independence from all who want to rule us, the Rankin included, and his cronies who he want to give belonged status to. Them going to understand what Daddy Friday mean by Horse Chip with the Rabbit.
If you have to do that then do for all the past Chief Ministers and so on too. I hear some people came here for vacation and never returned home because within a short time them get passport this they say was done by past Chief Ministers. So you have to check if it’s true. Not just check for one leader only.
That is his job, that is why he has to fix it. Name one thing under the governor that is properly functional.
Maybe I missed something, and you can clarify for me Governor. I was not aware that persons were “Entitled” to status. I was always under the impression that it was and still is, a privilege that is offered to persons who have consistently lived in BVI for a lawfully set period of time, and otherwise qualified, using other measuring points.
Please Clarify if you will, Your Excellency!
That’s the presumptuous speaking. His cronies have that going for them! Loud and bullying. The Governor is so on to them and cleaning them out a here! Were it not for the UK we would been under a war w that man as Premier! Good job Governor!
One of them never lived or worked here either. Spiritual advisor dem say.
What actually are you saying?
You want independence from anyone who lives here who criticises anything we do?
That’s kind of a simple idea.
You want independence from people who “begrudge us for what our ancestors got branded for, raped for”? WTF does that even mean? Outsiders don’t like us because our ancestors suffered? Which outsiders? Is it what these people really think or what you want to say they think because it makes us all feel good? Many of those outsiders also have ancestors enslaved by the British. Why do you think they begrudge you?
You want independence from “all who want to rule us”. Who is us? Do all we BVIslanders think as simple as you? Or do you wish we would so we could chase the rabbit out and rule ourselves in your stupid fashion? ‘Independent’ means our children can finally meet real hunger, poverty and desperation, rules can become even more flexible, big dogs, cartel people and China debt can rule over us and take what they like.
Are you sick? Why do you want that for us, and for our future generations?
Thanks
Can you provide the link ?
Ask former immigration officers Walters and Hill about this…. I dare anyone to do so. You want truth talk go ahead.
I’m glad you said it. All black peoples should stop and think about it for a minute, it’s not only the bvi, goes for all black peoples. Without massa caring for you, is sufferation, and hunger and exploitation from outsiders, when black peoples gonna wake up
He was not no bartender, he was a manager and is now managing the restaurant on Banco curve.
Yup one of his slides . Why u think she behave like in there is hers more to come . I sorry for the short security officer he getting bloze left right and centre fellow blind like a bat . Wild goose
They feel they come here bringing not much of anything skillset, extreme nasty practices and stay for umpteem years makes them eligible for belonger status. We are too small for it and I say we need to set in place seven (7) years and be rid of them. If they all that they should have no issues being welcomed elsewhere.
Of course the governor is not being evil. But wrongdoing has become so normalized that any attempt to correct it is seen as an affront. That said, it’s probably the same person posting negative things about the governor and the British time and again…or the very small cohort that was sitting in the road to protest the UK. Same mentality of crying racism when any attempt is made to safeguard taxpayer money (which undermines the whole topic of racism).
YOu miss the point dear. OUr budget is in the hundreds of millions. We should be able to build our own schools, fix our own roads and sewage systems….but over and over, we waste millions. Millions go down the drain on nonsense. Revenue in the billions in the last twenty years and what does the BVI really have to show for it?
Once corruption is stemmed or reduced, many more millions will be saved and available to build schools, modernize schools, maintain public buildings, and so on and so forth. Think, for example, if seven million hadn’t gone into greenhouses but had, instead, been used to build a state of the art school. Think if hundreds of thousands of dollars hadn’t gone into drag racing, education and public bathrooms in the back of nowwhere but had instead been used to build a new library.
We can hardly castigate the UK for not doing for us what we have refused to do for ourselves.
2000 applicants in back log….must love the Virgin islands some of these hypocritical and ingrate expats ilo people.
Ok y’all I found it myself
See the links below depth the names of persons granted Belongers outside the time etc
https://bvi.gov.vg/sites/default/files/audit_report_-_coi_recommendation_b34_the_clear_path_to_regularization_fast_track_programme.pdf