Premier claps back at governor’s criticisms outlined in quarterly review
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has said he disagrees with parts of Governor John Rankin’s first quarterly review of the ‘Framework for Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry Report and Other Reforms’.
One of the biggest disagreements Premier Dr Wheatley identified was the governor’s claim that his ministerial Cabinet is still issuing tender waivers for government contracts with “insufficient justification”.
Responding to the governor’s review in press conference today, Dr Wheatley noted that there are three main procurement options the government is able to employ as it relates to issuing contracts — open tendering, restricted tendering, and single-source procurement.
Single-source procurement effectively happens when government gets products and/or services from only one supplier, even if it has other options. And according to Dr Wheatley, Governor Rankin incorrectly conflated ‘tender waivers’ with ‘single-source procurement’ in his quarterly review that was sent to the UK.
“Single-source procurement is not the equivalent of a tender waiver. The legislation (the Procurement Act) clearly defines the instances where it is not necessary to go through an open tender. For example, contracts for emergencies or contracts for national security matters do not have to go through open tendering,” said the Premier who suggested that those were the instances within which his government employed single-source procurement in the last few months.
“[In previous years], tender waivers were being done for any type of circumstance. Ministers and Cabinet had unlimited discretion as it pertains to waiving the tender process. That is no longer the case,” the Premier added.
Claims of ‘resistance’ with Constitutional Review Commission
Other areas the Premier said his government disagreed with was the governor’s claim that “resistance” was encountered with broadening membership of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC).
Dr Wheatley told members of the media today that he was unsure why this matter has caused concern.
“My ministerial colleagues and I had the duty to express the concerns of our constituents about the make-up of the [CRC] membership,” Wheatley explained. “The concerns are serious enough that they should have been brought to the attention of the governor. This is the constitution that will govern the lives of Virgin Islanders and they must have a voice in the process through their representatives. Despite the voicing of the people’s concern — which has been described, unfortunately, as ‘resistance’ — the commission was approved in Cabinet and the House of Assembly with broad and strong representation of the society,” Dr Wheatley stated.
He also indicated that he’s since had an opportunity to engage the governor “to properly understand the source of his concerns”.
“After a thorough discussion, I believe there is a genuine misunderstanding on the particular issues which we, unfortunately, did not have an opportunity discuss and clarify before the publication of the governor’s report,” Premier Wheatley said.
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You are not doing what you are supposed to
Keep on them. Expose the wicked intentions of those colonisers. Nobody can fault you when you’re doing what you’re meant to do. I hope the government will follow up with a report in response to the governor’s biased and damaging representations with a request that he corrects his false statements and to stop this witch hunt against the honest and hard working unity government and the people of the virgin islands. Their wicked scheme against the people is the only thing that needs to be dissolved.
So,tell me again who is to blame for all of this in the 1st place??? Cause it wasn’t the UK that has been screwing the people of the BVI. But,they need somebody to blame and the UK is the fastest place to blame not our own black brothers.
You went full speed to accept these recommendation and now look. They using them to cut your backside.
@Yep,
What are the wicked “intensions” of the “colonisers”?
Rankin is working for the people of the BVI by making sure the government follow the rules! While the previous BVI government was taking advantage and abusing us and the system!
You have been brain-washed if you think it is the BVI people against the UK.
When it is in fact the corrupt BVI government against the UK.
We deserve better governance!
You clap back too late Sl**ande. You were to clap back at the COI report but you wanted to be Premier so bad that you sucked up to the UK. Now they got you where they want you.
Teck da for sucking up!
This response is totally out of place and disrespectful. If the misconceptions were ironed out privately then a joint statement would have been more appropriate. To come to the public with this reproach show the continued contemptuous attitude of local leaders.
Why weren’t discussions held with the Governor before the report went out.Too busy jumping on a plane every week.Stay home and take care of your business
“ I condemn it with my whole heart…It is undemocratic…I don’t believe in it” says the Honourable Premier at today’s press conference in reference to the Order in Council placed before the Privy Council by the UK Government to allow for the swift implementation of direct rule IF the COI recommendations are not fulfilled by the Unity Government as agreed.
Let’s not forget that this Order in Council is the “sword of damocles” that the current Premier & Unity Government agreed to have placed over our heads by the UK; hanging by a thread as fine as if it were spun by a spider! From that initial misguided move, it was painfully obvious that there was no strategy in place to effect the fundamental changes needed at a cultural & systemic level so that good governance & rule of law could be strengthened and effectively established in the Virgin Islands, as recommended by the COI.
Today’s clap ?? back should come as no surprise. What happens now? Statements made at this eleventh hour to condemn and object to agreed upon conditions only serve to weaken the fragile horsehair/ thread holding this arrangement together. Once again leaving the Virgin Islands’ people in a vulnerable and weakened position, rather than one of certainty that we are on track to fundamental improvements that will strengthen & develop our entire nation.
?Oh what a tangled web we weave…..
“ I condemn it with my whole heart…It is undemocratic…I don’t believe in it” says the Honourable Premier perhaps belatedly at today’s press conference in reference to the UK Order in Council to allow for the swift implementation of direct rule IF the COI recommendations are not fulfilled by the Unity Government as agreed.
Let’s not forget that this Order in Council is the “sword of damocles” that the current Premier & Unity Government agreed to have placed over our heads; hanging by a thread as fine as if it were spun by a spider! From that initial misguided move, it was painfully obvious that there was no strategy in place to effect the fundamental changes needed at a cultural & systemic level so that good governance & rule of law could be strengthened and effectively established in the Virgin Islands, as recommended by the COI.
Today’s clap back should come as no surprise. What happens now?
?Oh what a tangled web we weave…..
Stay the mu** you are. you had only want position. now you studying what the elections gon bring. the end of your reign is wa f**l.
I don’t want to hear you. You wanted to be Premier so bad that you acceded to their every request without reading and understanding the recommendations and without consulting the public. You accepted the COI report without objection. You were the governors lap dog for months. Now he dropping the hammer on you you’re crying out.
Boy you are going down.
Who to blame ! They b
Need someone to blame
Shock! The corrupt government does not agree with the crown for trying to stop their control over the people!
If you are a citizen of the BVI let’s not waste this chance!
I have my own concerns about the UK potentially taking over but at this point, the BVI Government has forced me to think that anything else would be better!
Misusing all the tax money that I could have used to help my family!
It’s outrageous and I am sick of feeling oppressed in my own country!
Now you wanna clap back? Wowww. If you did not go behind YOUR EMPLOYERS BACK AKA THE PEOPLE WHO HIRED YOU TO DO A JOB WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE MESS THAT WE ARE IN. EMPLOYEES F UP, THEY HAVE TO BE TERMINATED. YOUR SERVICES WILL BE TERMINATED.
His brother is the shot caller. Showande is not a very s***t man, you can have all the Education in the World but still lack basic common sense. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of the BVI BEING THE BUTT OF JOKES. When was the last time or have you seen Premier get out of the vehicle that I am paying for with my TAXPAYING dollar in the different communities and engage with the people. NOOOO, HE IS TO GOOD AND PRISSY FOR THAT. SAME WAY HE FLY FIRST CLASS TO AVOID SITTING IN COACH AND BUSINESS CLASS WITH THE PEOPLE HE FEEL IS NOT ON HIS LEVEL. HOPE HE KNOWS WHEN A PLANE GOES DOWN, FIRST CLASS IS THE ONE THAT SUSTAIN THE MOST IMPACT OF THE CRASH.
If you had done things the right way you would not have been here. Your immediate interest after Andrew got arrested was to become Premier. In your selfish quest for what you believe you were entitled to you made a deal with the devil. You accepted all their recommendations to get their blessings for Premiership. They are going to cut your backside now. You seem to really know nothing about history. You went to kiss up to Charles 111, maybe you should give him a call. Joker!
CHUPES!!! DO SOMETHING INSTEAD OF BICKERING BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO DEFEND YOURSELF. STOP WITH THE CONTRACTS AND FOCUS ON WHAT THE PEOPLE REALLY NEEDS. ALL WE SEEING IS PHOTO OPPS AND HEARING BULLCRAP.
You got caught in a trap and don’t know how to get out. Goodddddd for youuuuuu!!!!!. You waited for the first opportunity to appoint yourself Premier and proceeded to make a deal with the UK without the peoples input like you know what’s best for the people. Let’s see how you are going to get your way out of this. You are like soooooo on your own buddy. The people don’t really care to hear what you have to say, that is my clap back.
He sure did, all up in CHARLZE face, showing where he was sitting. This guy is all about POSING FOR THE CAMERAS AND RACKING UP FREQUENT FLYER MILES. He did not stand up for the people and the Territory like a true leader would/should have done. He made deals behind the peoples back without consulting the people. Yeah he got big problems now. If he had consulted with the people and gotten their inputs things would have never gotten out of control. See what happens when you want to be ALPHA male and think only you know it all? It’s a wrap, it is what it is, the UK will be stepping in as soon as the deal that was made for the people behind their backs expired. If you had taken this to the people, they would have stood behind you but you cave, you betrayed the people bro.
You all need to make up your mind. When they do as they are ‘supposed’ to do according to COI recommendations, you say they are just rubber stamping. When they push back, ‘they are not doing what they are supposed to.’ DO WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT OR WHERE WE STAND???? WE ARE JUST BLOWING IN THE WIND AND GRASPING AT WATER.. SMDH….
Gov. Stop the proposed Jost Van Dyke school for $4m, for 22 children, it’s just another means for kickback.
Stop the east end sewage project yet another election gimmick for kick backs
Gov. Stop the proposed Jost Van Dyke school for $4m, for 22 children, it’s just another means for kickback.
Stop the east end sewage project yet another election gimmick for kick backs
Stay home and handle your business.
if Rankin or the UK had any desire to be colonisers, the BVI would not have its own government and there would be no work permit process for Brits.
One thing I can say is I get some good ole LAUGH THERAPY reading some of the comments. Enjoy a glass of chill red, read the comments and enjoy a good laugh.????
He is working for his people in the Virgin Islands, the Governor has never worked for the people of the Virgin Islands. He is an FCDO employee l.