Premier dismisses nepotism accusations
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has dismissed suggestions that his government is involved in any form of nepotism, suggesting that these accusations may have come because of the way the government conducts business.
Premier Wheatley said that a lack of policy in the government is one of the greatest challenges his government faces and shared that things are sometimes done in an ad hoc manner.
“We do things — in one instance — one way and in another way, a different way and that leads to accusations that we are being subject to nepotism,” Dr Wheatley argued.
The Premier promised that a Director of Policy would be hired sometime next year to help with this and argued that the position would have been filled this year, however, bureaucracy delayed the appointment.
Premier Wheatley said the government has been doing excellent work in trying to improve governance in the territory, including through policy and legislative amendments.
“We make good faith efforts to continue our improvement, but the improvement is not going to stop on any particular day. It’s an ongoing process. The growth of our people and our governance has to be an ongoing process. It’s no start date or no end date. It’s something that will continue,” the Premier said.
In the meantime, Dr Wheatley again condemned the United Kingdom’s Order in Council being held in reserve in the UK parliament. This order could see the temporary removal of elected government in the territory, if government defaults on agreed governance reform measures.
He further argued that taking away the BVI’s democracy was not a viable solution to its governance challenges.
“We’ll continue to refine ourselves and make ourselves better… The people of the Virgin Islands have to hold us accountable to being better and that has to be done through the democratic process. It is no solution to take away democracy to improve democracy. That is not something that can happen,” the Premier said.
He urged lawmakers to be united in their fight for democracy and to join their voices together in resisting efforts to remove elected representation in the BVI.
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Yet so much family and friends received grants and contracts …
Nepotism and victimization
He dismisses the accusations then admits it’s the way the government does business ?
That ain’t no big deal / just another honest MISTAKE • a lot of us is aware that is new norm these days
Please add victimization and pandering to political sycophants.
The BVI is a small bedroom community where close familial relations are common. Consequently, elected members and government ministers will be related to a large number of people in the small community. This is not unique to the BVI , for it is a challenge in small locales. Government must be transparent about familial relations and work hard to avoid it to the maximum extent possible and practice..For example, close family members should normally not be the direct supervisor of another family member.. If it must, perhaps promotions, etc should rest with someone else. HR must developed and put in place policies to address nepotism. It is a challenging problem in a small bedroom community. As such an employee, contractor should not be neither punish nor get preferential treatment because he/she may be related to an elected member whether by blood or marriage. It is an open secret that it happens so it needs to be addressed.
I’d rather admit to incest.
Nepotism and victimization were most certainly alive and well 35 years ago when I fought for access to my children. I doubt that the situation is any different today.
Press censorship can also play a facilitating role.
I wonder if S!** W@nde’s brother who works for government (who has no job description) told him to say that