Public urged to complete COI reform survey before March 2 deadline
Governor Daniel Pruce is urging the public to complete the survey on Commission of Inquiry (COI) reforms before it closes on Sunday, March 2.
Launched on February 12, the survey allows residents to share their views and experiences as part of an ongoing assessment of the territory’s governance reform process.
Public input via the Governor’s Office was one of the requirements set by Overseas Territory (OT) Minister Stephen Doughty following his visit to the Virgin Islands last year. Doughty had stated that he wanted to evaluate the territory’s progress firsthand before a final decision on lifting the Order in Council is made.
The Order, imposed after a damning COI report on governance, remains under consideration despite efforts by Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley and his administration to negotiate its removal.
As recommended by Doughty, Governor Pruce will oversee a final assessment, incorporating a self-assessment from the Virgin Islands Government and public feedback gathered through the survey.
“I’m then going to discuss the conclusions with the Foreign Secretary, the government here, and the Governor to agree on next steps, and I hope this will happen in the first part of next year,” Doughty previously stated.
Meanwhile, the BVI government has announced plans to launch the Governance Transformation Education (GTE) campaign to educate the public on the COI reforms.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of nine major policies approved by Cabinet and 15 pieces of legislation passed by the House of Assembly in response to the COI recommendations. It will feature live televised programs, community meetings, social media outreach, local talk shows, and door-to-door engagement.
The reforms, initiated in January 2021 under COI Commsiioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom’s leadership, continue to shape governance in the territory, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and collaboration with the UK.
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You waited til the Cinderella hour to tell us that?
Tax the rich water taxis
It is a very sad reality that forty thousand Vislanders are ruled by the men of a colonial and enslavement past of a dead empire.
However, the people it is said, are there own enemies due to mental dispositions that view themselves less than the UK Governer and UK COP.
Further, they are bombarded in media with false narratives such as they cannot lead themselves; they are corrupt; they ared rug lords; theyare not intelligent enough and they do not have or own anything that they can use to build independentcy.
Belonger bosses the harshest lowest paying here. Wrong boogeyman spin doctor. Back to bush.
The entire COI whuch revealed so much corruotion was a waste of time. Everybody got away and things are worse. It was a waste of time because the wrong will nevee stop, people will never be held to account and we will remain how we is
Who is this survey targeted towards? From the questions it sounds like it is primarily for people like the governor. I am trying to find a questions that is relative to a Virgin Islander.
I wish I could like your Comments 1000%. I completed the Survey and noted the same thing you said. The COI in my opinion was a waste of time. So much Corruption was exposed yet the Culprits still sitting in the Circus, House of Assembly. Things have gotten worse with no recourse. If a few of them were really sent up in the Hotel on the hill, it would have sent a strong message. The UK playing Games. I hope the next time around they will do better. Ah mean It was crystal clear that there was and still is much corruption taking place in Government and the Territory as a whole and yet some people are still saying there is no corruption in BVI. This Territory is a Sick, Third World, S#it-Hole place…..
Now that the Survey is done, What’s next? I Invite the Governor, HE Pruce to invite concerned Citizens from Tortola and to visit the other Sister Islands and have office Hours to also collect comments from Residents or designate some people from his office to do so as am sure everyone was not privy to the online Survey and All Voices need to be heard….
I hope someone will relay my suggestion to him if he is not seeing this himself. And Yes, it is very important that this is done.