BVI News

PVIM not about self-determination at this time — Skelton

Ronnie Skelton, one of at least four political leaders hoping to emerge as Premier at the end of the upcoming general elections, has said his party has no immediate intention to decrease the degree of control the United Kingdom has over the British Virgin Islands.

Skelton — the Chairman of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) — gave that indication at a recent conference with the PVIM’s slate of candidates for elections.

He was answering questions specifically to whether a PVIM administration would be minded to seize control of the territory’s national security portfolio.

“The governor, under the constitution, is responsible for internal security. I think there is a reason why Britain will not allow you to go much further until you make a decision for self-determination,” Skelton said.

He added: “We are not about self-determination at this point in time.”

The PVIM leader’s comments come mere weeks after the territory’s financial secretary, Glenroy Forbes, asserted that the time is ripe for the BVI to explore the idea of having greater self-determination.

While the PVIM is not open to the idea of taking the national security portfolio from the governor, it hails two of its candidates — security company owner Lesmore Smith and former Customs Commissioner Wade Smith — as assets in relation to implementing policies to improve national security.

Wade, for example, said he has plans of streamlining the three main law enforcement agencies in the territory — the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Her Majesty’s Customs, and the Department of Immigration.

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9 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The time may not be now, but if the spirit of self determination dwell and or exist within the European man, more specifically the Brit,, then it also dwell and or exist within every other colonised man, period!

    Therefore, may time wrench the inalienable human rights of freedom and justice from the oppressor and grant them to the oppressed in this time, in this era!

    Like 4
    Dislike 12
  2. Reality says:

    Without the UK’s support and finance of our security we’d be F…ed! period…get real our government can’t even sort our roads or sewage issues out, give millions of bucks away to invisible airlines and refuse to be held accountable by the people of the BVI! If another Irma hit we’d need the British help badly again even though we are an ungrateful society that are duped by Politicians lacking any back bone that keep promising that things will get better!

    Like 21
    Dislike 1
  3. Oppressed? says:

    Oh yes. We’re really oppressed!
    Ask the citizens of most African countries (post colonialism – being ruled by their own people) about oppression and then you might actually understand what this word means.
    How are we oppressed by the ‘Brit’? They keep our corrupt politicians in check. We’d be a lot worse off without them looking on.

    Like 27
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    • Crooks says:

      Set a dam crooks starting with the head that say he aint working under island man set a 2 face snake in the grass pretending bloodhounds .we wont be fooled. Just want we vote n dont want we but we got nuff sence we no who looking out for we island people n a nuff a we ha

  4. Hmmm says:

    PVIM just about securing J—-y and A—-y at this point.

    Like 9
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  5. Troll King says:

    Cardcaptors of the Clow,
    Expect the unexpected now!

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  6. E. Leonard says:

    Sometimes self-determination and independence are used interchangeably. Self-determination is the right of people to govern themselves without outside interference, and the right of people to determine their own political status, including independence. Independence is an outcome of self-determination. IMO the VI needs economic independence before pursuing political independence. Are there opportunities to pursue more self-determination? Self-determination is a dynamic process.

    The 1971 constitution was amended in 1979, 1982, 1991, 1994, 2000 and 2007. The latest constitution came into being in 2007 with the title of Chief Minister changing to Premier. Currently, Her Majesty the Queen is head of state and governing is shared with the Crown-appointed Governor. The Governor is responsible for external affairs, defence, internal security, courts and civil service. Finance, for the most part (Governor has some reserved power), and other matters falls under the government that is headed by the Premier, the executive. Legislative matters are shared between government and 15-member (13 elected)HOA; judiciary is independent of both executive and legislative branches. To me, the executive and legislative branches should be separate.

    Nonetheless, the VI is a parliamentary/represensative democracy. The people will determine and should be consulted on what political status it desires, along with the level of self-determination desired. Self-determination should be an ongoing discussion.

  7. Hmm says:

    Everyone going to call for a change until its time to give up the uk passport

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