Reform process after COI report done under duress
While appealing for unity from elected representatives in the House of Assembly (HOA), Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has expressed that good governance changes coming out of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report are being implemented by his government under force and coercion.
“We have a huge battle on our hands and to be successful in this battle, we need unity,” Premier Wheatley told lawmakers. “We need unity — and it doesn’t mean that we will not have disagreements among ourselves, but let us be constructive in how we deal with those disagreements, and some areas of principle, we must join hands and hearts and efforts and we must fight to preserve these Virgin Islands.”
Premier Wheatley further dismissed claims by a fellow lawmaker that the government accepted the Commission of Inquiry report without question.
The COI report was published in April 2022 and the Premier Wheatley-led Virgin Islands Party government agreed shortly afterwards to join forces with the then-Opposition as the two sides agreed to a framework arrangement which would see the implementation of dozens of good governance recommendations coming out of the COI process.
But Premier Wheatley has now revealed that the suite of good governance improvements made under his leadership largely came to be implemented through force.
“One [HOA] member said that we accepted the Commission of Inquiry report wholesale,” Dr Wheatley argued. “The whole Commission of Inquiry process was done under duress — at least after the [COI] report was published. Everything was done under duress.”
He added: “We have an Order in Council hanging over our heads, which is a tool of force. It is a tool of coercion,” the Premier said. And despite that, we have been working and doing our best to improve governance in the Virgin Islands because I recognise that there are areas that need to be strengthened.”
Governor John Rankin suggested previously that the Order in Council ‘could’ be removed by May of next year, once sufficient progress has been made with implementing good governance changes that were agreed upon.
But the Premier argued that the order needs to be removed regardless. He said: “In May [2024], it is said, if we make enough progress, the Order in Council can be removed. But I would like to say to you, that regardless of how much progress we have deemed to have been made in May, the Order in Council should be removed,” the Premier said.
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Not under duress but rather because being carried out by a bunch of moppets lead by Premier S!ow W@nde and the A$$ C!own Brigade the most simplest tasks are bemoaned and dragged out.
Make sure you include Sm#@f and Mi%#h in the A$$ Clown Brigade because tey was part of the negotiation for the reform with the Uk. That is why they was ministers in the national unity government. When they was ministers they wasn’t saying the coi report was accepted without question. Bunch of hypocrites.
We don’t need change; everything has gone so well so far.
Great roads, great waste disposal, great education system, full accountability of public expenditure, a great solid waste disposal system, only one former premier being tried in Miami in January.
How could we be better???
So the question for the Hon. Premier is, “You Are or Are Not in favour of ‘good government’, ‘transparent government’, and ‘clean government’, and you only enacted laws achieving those measures under duress?”
The COI was needed. The Puppet Government chose Not to include the people of the Territory on their Decision to accept the Timetable for implementation of the Recommendations. Nothing was done under Duress. YOU agreed to their Timeline without consulting the people of the BVI. The same thing You are doing right now. Excluding the Opposition on ways to get the BVI out of the Pit. Government and Opposition MUST work TOGETHER especially in times of Threats. It only make sense for the well-being of All the people of the Territory. UNITED we stand, DIVIDED we fall. The BVI in its present state is not standing. Any competent Leader would know that they MUST work with the Opposition and not against. This Accidental Premier has NO Respect for the Opposition nor for the people of this Territory.
A Wise, Young New- Comer would gladly accept guidance from a well- Seasoned, Former Politician.
After all it could only improve Politics in our Territory for the benefit of Us All. Prophet Fire declared, TIC TOC the Clock is working.
The puppet government include Mit*h and Mar!@n. Don’t forget they were ministers in the national unity government. They negotiated minister positions for themselves and agreed to the reform plan. So yes. They are puppets and moppets too.
M8ch and Marl are the reason why the BVI saw an election in 2023. They are neither party of any muppet, puppet or clown show government. If M8ch learned how to stay HUMBLE to form a single party, he and other worthy members would be on the side of government. Lesson to M8ch, you not no premier or deputy premier. Stay in your lane, grow up and stop causing a domino effect of a frig. Peace and love.
The COI was a farce. Where are the investigations and the punishments for criminal behaviour, mis-use of public funs, corruption, huge cash awards of taxpayer money for no-result consultations, audits etc etc. It’s don’t stop the carvival all over again
If only the human had the ability to read the human mind and every thought, then you would know where him and all the others stood before elections, and where they stand today..
One said it, and it wasn’t pretty. It is rested there.
Last, It is noted that this site does not publish my musings. So it said that journalism, of any sort, is a expression of thoughts, which should not be stiffled nor rebuffed, particualrly if your edium of distribution s public.
One day, other will have their own site. So, all good things do come to an end saith the good fairy.
I must agree with you that Mitch and Marlon are the reason why we had Elections in 2023. Some of us heard it from the Talk Show Guy, The late Carl Dawson that Mitch and Marlon didn’t know Better when the UK was ready to take over. The House would have been dissolved But The Governor would have worked with the Opposition. But because of Mitch and Marlon the BVI through its Unity Government, was able to stave off what might have been a not so good thing at least for a while. Let Us wait and see what is coming soon how it will work this time. Simon says Tic Toc.