Suspending BVI constitution would have embarrassed the UK
Special Envoy to the BVI Premier, Benito Wheatley, has stated that the UK would have faced international embarrassment if it had suspended the BVI’s constitution, as the recent Commission of Inquiry (COI) had recommended.
Speaking at a recent forum in the United Kingdom, Wheatley said it would have been a “public relations crisis” given that Britain is one of the countries supporting Ukraine in their fight against Russia.
“It would have been a public relations nightmare for the UK to be seen as removing democracy from a territory when Britain itself is supporting Ukraine’s struggle against Russia to preserve their freedom,” Wheatley posited.
Wheatley also told the forum that if Britain had taken power way from elected representatives, the country would have further perpetuated it’s image as a global colonial power and would have strengthened calls for decolonization and for Britain to pay reparations to nations made up of descendants of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
He also added that there was no need for Britain to suspend the BVI’s constitution over the actions “of one man or small group of people.” In turning his attention to the Overseas Territories (OTs), Wheatley said the recent “BVI crisis” has given way to a new model for Britain’s relationship with OTs.
He said the BVI’s situation has shown that the UK needs to provide ongoing support to these countries so they can develop themselves, instead of wielding power after a crisis occurs. He said the OTs have been calling for a new relationship with the UK in recent years, but Britain has maintained that the current relationship is sufficient.
Wheatley disagrees that the current relationship is sufficient, adding that it gives the UK an unfair advantage; such as the power to use Orders in Council to snatch power away from local governments in the OTs. At the same time, Wheatley told the forum that it is up to OTs to offer their own vision for the kind of partnership they want with the UK in order for improvements to be made.
“A great deal of consultation would be required because of regional differences, levels of economic development, differences in political advancement and varying political aspirations,” Wheatley told the forum.
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Mr. Benito Wheatley seem to have a lot of opinions as non-elected official..
WE ARE NOT OUTTA DEH WOODS YET
Obviously because he is doing his job and elected officials don’t do his job. Elected officials also can’t master every subject in their portfolio b/c they only have it for 4 yrs while this man has been working there in that position since Dr.Smith was premier. And would be there still if someone else was premier.
There is no comparison between an independent sovereign nation like Ukraine; which received Western security assurances in 1994 as a condition of surrendering its nuclear weapons and an overseas territory with circumscribed powers of self government, like the BVI.
In fact, the UK should be embarrassed by the fact that (a) it allowed the wholesale corruption revealed by the CoI to happen; and (b) the entire Head Coach debacle, and related drug related organised crime and corruption. How those things could happen without direct rule by the UK beats me. It is an abject dereliction of duty.
In addition, the idea that any suspension of the BVI constitution by the UK would resemble the invasion of Ukraine with its bombing, rapes and killings is ridiculous.
The other point to make is that the BVI is not a democracy. Most tax-payers can’t vote; even when they have been in the BVI for years.
We still need to be told what happened to the billions of government revenue paid in since the 1980s. It wasn’t spent on proper infrastructure.
was invaded by a foreign superpower. The BVI top elected official allegedly chose to do business with an international drug smuggling cartel. His analogy in this news article is senseless. A year later the UK is probably now embarrassed because they did not suspend the BVI constitution in May 2022.
He also added that there was no need for Britain to suspend the BVI’s constitution over the actions “of one man or small group of people.”
This quoted statement by Mr. Wheatley is very irresponsible and flippant. These people were not the ordinary man on the street…one was the leader of the VI and the others in the small group more that likely held/holds responsible positions in government. A country is as strong as its weakest link! And the Lord knows we got a lot of those links.
A native Virgin Islander to the Nth generation
The UK was hugely embarrassed by the way that the Commissioner conducted himself in carrying out the Commission of Inquiry, and appreciated that it whilst it could get away with brandishing it in the BVI, the international community would not have been prepared to accept the primary recommendation to suspend the constitution. I doubt the Commissioner will get another appointment from the UK Government.
Why are you even speaking to us? Your brother needs to remove you. It is a conflict of interest for you to be in that position advising your brother. Are you advising him in order to better the country or are you advising him for himself. Kind of like when you allegedly told him not to have elections after Andrew was arrested, but rather grab the reins. Accidental Premier indeed.
We have had elections now. Sowande can not use the excuse that you were there before. You need to go. Get someone else who we can trust. And no boo boo, the UK would not have been embarrassed to suspend our constitution. Don’t fool yourself, because you not fooling the people of the BVI. You all just come and we sick of you all already. If you don’t want another COI do us a favour and send in your resignation. Unbelievable that you think your position does not create a conflict of interest.
We must have been watching different enquiries.
Benito just talks too much he has no clue of diplomacy
Is this called nepotism or conflict of interest?
Let’s face it. Benito is good at what he does. Better to have him than not.
What backward thinking this man has. How does our bad decisions with money and governance affect how the UK looks to the world. I hope that he is making this statement as a. private citizen and not as a special envoy or whatever his brother calls him.
We love and respect Benito Wheatley. He is good at what he does and wants the best for the BVI.