UK open to offering financial help to carry out post-COI reforms
Governor John Rankin has said the United Kingdom will give ‘positive’ consideration to offering support to the territory with regards to the BVI government’s successful proposal on how to implement the Commission of Inquiry recommendations.
Rankin confirmed that the proposal refers to a potential request for further UK assistance, particularly in the area of technical expertise, advice, and general support.
“When those requests are made, I believe they (the BVI government) will receive a constructive response from the UK government,” Rankin stated while speaking at a joint press conference with Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley on Wednesday.
The Governor said the UK government has provided some £17.7 million of support to the territory since hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 to aid with the recovery of the territory.
“We remain committed in our part in having a successful BVI. So, as I say, we will wait to see what further requests are made. I am not going to write an open chequebook here but where they require technical advice and assistance where the UK can help, I believe they will receive a positive hearing in London,” Rankin said.
“The UK already provide support for policing and paying for some of the policing which is carried out in this territory. But otherwise, BVI is a largely self-governing territory with its own budgetary arrangement and that is how it should be and as we want it to be. But where assistance is required, the UK will consider constructively the request,” he added.
Meanwhile, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the reform process will be costly as various stakeholders in the reform process must make submissions for the resources required to carry out their responsibilities under the proposal.
“We already have, for instance, the Auditor General and the Police Commissioner bringing forward costs related to carrying out their responsibilities. Yesterday in the House of Assembly, we had a supplementary appropriation and we made money available to the Auditor General and the Police Commissioner and that process will continue,” Dr Wheatley said.
“We will have a budget adjustment exercise coming up. Perhaps in July, you will see more of that and also of course as we come up to the 2023 budget, we will make sure we make monies available for the request to implement reforms. So, we have made it a priority on how we allocate resources and certainly, that will continue,” the Premier added.
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Why dont the UK come and fix our roads, sewage, water woes and schools?
because UK are not in the picture to get any of those $50k small contracts.
Fix the corruption first.
They will if the relationship change from adversarial to partnership.
Just because the BVI Gov refused to accept the UK Loan as they didn’t want accountability (and we all know why)!
Because it isn’t their job anymore. When the BVI went to local elected government they were supposed to do and pay for those things themselves. It’s what they wanted and asked for. Look how it turned out.
Where did all the government revenue go since the late 80s? What do we have to show for it?
Some of the wealtniest politicians and civil servants in the World.
‘… but where they require technical advice and assistance where the UK can help’. This snippet from Gov’s statement is basically stating that the financial assistance will come in the form of using their own (UK) persons to provide guidance advise etc. to assist with the implementation of the recommendations and reform. In case any of you thinking that they will be pumping money into the Treasury, that is not the case.
If there are ever elections again in the BVI the qualifications for any political candidate needs to change. All UK barristers have to take and pass the UK Bar Exam before being admitted to the UK Bar. All future potential political BVI candidates must qualify by taking and passing a similar exam in the UK before admittance as a qualified political candidate. 2 written tests a day for 5 days is tough but weeds out the weak minds quickly before they obtain some power then causing serious damage to the BVI government.
We are in trouble partly because we have always been marginalized and considered unsuitable for the developing/ dollar economy in the Virgin Isllands.I have lived here all my life and I am a living witness of this sad fact..
We have neglected to fully prepare and support our own for leadership, fellowship and ownership in this little Territory.
Charity begins at home..
WE FORGOT.