‘UK wants our resources’, COI lawyer for legislators warns
A local lawyer who helped to represent House of Assembly (HOA) members during the Commission of Inquiry (COI) has contended that the United Kingdom (UK) is after the BVI‘s resources and has no interest in helping the territory’s people, as it claims.
Daniel Fligelstone Davies, who appeared as part of the Silk Legal team during the COI, was one member of a panel at a public meeting held last evening, May 1 in preparation for today’s march against the COI’s recommendation for UK direct rule.
“They (the UK) are seeking to take away our fishing waters,” Davies argued. “They are here for our resources; they are not here for us.”
At the meeting, he also questioned the audience on which country has ever benefited from the UK’s rule and determined that no country has ever benefited but the UK.
The attorney prefaced his contention by citing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights wherein Article 1 states that:
1. All peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
2. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic cooperation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.
The document was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1966.
Meanwhile, Davies further contended that Article 25 of the same document gives the BVI the human right to freely elect its own representatives and to participate in its political affairs.
But he pointed out that an Advisory Council proposed within the final COI report to assist the governor in his duties if the UK were to implement direct rule, will not be an elected body of the people.
Davies questioned whether this should be accepted and asked the audience what should be done about it.
In the meantime, organisers of the planned march have said they intend to make themselves heard at Government House (the governor’s residence) today where elected officials and others are expected to meet with UK Overseas Territories Minister Amanda Milling for discussions on the COI report.
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These people need to gather their marbles.
The keep referring to UN charter as if it has direct application.
Our human rights are found in our constitution. The chartered didn’t even apply directly to the uk who had to pass their human rights act.
The fight for titles FATHER OF INDEPENDENCE
SAVIOR OF THE PEOPLE
Also keeping lots of past no tender contracts hidden is on agenda more than anything else wake up
LOL LOL well well J●van W¡/son said expats must join….these people can’t be serious, when they’ve been fighting down the expats SMH
Wilson is a political pr***itute….. self serving…
Why should the Expats march with the Belongers? We have no rights in the BVI and no vote. BVIslanders don’t want us here, except when it suits their purposes. Direct UK rule would probably suit us better!
Mistress sorry Ms W**son must be supporting that march and everyone knows why! hubba hubba
resources? Corruption, greed, drugs, and guns. That’s what we have to offer. It’s worth so much to the BVI I guess…
Tell me young man, how does one export or misappropriate our sunshine and warm saltwater?
Perhaps you were absent on that day in class in law school where t you were instructed on how to construct a reasonable argument?
Perhaps your line of thinking has been tempered with Maynard’s products or Fahie’s self described mystical powers?
What resources is he talking about? The waters around the BVI does not have enough fish to feed the BVI much less other countries.
The water are rich…
They are loaded with drugs and money from the smugglers.
That’s what we have to offer the world…
Actually I do think your emotions are hitting you on this point.
Truly the BVI waters are indeed Rich Fish. Being one that goes out fishing I can protest to that.
It’s just our fishermen are not truly properly equipped or invested in by the government to rake in the fish. Nor do the BVI market their haul on the international scale
But Tuna, Golden Snapper, Conch, lobster and etc. are all that can be harvested and send abroad to an internal market.
Sadly we don’t, BUT TO SAY WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FISH IN THESES WATERS.
Again you are talking out of emotions and not facts
And I will leave with this point too. 60% plus of the people who are here commenting that have all manner of negative things to say, have not even taken the time to read all the documents.
Instead going off of hear-say.
EVERY PLACE IN THE WORLD AND GOVERNMENT BODY ALWAYS AND WILL FOREVER HAVE A CORRUPT PERSON IN POWER.
More like he’s after the BVIs resources…
you want your fees.
Also, the people are not free. They are captured in a system of crony, corrupt and illegal government.
That last part also makes the government illegitimate.
Thank you for your work as an enabler. You lost badly. Perhaps you should have given better advice.
This is the first time I’ve heard anything from the government lawyer since the COI came about. Why now are they bringing about this kind of talk to us. Our Government continuous bad leadership for past years have caused this mess.there is noting we can do now but let UK fully take over until we can Govern ourselves properly.Be it 2 yrs or 4yrs it is what it is. So they want our resources OK Then!!! they have been supportng us for decades, while our leaders squaunder our tax money and live lavishly keeping the country in a poor state.Change is needed for the betterment of the territory. FYI since Urmaria there is no fisheries, VIP have allowed illegal activitys in our waters such as drug trafficking. So what positives have we being using our waters for. Up to now some districts can’t even get street water. F!@#k the VIP/NDP administration let the UK have a chance to help us in this definite time in need.
learn your history.or it bound to repeat itself.Do you really believe that the UK wants to help us think again.They want your resources.Tell me of any country under their rule that benifited none my friend.I am not judging anyone until everything is absolutely clear to me.Having the UK take over you are giving up all your rights and going back to the time of slavery.Beware people
We also have some prime cocaine trafficking routes that may need new management soon.
It is better to be suspected of being an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Thank you kindly for, Sir, speaking truth…
It is hoped that BVIslander will read, find their senses and come to the truth of your words and warnings.
It is highly unfortunate, that many of or Black Virgin Islands are ignorant to history andtruth, and are willingand ready to disenfranchise them selves of their resources, human rights and a future of divesment.
Too many of us are beyond stupid, ignorant, dumb, dilusioned and hopelessly indoctrinated.
The sad and reality of the majority of Black Virgin Islanders.
all of this is so that the UK can capture the BVI’s sparse fishing grounds for two years… oh my. Now it’s clear!! LOLLLLL forget that fact that all the reef fish that are left are diseased
how did the Bvi have this charlatan that nobody had ever heard of represent it?!
Young man go sidddung!
Ya boy, the UK wanna catch Sicatara. Dont make he laugh
This guy is a joke…
…short of a picnic.
Nah, he’s missing the picnic box, the blanket, drinks. He he got is a fish.
Of course they do. Lots of people in UK eat Mahi Mahi and pot fish – you kidding me right?!
Boy, hush and go play “…” with the powder wig one
My God! Really, this is what it has come down to?
The UK wants our resources?
The fear mongering and bull$hit is staggering!
Where are all these ‘big fish talkers’ to encourage petitions and marches over the high school ‘wall’, the pier park, the jet, the greenhouses, the fish and farmer’s package, endless undocumented grants, our education system, our infrastructure, our social services, and the overwhelming proof of systemic corruption in our Country reported in the COI ………… why the hell is no one protesting and marching on these?
Has anyone blindly following these false prophets actually read the COI – It’s frightening, and by the Commissioners’ own admission barely scrapes the surface, along with many other areas that remain uninvestigated that should be looked into!
Instead, like sheep to the damn slaughter you rush to support the same people that have brought us to the very edge as though they are the heroes that will fix it all with their promises to be good boys and girls and look out for us common folk.
Remember the very definition of insanity, and that is doing the same damn thing OVER AND OVER AGAIN and expecting a different result!
Protest something that benefits our country, not the clowns that have you marching blindly to help them continue to line their own pockets!
It would appear that the lad from Silk has not learned much from the COI! “Our fishing waters”? The UK is here for that? How much of an asset has that been, honestly speaking? We already know, from the COI, how few of our “fisher folk” actually fish, and the UK will do nothing to harm or impede them.
Our real assets are 1) The sheer beauty of our land and islands….no one can take that away. 2) Our reputation and good name, upon which the financial sector, and, to an extent, our tourist sector depend. This we have allowed to be badly tarnished, and the UK would be the biggest aid to regaining it. 3) The people, whose education, livelihoods, and infrastructure have not been furthered, by several successive governments, particularly the present one. Is that legacy of wasted opportunity the “resource” we are afraid of being taken? Or, is Mr. Davies more fearful that the UK will attempt to help us restore a system under which these things will be a priority, which will improve the lives and futures of the great resource our people would like to be? And, is he afraid that this might disadvantage that group of people, who pay him, and who have taken advantage of and wasted this resource for too long?
Even our Caribbean heads of state are so pissed with you all right now.
You have a right ro your opinion. What kind of stupid sh…t is that you saying. The UK do not want to take over. They want us to be responsible in our actions and not be an embarrasment to them and ourselves. When they take our resources, are they going to pay our bills. I dont think so. We need a coi investigation to see if you really went law school. I am sick of hearing stipid sh…t.
The UK is a global leader in it’s own right. Why would the UK want the BVI’s resources which are limited.
We initially thought our own would effectively manage our limited resources but instead they abused their power and brought shame to these Virgin Islands. No consideration for the future generation. No consideration for our primary industries. No consideration for taxpayers. We have only ourselves to blame.
UK, I stand with you. Please press the reset button to pull us out of the disasterous state the BVI is currently in. The state that none but our own has placed us in.
This guy is paid by the VIP to say what they want him to say, Last night JTV show was all BS you can tell the people who profit from these governments they don’t want anything to come between them and their money.These people are showing how desperate they are by all of these meetings the smart people are not listening we had enough of both governments it’s time to try something else both governments have ripped us off.Daniel Fligelstone Davies you are talking about what the UK want to do to the BVI but you have also ripped off the BVI you took a case during the COI when every lawyer knew that no lawyer was needed because it was a Commission of Inquiry and not a criminal hearing most of you just sat there and didn’t have much to say. I hope the UK take us over and show all of you that you are wrong about the UK and things for us.
Somewhere there’s a village missing you.
This is the boy who sat in the COI slouching in his chair like he was some kind of top dog for the Queens Council. Now he comes out with this? The boy needs to stop powdering his nose and get back to reality.
@The Truth, it sounds to me like you are the one that is beyond stupid, ignorant, dumb, delusional and hopelessly indoctrinated, and you show how stupid you are when you posted something like this.
@Serious ….., You are so right in your blog these people do want change because they wont have that big money coming in.The so called Bishop stand to loose all the rent from the government and most of his flowers are too dumb to see why he is doing this its for his benefit. I say yes to the UK take over.
Boy go sit down, …
He would have done a better job to say the UK wants to take over the ‘taxi associations’ or the ‘hair salons’
“All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic cooperation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.”
On that note we urgently need legalization or ATLEAST decriminalization of cannabis & small scale cannabis cultivation. Up to date certain European countries have implemented longstanding decriminalization programs.
Some persons in the BVI have been waiting far too long for the prospect of having that natural medicine that is scientifically proven, one of the most studied plants in the world.
In distancing our selves from Andrew.Alturo.Fahie
We need to help ourselves and allow the UK to understand we want its help, but not simply a revival of colonial times were European morals are pushed upon us, a global minority.
We know what is right from wrong, I am sorely disappointed A.A.F knew and choose to do the wrong.
However UK we look to you to do better than him. In 1971 the drug war started upon a foundation of discrimination and outright racism.
We’ve reached the point globally to separate the truth from the lies.
With all the research and knowledge it is obviously wrong wrong wrong to put a human being behind bars for possessing or smoking a beneficial god made non processed medicinal plant.
What happened to freedom of religion and respect for thousand year old sacraments? Why is the rastafarian and the Christian who reads genesis and wish to follow its scripture not recognized or respected?
There is a word for this. Corruption.
Lets go Nixon, lets go Brandon, lock up all the black super predators with your discriminatory policies.
meanwhile our traditionally non drinking kids go up the the UK and come back with an alcohol addiction that is resulting in bad choices, damage to their liver and on a wider scale deaths of innocent persons every day around the globe.
I want all the corruption BVI, UK, US influenced racist policies to be cleaned. We need policies to improve the quality of life in the territory that align with the Caribbean community & culture of the Virgin Islands.
We do not want policies that keep us in disadvantaged positions to be abused because of the perspectives of other races which minus the brutality & sexual violence sums up colonialism & slavery.
Consider the difference between Arthur Hodge beating a slave to death for picking a mango, and today ruining a man woman or young adult for possessing less than a gram of unprocessed flowers, which the UK has given selective licenses to grow back in Britain. #Corruption
In this age authority is not as morally advanced as we think, and the people who are not in authority are reading everything, the information is free we can read the facts for ourselves.
Thus until this mess is cleaned the call will be to do what is right for us as human beings & to do it better.
The UK wants the BVI resources,these guys needs to rehearse their speeches before coming on the air.Young man who does the bvi belongs to and when our constitution was written did it not have to be passed by the UK government for years we were being warned but instead of heading the warnings our so called legislators preferred to be disrespectful, our premier Andrew Fahie in the house of assembly (IF WE DONT POLICE OURSELVES THE UK WILL HAVE TO COME IN AND POLICE US).Sad to say but all of those untrustworthy legislators needs to go. I am approaching sixty years and from the very first-time I voted 18 years at the to now the word Corruption have been linked to all our elected GOVERNMENTS. No they had their chances to to show they have INTEGRITY and they all FAILED. If I see any of their names on a ballot I will not be going to the polls. Sometimes one must take drastic measures to achieve the desired outcome.
Mr. Davies you have effectively ended your legal career in the BVI with this nonsense. Your still young, recently passed the Bar exam and was admitted to the BVI Bar but you made a bad choice with Silk Legal. Your senior partner from Jamaica is out of touch and leading you down the drain. Resign now, get on a plane and start over again somewhere else.
By the way before you leave please return all the fees you collected from the disgraced HOA to the BVI Treasury because Silk Legal LOST the case.
They did not loose the case because there was no case in the first place. They were just bein paid for their rest break.
I’m sure all those consumers in the UK can’t wait to taste our ciguatera flavoured fish
Thank you Mr. Davies, on what could be stated as a timely response. Your immediate family is from the Kingdom and therefore, I trust that what you’re saying may have factual relevance!
I remembered you as a young lad in your High School uniform in Road Town and today you’re a barrister.
Congrats, young man!
You look so much like your Mom!
What resources, you see how much it cost for UK to run Turks after similar situation, they don’t want to be here any more then we want them here. What resources we have to give them? this boy lawyer a joke who just want to say something and look foolish. BVI done look foolish to the world, lets move on please
He is a real lawyer? Never heard such stupidness! UK wants our fish! LOL
The seabed is rich in minerals and natural resources. This is where the whole future of battery fechnologies lay.
Go and play …. Don’t try sugar coating it.
What resources ayo talking bout lol
Y’all have nothing to go independence
He won that argument. In his dreams.
Daniel, Daniel, Daniel … oh dear! Not much has changed after all these years, I see.
The UK want one thing – Chantal Malone and Adejeah Hodge!!!!!
Thats two “things” but a much better argument than fish!
Daniel, I gave you three solid advice, none of which I see you took. (1) Law is not for you, do something else and (2) Stop smoking and (3) just don’t speak.
Now itemize the resources of the BVI that the UK wants, d****a***.
Somewhere his mom is waiting for him to pick her up
To stop all this to and forth bs a referendum is needed. Fahie said he could drugs through the VI indicating that there are plenty of rotten apples in power positions. This requires a purge, serious audits and Scotland Yard. The rot must be excised but the termites and maggots are screaming to left alone.
Those screws definitely need tightening.
All the sycophants and political parasites are on full display at the moment unfortunately
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH ISLANDERS?
BELIEVING A NEOPHYTE LAWYER
is our Children.
Their education and security has been stolen from them for LONG ENOUGH! If the ONLY good that comes out of this is a strong primary and secondary education system with appropriate physical plants, a strong curriculum, educated, ENFRANCHISED teachers, and enough supplies, then the UK will have restored to us our MOST precious resource.
yes, siddung.
The bvi bar is not sending its best. Innocent till proven guilty? Mr Fahie should be removed by majority vote of BVI gov, then address the corruption in the rest of gov. Not just the wall builders but citizenship for $$$! What about SS? They gave away $40mil that belongs to all SS payers. Thats your pension! Given to a corrupt government. Maybe Uk needs to protect SS from further theft!
wit
He a straight up liar. UK probably would rather have nothing to do with BVI. “Resources”??
BVI need a good slap down and dem people need to open their eyes. Not the PEOPLE – just the sludge that has been STEALING from the people so many years.
Dude know the law but he is psychotic.
So what resources exactly? Drugs, murderers, corrupt officials, Government departments that don’t work, the scrap cars and boats not cleared away yet, the crappy roads and sewage. What resources?
What an idiot. So the sea around the BVI will soon be full of British Trawlers? If you want to protest the decision, that’s fine. But make an argument that contains a modicum of common sense, instead of making yourself look a total t!t.
This article was originally adopted by the UN to try and free the Palestinians from the clutches of Israel. Guess what, the Palestinians are still enslaved today.