‘Unity’ gov’t on the horizon? Acting Premier to make statement later
Acting Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has signalled an intention to move in the direction of a unified government involving members of the political opposition, going forward.
Dr Wheatley gave that indication in the House of Assembly Tuesday afternoon following the abrupt announcement by House Speaker Julian Willock that he intended to resign from that post.
The Acting Premier mentioned the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report’s recommendation for the United Kingdom (UK) to assume direct rule of the BVI, then said: “If we want to avoid that unwelcome consequence, first of all, we all have to look at ourselves.”
The Acting Premier called for a renewed commitment to the principles of democracy, good governance, accountability and transparency.
He said there was a need for everyone to recognise what they can do better to improve the BVI since everyone has a role to play.
“I’ve had to look at myself and I’ve had to make some difficult conclusions,” Dr Wheatley said. “And we will not get past this moment if we are not willing to hold ourselves accountable.”
“To get through this moment and to save our Virgin Islands, we need unity, and we need sacrifice,” the Acting Premier suggested.
He continued: “We have to be willing to unite and we have to be willing to make sacrifices. We have to be able to put aside all the petty differences that we have with each other, including partisan differences, including what social group you are part of, including who originates from elsewhere and who has had roots here or born here or whatever it is.”
He said residents have to fight for unity but said it appears that at times persons would rather fight for division instead.
COI recommendations pose threat to our democracy
He said persons of good moral standing and integrity are present right in the BVI and are fully competent and able to govern the BVI in a better way than has been done in the past.
“We all have a responsibility to improve and to hold each other accountable,” Dr Wheatley stated.
I will be making a statement later and we have discussed … the Leader of the Opposition and myself and members of the Opposition and members of our government having a united front in the face of the threats of a takeover,” Dr Wheatley said.
He added: “And not just that threat [but] the threat of many of the areas which have been identified in the Commission of Inquiry report and even outside of it. Things that we know happen and which are not right. Those post threats to our democracy.”
We denounce Premier Fahie’s alleged actions
In the meantime, following repeated public criticism that members of the governing Virgin Islands Party have not denounced Premier Andrew Fahie’s alleged actions described in an affidavit filed before a Florida court, Dr Wheatley has now decided it was prudent to do so.
While restating his position that Premier Fahie should be afforded “due process in the legal system”, Dr Wheatley added that it was not difficult for him or anyone else to say that the actions described in the affidavit outlining the charges faced by the Premier are deplorable, disappointing and shocking”.
“We denounce those actions beyond a shadow of a doubt,” Dr Wheatley added.
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All the rats in the cheese shop together with no opposition at all.?
Just makes the thieving easier.
A United front is exactly what we need. Let us all come together. While we can respect each other perspectives that will assist us in moving forward. We don’t always have to agree. This is what I want to see.
How we going to stop the drugs
You think Fat Albert was the only one and all the rest of his gang knew nothing? You really believe that?
The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Our elected officials need to step aside as recommended by the COI. There is no need to continue the cloud of denial. The COI concluded that their institution was likely corrupt. Let’s rebuild and focus on our children’s education because our education certainly didn’t serve us well. Our exalted leader while supposedly committing the greatest crime in the history of our country had to retrieve a calculator from his briefcase to determine what 10% of $78million a week would mean to him. Tomorrow I hope that every child in our humble and happy country can calculate 10% of any number. And may they never forget that we were allegedly betrayed by a supposedly educated man who needed a calculator to estimate his personal profits from opening up our boarders to drug traffickers.
LMAO…do you know how good things would have been if both NDP & VIP joined together and one YEARSSSSSS ago??? But, now that the landlord wants to step in to fix the broken “house” the tenants are in a uproar….gotta love the backward thinking of some BVIslander
Easy to say they could have came together before but there are only 13 seats.
“including who originates from elsewhere and who has had roots here or born here or whatever it is.”
Only now ayo want to hold hands and sign Kumbaya?
I was just about to highlight that same point.
We need new leaders chosen by the voting public of the Virgin Islands.
To the Coalition Ppl, whatever you call yourself: pls call an election. This is madness and it has to stop.
Cartel might be a good name for them.
Thus saith the Lord,
I have chosen you R7 to prepare and anoint you to take up the mantle to lead this people forward.
But you have not heeded my call. You have not chosen My Words, instead you have gone after your own ways.
And so I have repented of my choice.
I will give this land to whomsoever I please for these are my people and I will do as I please to take care of them. Do you not believe that I am involved in the affairs of people. It is the Lord that speaks.
You will go no further , but you all will be removed. I will raise up a people who fear me to lead my sheep through these difficult times that you all have created.
As you are aware, there will be some arrests and there will be persons in high position who will be removed.
Clergy, Min. of Education, Customs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, the Judiciary, to name a few.
The clergy, for they have fed and fattened themselves and have not fed my sheep so I will remove them from serving. You all seek only your interests and not that of the people they have been appointed to serve.
I the Lord will do it. But I ask, shall you stir the hearts of the people against Me. Wasn’t it I that called you all in the first place. Plead your case before me. Shall I be reached through divinations, or shall ancestral spirits stand for and with you to come against Me. Plead your case before me and show Me your innocence that My wrath be turned away.
Have I not asked you before, “ Do they provoke me to anger? Do you all not provoke yourselves to the confusion of your own faces?
Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, and I will cause you all to cease from leading my people and I shall appoint whomever I please. For I the Lord take down and I the Lord lift up.
The Word of the Lord.
All of a sudden!!now is “unity govt” BVILOVE EHH
TAGGD (pronounced tagged)
T ransparency
A ccountability
G ood
G overnance
D emocracy
Here we go, a new way forward for all of us (except the previously corrupt) to a better, Virgin Islands.
Has this project been TAGGD?
Does this contract meet the TAGGD standard?
U have made the best choice in firing that bull dog
Unity government ??? wake up, there’s going to be NO locally run government because all the crooks screwed it up and stole all the money
A “treat to your democracy”. If you read the COI report the UK Government is trying to PRESERVE your democracy.
In fact they stipulate their intention to work with local politicians and constituents
But didn’t the COI report state that the elected officials were the primary cause of where we are? Did we have an election overnight and the wolves became sheep of convenience?
Suspend the constitution!!!!
Anything coming out of Cane Garden Bay and west end is scarry…This cannot be a better way forward…We need a short Britain take over. It’s necessary, at least for a year, then do a year as observers, this unity government is not the solution, take a look at the war going on in St Kitts unity government, sometime you have to take two steps backward to get that big leap forward.Short Britain rule is the solution..
Power hungry Mitch and Marlon ain’t going want no united party.
Sowande, you supported Fahie as head of your party and as premier for years: it’s only now you realise he’s dodgy? Yeah right! You’re just as much to blame as anyone for the corruption.
We definitely need UNITY and this is a step in the right direction. However there is a situation brewing in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis where the Unity government there has imploded and it came down to simple greed and power struggle.
We need to be cautious,thoughtful and clear at the ouset what this united government will look like and there must be clearly defined terms in writing of how to deal with conflict and how long this situation will last and term limits etc.
We have been “changing deck chairs on the Titanic” for too long and must seek to get this right now to avoid similar situations in the not too distant future.
The difference between SK and us is that the UK is right there watching so let them act up!
How long do we have to wait before these people are being directed to turn in the keys to the government vehicles they use to carry out their co**upt activities? Why is this allowed to continue?
Why do we always have to sacrifice and be resilient for your mistakes?
Why has no one promised to look into the corruption of the VIP party and the ports?
Why is no one apologizing to the global community?
I’m sure they are looking at “Unity” to continue steal from the people of the BVI!….the COI made it clear that under all previous Governments there was no accountability of the financial resources of our country!!
Spot on Jamie.
What a bunch of haters who will in turn be in the faces of the representatives in a minute, once the dust settles.