Walwyn opposes moving DPP’s office under governor
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has rejected a key recommendation in the law enforcement review report that proposes putting the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) under the governor’s control.
During a recent sitting of the House of Assembly, Walwyn described the recommendation as a threat to the DPP’s independence and a move that contradicts the Virgin Islands Constitution. He said the proposal would concentrate too much power in one office and undermine local governance.
“You can’t bring that office directly under the governor. No. What you need to do is hire the right DPP,” Walwyn argued. “Make sure that when you are hiring, you hire people who have the skills to do the work and who could do the work.”
The Office of the DPP has come under scrutiny over perceived shortcomings in securing convictions, particularly in high-profile cases. Critics have pointed to a “drought of convictions” and questioned the office’s effectiveness in prosecuting complex matters. However, legal professionals have defended the DPP, noting that many cases result in guilty pleas and that the office often faces challenges due to procedural issues in law enforcement investigations.
The proposal is part of a broader reform effort stemming from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations, particularly Recommendations 38 and 41, which focus on law enforcement and justice system improvements. The review report suggests redefining internal security and giving the governor broader control over various agencies, including Customs, Immigration, and now the DPP.
However, Walwyn warned that such moves risk eroding the spirit of self-governance outlined in the Constitution’s preamble. “Even though yes, Section 60 gives you certain powers… you’ll be going contrary to the very agreement if you were to take those powers away and give them to the Governor,” he asserted.
According to the BVI Constitution, while the DPP operates independently, the governor already holds the authority to appoint and remove the DPP, acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. Walwyn pointed out that the report’s proposal misrepresents these powers. “That power already exists in the Constitution,” he explained.
“We have to find an argument against that,” Wawlyn urged, while calling on legislators to resist the move and support constitutional reform that preserves local control.
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You can’t bring that office directly under the governor. No. What you need to do is hire the right DPP,” Walwyn argued. “Make sure that when you are hiring, you hire people who have the skills to do the work and who could do the work.”
I screamed!! This is the truth and nothing but the truth.
Agreed. But S!0wW@nde and the A$$C!0wn Brigade will likely ignore and the office will be ceded to the Governor. s!0wW@nde is probably the worst leader we have ever had
I do not know a single legal profession that has sought to defend the DPP – she needs to be fired and we need a DPP with legal skills and professional judgment rather than than one with arrogance, self importance, a lack of legal skills and little judgment.
Of course Walwyn does not want Governor to be involved as they will reopen the investigations into criminal activities..
Firstly, the DPP does not do investigations. That is the police. Secondly, if persons like yourself could for one second take the bad intentions out of your minds when people speak you would realize what they are saying. The DPP’s office must be independent without interference from anyone. That person must not be influenced one way or another. That is how you build a proper democratic society.
Stop this small minded approach to serious matters. We are far too intelligent for this nonsensical thinking.
Having the courts independent of government is a basic safety valve allowing individuals and institutions a fair crack of the whip when dealing with government . Would it be sensible for this to occur, yes is the simple answer, will it happen No because the powers that currently be want to continue to have influence over the law courts to hide their corruption and get little Johnny out of trouble when he’s caught packing.
You need to hire the right DPP. Plain and simple. Dont blow up the system because your hiring skills are poor.
If the Dpp was under the governor Myron would have been … he just trying to save himself
This is a real scholarly discussion Myron brought to the table, because I thought the DPP should be a creature of the constitution so that they can be allowed to think independently, what if the governor break the law, let’s say driving under the influence and cause death or the governor or the premier is caught snorting cocaine, the DPP should be independent and above the fray to prosecute them and have the authority to demand investigation by the police. Meh son let me hush because UK by some white superior logics think they know it all.
“What you need to do is hire the right DPP.”
“However, legal professionals have defended the DPP, noting that many cases result in guilty pleas”
In which courts do they have many guilty pleas? All you have in the High Court is cases being thrown out at the no case stage, because the prosecutors themselves present a very weak case even though the evidence is there to secure a conviction.
“The office often faces challenges due to procedural issues in law enforcement investigations.”
A bad workman always blames his tools.
The photo says so much.
I completely agree with you. Can’t BINGO without the “O”.
Do I think this would be detrimental for our autonomy? Yes.
Do I think the DDP office is knowingly throwing cases? Yes.
Give it to the gov, bring in the white/british DPP and lets get some of these hitmen, tax/social security dodging businessmen, and drug dealing aristocrats actually prosecuted.
either that or watch our country fall ever farther into becoming a lawless, drug-running nation.
You are missing the point. Whether you bring a white, black, yellow or purple person to be DPP the office should be INDEPENDENT.
No one who is innocent is against an improvement in the DPPs office.
No one with an ounce of sense would say what you just did. How could compromising the independence of the DPP be an improvement?
We want back Terrace Willams as DPP .
if man is still alive the BVI governor will rise to control the entire BVI government so this UK colony can survive!