We have to learn better negotiating skills — Walwyn
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has indicated that elected leaders need to sharpen their negotiating skills to effectively counter some of the arguments presented by the United Kingdom in its latest report on crime-fighting agencies in the BVI.
A major recommendation in the report is the transfer of key law enforcement bodies such as Immigration and Customs from the control of the elected government to the Governor. The UK argues that these agencies play a crucial role in national security and should therefore fall under the Governor’s existing responsibility for security matters.
This proposal has been firmly rejected by all 13 elected representatives, who view it as a step backward for a territory that continues to aspire toward greater self-governance.
However, Walwyn pointed out that the UK’s recommendation is constitutionally grounded, particularly in Section 60 of the BVI Constitution.
“The powers that are being used to take control of Customs, Immigration and areas that have traditionally fallen under the Premier is being done through Section 60 [of the constitution]. And the reality is that the argument is strong because you can’t deny that these agencies have a huge security component,” Walwyn said recently on The Alliance radio show.
Given the strength of the UK’s constitutional basis, Walwyn argued that elected officials must offer more compelling counterarguments to effectively challenge the recommendation.
“We have to learn to negotiate and put better arguments together. The argument that my grandfather’s navel string is buried here and I’m 10 generations removed from the plantation – all of that is true but for this level of arguments, we have to find sounder ways,” he said.
He further noted that instead of relying on perceived sentimental reasoning, leaders should draw on the preamble of the Constitution to emphasise the BVI’s aspirations for self-determination and local governance.
“Our words to him (the Governor) is that even though you might have that inherent authority based on Section 60 of the constitution, based on the preamble which sets out the aspirations of the BVI people, it is not the wise thing,” the Sixth District Representative said.
Elected officials have frequently used the argument of deep ancestral roots in the BVI as a means of resisting what they view as UK overreach. They contend that their heritage and local knowledge make them better suited to govern.
This ancestral argument is also often used to rally public support on contentious issues such as immigration policy and appointments to high-ranking positions in both politics and the civil service.
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One wall!
Continue beating a dead horse LOL.
1. Start by finding common interests: one of them might be good governance in this instance. Consider as any aspects as you can come up with. Have a cultural, political and social understanding of what is motivating all parties to negotiate.
2. Consider what a satisfactory outcome would look like for both parties. What will it take to get there? What are the obstacles? How might they be dealt with? What is the value proposition for both parties?
3. Focus on the issues being negotiated. Not personalities. Leave out the ad hominem attacks.
4. Negotiation is an iterative process. It takes time, effort and willingness to lose battles in order to win wars.
5. Trust is everything. Work hard to get it, and harder to keep it.
Finally an adult is in the room. Thank you Hon. Walwyn.
He went to the governor behind the government back
You really should try to educate yourself on government procedures before talking. These gentlemen are members of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. They have the right to meet with the Governor if they wish. As a matter of fact the previous leader of the opposition and other opposition leaders met with the Governor very regularly. Try to understand things before talking.
Lots are being revealed; keep it up
I agree that they have the power to meet with the Governor. All well and good under usual circumstances however in a tight negotiation, sitting with the Governor for 2 hours with no stated protocol or not under the cameras for transparency, it is highly likely that they compromised the government’s position in the negotiations by tipping off how they would approach the situation. Can you say for sure whether or not they did without an audit trail (there is none)
Myron in my view was the one of the most vocal and most strategic in the debate on this report. I listened intently to what he said and how he presented his concerns. He made clear that he was not in support of the powers that the governor was seeking to get or take back. It’s because of him that we learnt the most about what was in that document because many of the others either did not read the report or something. So I don’t understand your point about to suggest that a visit to the governor is a problem. Pick sense out of your nonsense please.
I agree that Myron and his colleagues can meet with the governor by right however given the party in negotiation gives priority to the Administration’s words Myron would be best leading from the other side of HoA in Committee as it is confidential. We do not know whether in speaking directly with the Governor whether he may tip off the other side on the Government’s attack strategy. If you meet with someone for two hours, what did you discuss? We do not know
That, my learned friend, comes from demonstrating discipline in a structured learning environment, aka school. You are well aware of what masquerades in these parts as “education”; where individuals obtain “degrees” in order to get high paying jobs, which they are not qualified to do.
We do not need to get better at countering the arguements.
We need to get better at engaging with and solving the problems of crime and corruption.
You focused on the wrong thing.
Fix the problem that the UK has quite rightly clearly pointed out for us. You should be welcoming it, reading and understanding, and then coming up with a plan.
The only plan you have is to find better weasle words so you can carry on as you are.
AYO AINT SEE THAT THIS MAN IS TRYING TO FORM AN ISLANDMAN PARTY?
That’s the same thing Marlon said to me about the alliance.
@ ayo blind, I think you blind to the heart ah your a—
The political parties are all “islandman” parties. We are all from the islands.
It is that same island man that might save your “behind” from a full arparthied take over.
Until your current and natural freedoms are usurped, curtailed, (like the new criminal law in the docket and the new air port legislation being forced upon the territory) hindered taken away altogether, you cntinue to spew ignorance., if you are a Black person responsible responsible for that comment.
What an ignorant statement
I agree with what Myron is saying. When you listen to some of the debates in the House of Assembly you have to shake your head. The things that some of them say make you cringe. You have to beat the Uk with solid facts supported by evidence. You can’t do with emotional arguments that lack grounding in law.
And it is very obvious from their statements that they have not perused, or even read the documents, and if they read the documents, they have no comprehension of the contents. Sad, but true!
agree with everything. it will not change what will happen.
The Honourable Member for the 6th raises an important and valid point. He is to be commended for highlighting the ineffective and woefully inadequate nature of the ancestral/ indigenous/ heritage based arguments currently put forward. No need to shoot the messenger here. What we need to do is engage in constructive criticism, and elevate the discussion as well as feedback given to the Governor/ UK Government on this issue.
It is critical that we go beyond a general hit-piece highlighting to the Governor what we believe to be incorrect, wrong, or ‘not wise’ with the Report and put forward a VIABLE ALTERNATIVE/ SOLUTION / AMENDMENTS to the recommendations made. This should be supported by a strong rationale that demonstrates how this alternative provides a better & more effective way to achieve the transformation and improvements we all agree are needed.
Police, immigration, and customs in the British Virgin Islands are mired in corruption, conflicts of interest, and systemic failures that threaten to destabilize the territory. Public trust is shattered, and the UK’s oversight offers no solution.The police force is a cesspool of misconduct, with corruption reaching the highest ranks. The much publicized largest drug bust in BVI history, hailed as a triumph, has become a scandal. The drugs and evidence mysteriously disappeared, and the case has not reappeared in court. Insiders suggest it will be thrown out for lack of evidence, allegedly due to interference by a secretive brotherhood within the force. This is not an isolated incident, as past cases reveal a pattern of corruption linked to senior officials. If the police were properly vetted, the force would likely be gutted. Male officers worsen the crisis, moonlighting as security for shady businesses and fraternizing with known criminals, compromising their duty. Expatriate officers, living extravagantly beyond their salaries, fuel suspicions of illicit dealings. The force’s push for women’s empowerment rings hollow when some female officers are reportedly entangled with drug dealers and gangsters, undermining their credibility.Immigration is a disgrace, failing to combat serious crimes like human trafficking while its leadership and staff engage in egregious misconduct. One * of immigration allegedly runs a strip club, a blatant conflict of interest that taints decision making. Surveillance officers, tasked with protecting the territory, are accused of exploiting their authority to solicit sexual favors from women in bars and engage in inappropriate relationships with female staff. Large scale raids are virtually nonexistent, and the department’s tracking system is a farce, barely operational. Instead of addressing these failures, immigration enables or ignores criminal networks, leaving the public vulnerable.Customs is a haven of corruption, with officers openly flouting ethics. The current commissioner, described as a chameleon who shifts appearances to dodge accountability, seems out of touch or complicit. Many officers operate side businesses in brokerage and chartering, creating conflicts that prevent fair enforcement. Bribes to fast track paperwork at [the building] are an open secret, often benefiting individuals tied to illicit activities. Some officers’ personal conduct, described as lacking morals, mirrors the ethical decay in police and immigration. The previous commissioner’s tenure was similarly riddled with issues, and the current leadership has done little to clean house.The UK, far from being a beacon of justice, is complicit in this mess. Its justice system disproportionately targets locals and people of color, while non Black offenders often escape with light penalties. A census of serious crimes by non Black individuals over the past 40 years, detailing guilty verdicts and prison time, would likely reveal stark disparities. BVI prisons reportedly hold few, if any, Caucasian inmates for serious crimes, despite their involvement, with cases frequently undermined or pardoned by the Governor. The UK’s own domestic woes, including rising crime and social unrest, strip it of any moral authority to intervene here.This pervasive corruption across police, immigration, customs, and UK oversight is a ticking time bomb. No external savior, including the UK, the UN, or any fanciful extraterrestrial force, can fix this. Only divine intervention offers hope for justice and order.
What we have here folks is a whistleblower. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a whistleblower policy/ better yet legislation so this doesn’t have to play out in blogs. I would usually blame S!0wW@nde and his A$$c!0wn Brigade as it is their administration currently in place but this is shared blame with all past administrations
ITS JUDGE WIGGIE THE JUDAS AGAIN REVEALING HIS ARROGANCE IN EXPRESSING DUPLICITOUS NARCISSISTIC MENTALITY / JUST AS HE DOES IN HIS YELLO SITE ( THA K YOU FOR BREAKING IT DOWN SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THROUGH HIS MASK WHICH HE USES , USING DIFFERENT NAMES TO THROW US OFF ( AYO BLIND ?) IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS INDIVIDUAL’S ” AD HOMINEM ” / ITS HARD TO BELIEVE SOMEONE CAN BE SO DETERMINED TO CONTINUE CREATING THESE KIND OF HATEFUL LYRICS EVERY DAY ON OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T DONE HIM ANYTHING / THIS IS SICKENING