At age 38 Governor Jaspert is more powerful than elected Members
Usually, when senior civil servants in the British Foreign Service makes the rank of Governor their next step is to retire.
However, this may not be the case with the current Governor. Born on January 2, 1979 now 38, Mr Jaspert, a British national, is one of the youngest Governors yet.
The youngster in the room has the power
The youngest Cabinet member is Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL), the Education and Culture Minister, who was born on February 22, 1972 which makes him 45, some 7 years older than the new Governor.
The oldest Member of Cabinet is Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) who was born on August 28, 1944 and makes him 73, some 35 years old than the non-elected Governor who has more powers than the Premier.
The new Governor is even younger than all the Members of Cabinet and in fact he could have been the son of some four Cabinet Ministers.
At 38 and sitting in Cabinet, under the constitution Governor Jaspert has more power that anyone in the VI.
Power from VI Constitution
Chapter 3 Sec 35 of the 2007 Constitution sets out the power of Mr Jaspert.
Sec 60 also gives the unelected senior civil servant more power than any elected officials, with special responsibility for external affairs, defense, internal security, and the courts to name a few. In other words, Mr Jaspert can direct the Police Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions to carry out his wishes under the current constitution, something no elected member can do.
The power of the young British civil servant is also outlined in Sec 81- where the Governor has reserved powers where he can impose on the VI to comply with any international obligation.
In addition, the Governor can bypass the Minister of Finance or the House of Assembly (HoA) and take money under Sec 103 (b) from the consolidated fund to do whatever he wants.
We all remember the former governor John S. Duncan OBE who used this power when he imposed direct rule via his authority and took some $1.8 Million of tax payers money to fund the police and the courts, the biggest embarrassment yet to the Dr Smith led Administration .
Mr Jaspert has other reserved powers under Sec 119 of the constitution, including the authority to bypass the HoA to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of the VI.
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24 Responses to “At age 38 Governor Jaspert is more powerful than elected Members”
What does age have to do with position, power and authority?
So many do not understand our brutal, dismal past that is why they continue to praise everything that shines bright above "round rock." The ship of the bloggers that is not ruled by the rudder, when the rocks pick you up, I hope you would stop to say, "where did we go wrong?" Open the eyes of the people of the Virgin Islands that they may see what destiny their forefathers intended for the descendants of African slaves.
If our elected members could work in partnership with the governor as he stated, the territory will progress efficiently. It is no use having confrontation with the governor, because we are the one to loose more. Alternatively, if our elected members do not like it, they can flex their mussels and see the results.