Governors' rejection of PSC recommendations a 'red flag'- Skelton-Cline
Mr Skelton-Cline was at the time speaking on the Tuesday, September 10, 2019, edition of his show on public radio with guest, Hon Kye M. Rymer, Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities and Fifth District Representative.
“It was unprecedented in the history if this BVI, under our constitutional democracy, that the sitting Governor would usurp the authority of the Public Service Commission and on his own subjectivity decide where PS’s will go,” he said.
According to Skelton-Cline, “it is this kind of behaviour, this kind of conduct that we must push back and put on record that we are against.”
Constitutional Reform
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) in a September 2, 2019, statement said that while he had no problem with the Governor leaning on his own discretion – “I see his action as an insult to self-reliance, self-determination, modern partnership, mutual respect and the democratic future of the BVI.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Mr Skelton-Cline said, “It’s an encroachment on the constitution, it is an encroachment on the practice and precedent; which the UK goes by because they don’t have a constitution, that ministers should have their preference relative to PS’s."
Guest Hon Rymer said that while the Governor has his rights, ultimately, constitutional reform will address the issue of encroachment.
“When we see this kind of stuff, when we see this kind of behaviour, moving from one sector to the next, from one issue to another, the red flags must be raised,” Skelton-Cline told the listening audience.
10 Responses to “Governors' rejection of PSC recommendations a 'red flag'- Skelton-Cline”
Under the 2007 constitution, the civil service falls under the purview of Governor. The current process is a dysfunctional and ineffective and needs to be change now. The civil service must be under local control. It is insulting to erroneously conclude that the local government is incapable of effectively managing the civil service. This conclusion is an old dog whistle that people of African descent lacked the skill, talent, intellect.....etc to lead and manage organizations. Some of us feed the nonsense that if you Black get back, if you Brown stick around and if you White you are right. We subscribe to the Massa knows best mentality. Moreover, we invite people to disrespect us, placing us on a lower intellectual level. Stop it!
Let us change the damn constitution and put civil service under local control; we should not give a rat’s ass what other OTs are doing in this instance. The VI is listed as self governing but that is a mirage. The VI needs more autonomy, eg, civil service.....etc. The Governor has overstayed his welcome in the BVI. Is he a snake in the grass, a wolf in sheep clothing, a chameleon.....?