Radio talk show hosts applaud historic move by Governor Duncan
Host of the 3D Show, Doug Wheatley, and host of Things to Talk and President of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Dr Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru, teamed up on Friday March 24, 2017 on the 3 D Show aired on ZBVI 780 AM to make public their own take on the recent move by His Excellency The Governor, John S. Duncan OBE.
Late last week, Governor Duncan announced that he used his reserved power under Sec 103 (b) of the constitution to take $800,000 from the government coffers and place in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force’s budget, a move that has shaken the VI from captain all the way down to the cook and continues to be a major talk of the town, lit up every talk show, news cast and probably even every street conversation of late.
It was also unearthed by this news site that Governor Duncan in fact has given instructions for over $1.8 Million to be taken from the Consolidated Fund not only to increase the police budget, but also the Magistrate’s Court, Attorney General’s Chambers and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
However, the Wheatleys were in bewilderment as to the reason for the majority of the people being up in arms over the matter when the territory is a “colony of Britain.”
Why the fuss?
Doug Wheatley said many give the impression that it came out of the “clear blue sky.”
“No it did not,” he said. “This was in our constitution.”
According to him, it is the same constitution that a team comprising of delegates from the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) agreed to when they negotiated with the British Government for the new constitution.
“So the thing that is causing a problem right now is the fact that the governor in the same constitution, well our people negotiated with the British Government, they agreed to it. So why are we making this big fuss today? It’s not like this was done behind the backs of the legislators or behind the backs of the Virgin Islands, it was done right there in full view.”
Seek independence
“Ladies and gentlemen, so long as, and as long as you remain a colony of Great Britain, Britain will ensure that the Governor has the power in order to administer this territory under the UK,” He noted. “There is one answer to that, if you don’t want that situation to obtain you have the right to self-determination, to determine what your future should be and will be and you will have to exercise that right! If you fail to exercise that right to self -determination and you want to remain as a colony of Great Britain then you have to accept some of those things and you have to accept that the Governor is numero uno (number one) in your country.”
People happy there is a Governor- Dr Wheatley
Meantime, Dr Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru said the view among the elected representatives that they should run everything while the Governor should just be in the VI on vacation, without power, while remaining a colony of the UK, is unreasonable.
“That is an unrealistic and unreasonable view and it’s not going to happen… and you cannot jump up or fly up anytime the Governor uses his reserved power and talk about colonialism and slavery.”
People happy that there is a Governor
Dr Wheatley stated that the people are happy that there is a Governor since they do not have confidence that the elected representatives will sufficiently listen to them, empower them, will not be biased against them, or will not victimise them.
He added that as a consequence Virgin Islanders are “happy” to have a Governor who is able to us his powers to interrupt what the government is doing under certain conditions.
It has been said that the Governor’s move was among others unjustified, but Dr Wheatley applauded him, as he argued, that His Excellency, has in the past made statements concerning the present government not prioritising its financial resources particularly with the rise in crime.
“At a time when you have families grieving for the loss of life and the people are concerned about the situation of crime, you are telling me that putting more resources into the RVIPF hands is unjustified? And the very same people is telling you that it is justified to put $7 million in a foreign company at the same time you want to expand a runway...I applaud him for that.”
He said if the Governor forces the government to bring a Freedom of Information Act, as well as the audited finances, and public register of interests, he would be pleased, since the Government are the ones who should be doing it in the first place.
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34 Responses to “Radio talk show hosts applaud historic move by Governor Duncan”
The blackness and independence etc he has spoken about in the past now he backing up like a crab talking nonsense. He of all people? My brother you will have a very hard time getting ejected. Find your real self man.
These rugrats better stay far away from this colonialism and slavery talk. Some of our ancestors back in Africa whoever those dam thugs may be are the ones responsible for some of us being here in the Caribbean. Our very own sold our ancestors for less than a dollar and whatever other promises were made. Our very own took us to the shorelines and sell us off the coast of Africa to face a treacherous voyage.
If you put things in the context of our elected members with a little power in this day and age still our very own continue to abuse, victimize, mismanage the country and look down on their brother and sister. It's a crying shame to have to tell a government to fund the police force. The same non stop flight we all kicking up a storm to get it's the same passengers going to bring us down on trip advisor when they get robbed, killed and assaulted. Some these elected members will hang their brothers and sisters if all you keep giving them more rope. Creating fear among our people with this colonization backward bull will not help do anything than keep all of us ignorant.
It's called human nature, the good and bad, the dirty and the clean, the wicked and the evil. We live in a democratic society where you have good and bad voting for good and bad. Unfortunately some these elected members bad outweigh their good. The Governor spoke. It's needed. Hopefully the elected members listen then again they will when their power is at stake but the cycle will continue if not held accountable. It's a good feeling knowing time has shifted. A white man fighting for money for the safety of a majority black population while this white man has less than a month in the country. It speaks volume.
If Smith and his merry band of jokers can't see this maybe we need the Brits to do it. If for anything else to limit the liability that NDP has put this country in. They continue to try to muzzle the press. Where is the whistleblower legislation, the human rights legislation, campaign financing, freedom of information, register of interests, COI? Absolutely anything that would hold them accountable they bury and now we can't even be certain that the Minister of Finance has a handle on the Territory's finances. Thank God for the constitution. Thank God for the Governor!
I for one believe HE actions are repugnant enough;
Lawd Natilio, you only been there a few minutes and in no time you got rid of what was left of the VIP
Fraser need to run from them fast and start his own Party.