UK discussing further support to OTs for Hurricane Season- Gov Jaspert
The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts on June 1, 2020, and ends on November 30, 2020.
Stating that the UK is ready to support, Governor Jaspert said the navy ship, RFA Argus, has already been deployed to the Caribbean with immediate relief capabilities and supplies and it will be stationed in the Region throughout the season.
“We are also discussing further support to bring extra resilience, should we require it given the added risk this year of tackling a storm and COVID-19 simultaneously,” the Governor said in a statement today, May 13, 2020.
Governor Jaspert, however, did not explain what form the extra support could take.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said his Government is particularly interested in economic support rather than military support as the UK is often more inclined to give to the Overseas Territories.
Don't get distracted by COVID-19
Meanwhile, Governor Jaspert warned the Territory to not be distracted by COVID-19 pandemic in this 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
"Early forecasts indicate that this season will be more active than the statistical average, although as we know already, it only takes one storm on our shores to have serious impacts," Governor Jaspert said.
'Thankfully, the work of Government in preparing for hurricane season has not stopped either, and Cabinet remains focused on this agenda alongside COVID-19. The public service has also been busy making preparations as part of our annual readiness assessment."
The Governor also said preparations have begun at the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), which is collaborating with other ministries and departments to serve the Territory during any potential crisis.
It was also noted that- in the coming weeks- Government will continue to share advice and information and engage the community across websites, social media channels and through the DDM to help with preparatory works.
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16 Responses to “UK discussing further support to OTs for Hurricane Season- Gov Jaspert”
Similarly, the VI is battling the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) global pandemic, the most destabilizing event since World War II. The virus has caused the shutdown of the tourism industry, 1/2 of the economic twin pillars and major employer, resulting in workers being laid off. To help these laid off workers, Premier Andrew Fahie weeks ago requested UK help in providing assistance to help these displaced workers. The Governor, an MP and others pulled a Queen Marie Antoinette. Queen Mary Antoinette tell the French, “let them eat cake.” The VI was told to go pound sand, for the UK, an advanced country, has its own problems. The Guv lame response was that the VI has a healthy reserve fund, as well as a robust social security trust fund. The Guv as a member of the Cabinet (why? tory for another day) knows full well that the Social Security Act (one of his predecessors assented the Act) does not include unemployment insurance. The government is still awaiting a response and the laid off workers too are still also waiting. In management deferral and procrastination are a form of a non response.
Not one dollar to assist the local economy.
What a travesty.
He must think we’re really stupid. Navy ship not coming to help us. Plenty other UK Territories it will go to first instead. What a joke. No help after Irma. Don’t believe this li** and fra*****r. C** m*n and his family from UK living off us for free. Wake up brothers and sisters.
You are right: there is no financial support from the British Govt in times like that for the residents in the territories. There isn't any during the pandemic and also for anything else that have the potential to disrupt normal functioning of society.You are right!
The solution to that is you will need to alter the current constitution that's been in place since back in 07 to add " Members of Parliament" one each for the Lower amd Upper level of th British Parliament in order to negociate those kind of aggrements. It will only be an extention of the Local Govt who will be representing each territory in London.
Currently there is proposed legislation that will see 9 proposed MPs for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. I think you should see 4 MPs for the Caribbean Territories and 3 or 4 for the Crown Dependencies and 1 for South Atlantic Territories.
(Those proposed MPs that will be elected by residents within the territories will be paid entirely by the UK Govt, Airfares, Apartment most likely, other perks the same way that the Governors get from each territories.
I also saw where they were discussing even going further as to allowing Territorial Governors to be chosen from the territories. That may happen abit later but the same perks Governors get when they are in the territories, the same will be giving to the MPs that will be elected by each territories.
This was also discussed on live Video streaming via Bernews.com with an MGP "Member of Gibraltar Parliament" in late Jan or Feb 2020.
Alot of the benefits that people in the territories should be getting from the UK Government in terms of financial support, they are not getting because there is nobody down in London from the territories to push for them on a daily basis the same like they do from the french territories do in Paris or a US state do when they send delegates, Senators,etc to DC.
There is need for representatives to be in the National Parliament to highlight situations from their hometowns and to make sure progress is carried out on a National Level that will be applied to respective territories.
The territory govt is doing a good job locally but there is that national support that's been missing from the UKG and I think that's why many things are misunderstood in the UKG about these that's away from the coast of GB.
Don't get it misunderstood: not cause you'll have a closer relationship with the UKG meaning there won't disagreements at times but they will be much more support for the territories because you'll be a part of the Country fully insted of an external territory.
They'll just have to negociate a small tax..
Govt collect 20% PAYE here while back in the territory the govt collected 14%. The other 6% added on may be paid to the UKG but you will be able to..apply for tax refund every end of March and also get support monthly incase you are unemployed for any period of time and other financial support.
Support for Businesses and other things shoul be better..Trust me, the independent mentality that some have will take you 20 to 30 times behind where you are right now..and then will have to go to China to fund things and then they will sanction the new country when you can't repay debts, all because some people think they'll be better off being a country..No you won't!
This is not a history class about Trans Atlantic Slavery or Racism or some other thing that happened. This is about where we can go and how we can get the support to improve the lives and infrastructure of the territory we all love and our birth place: British Virgin Islands.
In this era, it should be Britain as a nation using it's clout to negociate with world powers to make our lives better. No small country in the world like a Barbados or overseas territory will be able do such and you have no Defence of any kind to keep others from even stealing our fish in our economic water zones e.g China..they've been in our water, the reason the Military needs to be out there all year long.
From East to West, Anegada down to Jost, y'all stay up man! We all in the same thing together.