‘You don’t need no RDA!’- Julio S. Henry
The United Kingdom (UK) through a recovery and reconstruction package for the Virgin Islands (VI) had promised up to £300 million in loan guarantees and £10 million in grants to support the territory's recovery after hurricanes Irma and Maria of 2017.
However, following the establishment of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA)—cited as created due to the UK government mistrust in the then NDP administration—the UK is now demanding that in order for VI to receive the funds, the territory's financial control be handed over to the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA).
Premier Fahie has said while the loan is welcomed, the demands are far from reasonable and the VI is now faced with the question as to whether the territory is prepared to mortgage its birthright in order for the British government to provide the guarantee needed for the VI to access this critically needed funding.
‘We don’t want no welfare situation’ Julio S. Henry
Speaking at a consultation meeting on the UK Loan Guarantee at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Paraquita Bay, Tortola, on August 20, 2019 Mr Henry said the situation the VI is now facing with the UK seeking to take away the control of the Virgin Islands from the democratically elected government through the Loan Guarantee and the RDA is like trying to return the territory to the days of Grant-in-Aid.
He described Hon Fahie as the modern day Willard Wheatley and was of the view that the VI does not need to accept the Loan Guarantee under its present conditions, adding that the VI, just like in the past, would survive.
Mr Henry said he was a “young guy” when Grant-in-Aid was discontinued but he saw “progress in the BVI with loan, we paid it back, and without loan where we worked out of our own pockets and build [the territory] and I believe we are at that stage right now.”
The outspoken Mr Henry suggested that the Virgin Islands renegotiates for better terms under the UK Loan Guarantee or opt out.
“If you can’t get better terms we need a BVI exit just like the Brexit, because if they will not put anything in place to deficiently put them in a bad situation why should we?”
Reminding the Premier that a major note of his campaign was about the territory becoming self-sufficient, Mr Henry said the last thing the VI needed was to be put in a welfare situation.
“Yes you going to get the help but the help has to be where it is really a help and not a welfare situation. We don’t want no welfare situation in the BVI so you doing the right thing. Continue to bring the information forward,” Mr Henry said as he commended the Premier for bringing the matter to the public.
‘RDA was a mistake’
Meanwhile, Mr Henry labelled the RDA as a mistake, “but I believe it was a calculated mistake by people who didn’t have no vision and by people who weren’t even listening to their own selves,” as he took a swipe at the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration.
“Because they are the same people who put up the same billboard on the roundabout encouraging us to tell them don’t sign this thing but they still sign it knowing fully well the position we would be in today. So thank you again for seeing this thing for what it is.”
Mr Henry again urged Premier Fahie to refuse to sign on to the UK Loan Guarantee unless renegotiated, adding that he is aware there are many things that still need to be fixed in the Virgin Islands following the devastating storms of September 2017.
“Don’t sign anything that would put us negative,” Mr Henry said and urged Government to “do the things you could do” and focus on empowering people to become less dependent on central Government.
“Let the UK stay where them eh,” Mr Henry added as he claimed the World Bank, “the globalist”, has been trying to get into the VI for a long time and the RDA is the first step.
“Kill it. If it is not going to work for us, get rid of it, negotiate something else. You don’t need no RDA.”
Mr Henry explained that the Protocols for Effective Financial Management was already in place, which should have made the RDA irrelevant.
“It is exactly the same thing but the UK failed to do their job,” Mr Henry said, adding that the Protocols had outlined what the UK was supposed to be doing, “the same thing they now telling us the RDA will do for them. Why they didn’t do it.
“Don’t sign nothing,” Mr Henry stated.
Thanking Premier Fahie for his astute leadership and his involvement of the people in decision making, Mr Henry said it is what he was looking for in the past 8 years.
“You know what needs to be done. Whatever challenges we have to face we going to face it together.”
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14 Responses to “‘You don’t need no RDA!’- Julio S. Henry”
Thank you
Whats funny the populist have the opportunities to voice there concerns at a meeting but instead we waste time hiding behind fake names and blogging bull sh*t. Please get the facts before blogging the first thing that comes to your mind.
RDA will make sure the government don't miss use it.
This agreement will affect the entire population. Many business will find it very difficult to manage their affairs and educate the children, much less to take a vacation. The RDA is operating in the country as an independent entity and no reporting is done on its expenditure. The CEO of the RDA receives a hefty salary, more than anyone has ever been paid in the territory. That salary and allowance would have to be paid by the taxpayers. Whoever negotiated that salary and allowance for the CEO of RDA is an enemy of the country.
I want to commend the Premier for informing the public of the modus operandi of the UK government and the people must be watchful or they will be returned to servitude. There was one caller to the radio talk shows since 2004 who had brought this issue of the impending challenges to the Financial services and tourism and many persons did not take it seriously. However, here we are face to face with it. We will have unite as a people and not be divided because of political affiliation. This is a national issue.