Governor threatens ‘additional action’ if no significant progress in CoI reforms by Dec 2023
The Governor; however, did not say what those actions might be.
The United Kingdom (UK) civil servant made the threats today, Friday, September 29, 2023, during an update on the Commission of Inquiry Recommendations Implementation - Quarterly Review and noted that much has also been done on the reforms across various areas.
He added that action plans have started to come to cabinet and public consultations are taking place; however, he said reforms must be appropriately resourced and prioritised, particularly to ensure that the scale of legislation required doesn't create bottlenecks that could delay implementation.
He said by the end of December 2023, he expects to see a strengthened Integrity in Public Life Act, The Whistleblower Act, and an amended Register of Interest Act brought into force to prevent abuses highlighted by the CoI.
He said within his responsibility, a law enforcement review is on the way and that a specialist has been recruited to work on the vetting process on a full-time basis.
“I'm encouraged by the Government Business at its Best Strategy, which was launched in July and offers a new reporting structure for the commission of inquiry, recommendations, themes of greater transparency, continued accountability, and effective communication alongside value for money, easier access to services are bringing to capture the spirit of what needs to be delivered,” he said.
Clear measurements must be in place - Governor
Governor Rankin said the step is to have clear measurements in place to show that these things are being achieved and that the overall aim remains for the necessary reforms to have taken root no later than May 2024, for the VI to see real evidence of improvement in governance.
That may take the form of clear policies being consistently used, effective communication with the public, with public officers, appropriate budgets, and appropriate staffing allocations to ensure the delivery of government services.
“I do not believe that there is an immediate need for additional powers based on the plans and commitments the government has made. However, if we do not see significant progress in the coming months, additional action may be necessary.”
The Governor said he will publish his final quarterly review as governor in December 2023, and that this will form part of his handover to the new governor, Mr Daniel Pruce.
“I know that the Premier shares my wish in that area and understands the significance of the reforms and the team remains committed to delivering them. I look forward to continuing to work closely with him as we ensure that the people of the Virgin Islands experience the positive difference that good governance makes,” Governor Rankin stated.
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73 Responses to “Governor threatens ‘additional action’ if no significant progress in CoI reforms by Dec 2023”
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The predetermined findings were things on the UK to do list and structured so that they would be challenging and/or impossible to attain in the set time, giving the UK reason to move in and suspend the constitution and insert direct rule.
The completed CoI was held close to the vest with a deliberate planned release. However, the arrest of former Premier Andrew Fahie accelerated the release of the CoI. The sole commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom recommended the suspension of the constitution but there was little push back by the VI people. They were quiet as church mouses. The sitting government led Dr. Natalio Wheatley rushed to form a Unity Government to try to delay suspending the constitution, proposing that they could complete the recommendations in 24 months, promising to complete things in 24 months which the UK knew would take years longer. There was much suspense as to what the UK would do. The UK eventually agree to the Unity Government proposal for it met their intent.
Nevertheless, the UK did suspend the constitution through an order in council and it is being held in abeyance and is being held over the head of the VI like the Sword of Damocles. The VI overpromised and the UK knew it was overpromising and would fail to deliver on time and it would have the excuse to move in and suspend the constitution and insert direct rule, putting the BVI back under the tentacles colonialism/imperialism, regressing on self-governing progress made. Colonialism/imperialism is back without a fight.
Thomas Sankara eloquently states :”Imperialism is a system of exploitation that occurs not only in the brutal form of those who come with guns to conquer territory. Imperialism often occurs in more subtle forms, a loan, food aid, blackmail . We are fighting this system that allows a handful of men on Earth to rule all of humanity.” The Uk is not returning and taking over by force but by administrative action.
Well, the current Governor John Rankin, CMG, is threatening that if more progress on recommendations are not attained by December 2023 as he is bolting from the territory back to UK to take up retirement further actions would be taken. Notice the pattern. Former Governor Gus Jaspert commission the one-man CoI as he was bolting from the territory. Now Governor John Rankin is threatening further actions as he also is bolting from the territory.
The UK is imposing its will unilaterally because Virgin Islanders are quiet as lambs , behaving as George Hegel said: “ The one who values liberty over life is the master; and the one who values life over liberty is the slave. It pains me go here but my fellow Virgin Islanders are behaving like slaves. They have succumb to the divide and rule conditioning; they are afflicted with the Stockholm Syndrome. Some are paid out with trivial meritorious manumission. Theodolph Faulkner, Noel Lloyd, lavity Stoutt among others of our departed forebears and warriors must be tossing disgustingly in their resting places. Thomas Sankara also notes, “ that he who feeds you, controls you.” The colonialists, Mount Olympus, have fed our people through its divide and rule conditioning and it is taking roots, nourishing and flourishing in some Virgin Islanders. . They value the conditioning of colonialists, preferring their(colonialists) interests, actions, etc , over their own and that of other Virgin Islanders. There is disunity among Virgin Islanders, allowing colonialists to put them back under the yoke of colonialism, an extractive, exploitive, exclusionary, violent, rapist, racial supremacy, special privileges and entitlements, etc., institution.
Frederick Douglass : “ No struggle, no progress.” Virgin Islanders must regain their footing, their focus, their value system, their pride, their swagger, their thirst for freedom and liberty. If Virgin Islanders want to move the VI to next self/determination level they must unite through group all hands on deck effort. They must peacefully protests, agitate and advocate for change, more liberty and freedom, more self-governance,etc. if we continue on the same course with the same attitude and behavior, subjugation is our station. We have to make a choice freedom/independence or subjugation.
The drug trade has been ruining our islands for a while now it is time for transparent government..
When are you going to do something for the people governor?
Colonialism, an extractive economic and political, violent, exploiting, expropriating, exclusionary, racially discriminating with special privileges and entitlements and a strictly controlling institution, especially for slaves and their descendants. Their lives, livelihoods, freedom , liberties,etc. were strictly controlled. Colonialism was structured so that the inhabitants of the colonies were totally dependent on the plantation owners/overseers, the slave masters, upper class, etc. That control and dependency mechanism are built into self-governing measures. For example, the boiler plate constitution for OTs is a dependency-modeled constitution. Further, any devolved power can be easily reversed, ie, suspending the constitution and inserting direct rule. This is the current situation/scenario for the Virgin Islands(VI) [British]. Its constitution was suspended by an order in council but is being held abeyance as insurance for implementing CoI recommendations, and like the Sword of Damocles over the head of the BVI and its people. Control, control….Moreover, the VI is supposedly self-governing yet the UK-appointed Governor has unilateral power and influence, ie, reserved power, assent power, ie, any bill passed by House of Assembly ( HOA) has to be assented to by the Governor before it can take effect, retained powers, etc. These powers are embedded in the constitution which has to be granted by the UK.
Virgin Islanders like people everywhere has the right to choose, pursue their self-determination status choice, blessings of liberties, and freedoms; and basic human rights. However, though they have the right to self-determination, self-governance, etc is not going to occur automatically or easily. They have to be fought for peacefully with “group” effort. Disunity will strangle and handicap any desire to get free from the strict control l, control of colonialism. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who wants crops without plowing up the ground.”—-Fredrick Douglass. Freedom does not come free.
Undoubtedly, the CoI unearthed some poor governing practices which needs to be corrected. Nevertheless, a one-man commission of inquiry led a commissioner out of the UK should not have the power to unilaterally drive changes on the VI people without their consultation and consent These changes should be decided by the VI people who have to live with the changes. Therefore they must have their input and say. That is the democratic process. The Magna Carta of 1215 under King John was written by the people to protect rights and property against a tyrannical king. The Glorious Revolution (1688-1689), bloodless revolution, permanently established Parliament as the ruling power of England, representing a shift from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, limiting the power of the monarch and provided protections for English subjects.
The point is that it was a cabal among European countries to divide the spoils of the New World and Africa, so other countries may not get to energized over how a member of the cabal is treating its colonies. Birds of a feather flock together.
We have to stay vigilant as Trust is in God and not people. Especially if they were not elected by the people to represent the people.
He is playing politics but do not have to run for office yet hold power without accountability to the people. Until the Governor is elected by the people, he can never have loyalty or accountability to the people rather only to his bosses which is the UK. Whatever he does will be in their interest only.
Mr Politician get your act together
Why are we blaming the Governor and the UKGovernment ? For those of you saying Rankin needs to go,when he does,the one who comes will simply continue to carry out the agenda just as Rankin carried on from Gus.
Whistleblower
Register of Interests. These Acts still pending?
Get on with it guys, stop wasting precious time.
Imagine being so gullible to believe anything this man call john Ranking says at this point.