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Governor & UK staff in VI run/walk for mental health

- As part of 24 hour global marathon relay to help mental health charities across the world
United Kingdom staff of the Governor’s Office in the Virgin Islands joined staff from more than 230 British Embassies, High Commissions, Governors’ Offices and Consulates across the globe on a 24-hour global marathon relay to help mental health charities across the world on May 15, 2021. Photo: Governor's Office
Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, said the Globalmile has been a wonderful way to feel connected to the rest of the world. Photo: Facebook
Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, said the Globalmile has been a wonderful way to feel connected to the rest of the world. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, along with United Kingdom staff of the Governor’s Office in the Virgin Islands joined staff from more than 230 British Embassies, High Commissions, Governors’ Offices and Consulates across the globe on a 24-hour global marathon relay to help mental health charities across the world on May 15, 2021.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office charity marathon drew participants from Vancouver in the west to Samoa in the east; from Wellington in the south to Reykjavik in the north – are taking part, a press release from the Governor’s Office on May 15, 2021, stated.

The Governor and his teammates passed a baton- improvised from household objects such as rolling pins and snorkels- while they ran or walked a mile through the VI.

‘Power of connection’

According to the Governor’s Office, on running his mile, Governor Rankin said: “The Globalmile has been a wonderful way to feel connected to the rest of the world. While my feet are firmly in BVI, I passed the baton onto colleagues in Sri Lanka. Covid-19 has made travel difficult and can make us feel cut off from the world, but today reminded me of the power of connection, with people across the world coming together to raise awareness on the importance of mental health and support charities.”

The Globalmile started in Apia, Samoa and finished in Vancouver, Canada.

Participants at each post had to run or walk a mile, before video-conferencing or tweeting with the next mission to pass the virtual baton on – sending it through the 24 time zones over the course of a day.

 The Globalmile follows the effort of 158 posts, which took part in the first year of the event.

Governor’s Office accused of ‘Apartheid system’

The participation of the Governor’s Office in the Virgin Islands in the charity run/walk is a positive move for its reputation.

The Office has come under heavy criticism for what some described as an apartheid system operating in the Governor’s Office, where all the workers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) side are Caucasians and on the local side there are people of colour.

Many have asked during Standing Finance Committee (SFC) over the years why there is a separation and whether it is an example of racism.

Governors over the years have refused to address that situation.

20 Responses to “Governor & UK staff in VI run/walk for mental health”

  • one eye (16/05/2021, 13:50) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    The color line
  • Jessie (16/05/2021, 15:47) Like (20) Dislike (9) Reply
    how come it mostly the europeans that give back to the society
  • and (16/05/2021, 19:42) Like (7) Dislike (9) Reply
    Yes, an abhorrent apartheid system. Why are my taxes paying for these incompetent white females to have a tax free holiday in the sun? All we see is them smoking outside their office doorstep and drinking at work and around our Island.

    One even was front page news for drinking and driving!!!
    • Really? (17/05/2021, 14:50) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
      UK (not BVI) taxpayers pay their salary. They do pay tax. They don't smoke. The drink drive incident was 8 years ago - long before this lot.
  • laughable (16/05/2021, 19:45) Like (7) Dislike (11) Reply
    They’re the ones who need their head checked!!!

    Running for mental health???! What HYPOCRITES!! All they do is intimidate and bully.

    Just ask the non-white servants and lowly paid secretaries there!

    And why are all the servants there black??? And why do they still have servants there????
    • YOU (17/05/2021, 04:18) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
      They don’t have servant! Man we got some stupid ppl here. Lawd it like some ppl always got a thing to moan bout.
  • Well.... (16/05/2021, 19:46) Like (9) Dislike (12) Reply
    They can run all the way back to cold UK.

    Racist bigots.
  • maytay (16/05/2021, 23:55) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where is this governor's first lady?
  • Youth (17/05/2021, 07:53) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
    Those UK staff have no respect for the people of the Virgin Islands. They think we are stupid.
  • My Take (17/05/2021, 07:55) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    The Governor's office has always been split in two with local staff and UK staff. The UK staff has an agenda to force on us from the UK.
  • zoe (17/05/2021, 09:46) Like (7) Dislike (7) Reply

    Trying to spin a run so we can forget about what they did to our forefathers and mothers?

  • resident (17/05/2021, 10:56) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    I expect there will be a lot more of them once we have direct rule from UK for 5 years or so after the CoI. I suspect there will be a number of vacancies in Government and the public service.
  • no surprise (17/05/2021, 16:31) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Their actions speak louder than words.....

    Employing a drunk driving white woman not from here but UK says it all.
  • So (17/05/2021, 16:48) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    So, they’re sent here to run???
  • Sigh.... (17/05/2021, 17:43) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply

    And here we thought the social media staging would stop once the white supremacist G**** was summoned back to his motherland.

    Sadly not. His sycophants are literally carrying the baton!

  • gfdfdggfdgfdgfdg (17/05/2021, 17:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    They think we’re so thick to fall for all this fakeness and publicity.

    Why aren’t they working??!
  • How (17/05/2021, 18:47) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    How is this going to feed our families??


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