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Has the civil service been paralysed after arrests & CoI report?

-Many complain the public sector is at a standstill where no one does anything!
Local businessman Alred Frett and Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Comissioner Sr. Gary R. Hickinbottom. Photo: VINO/File/Provided
During the CoI, the maladministration and corruption under the Governor's portfolio such as the police force, the civil service and the courts were brushed aside and only the areas run by local government were the focus. In Photo: Governor John J. Rankin & Police Commissioner Mark Collins
During the CoI, the maladministration and corruption under the Governor's portfolio such as the police force, the civil service and the courts were brushed aside and only the areas run by local government were the focus. In Photo: Governor John J. Rankin & Police Commissioner Mark Collins
The Politicians are also reportedly concerned and uneasy because for the first time, a former Legislator who also served as Education and Culture Minister, Mr Myron V. Walwyn has been charged and arrested. Photo: VINO/File
The Politicians are also reportedly concerned and uneasy because for the first time, a former Legislator who also served as Education and Culture Minister, Mr Myron V. Walwyn has been charged and arrested. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - One of the erroneous narratives coming out of the one-man Commission of Inquiry (CoI) 2022 Report led by British national Sr. Gary R. Hickinbottom, was that the local people are all corrupt and the United Kingdom with their appointed UK nationals as Governors and Police Commissioners are pure and the saviors.

During the CoI, the maladministration and corruption under the Governor’s portfolio such as the police force, the civil service and the courts were brushed aside and only the areas run by local government were the focus.

That is why many progressive Virgin Islanders are now questioning the legitimacy of the report and what was the main motive and objective.

Instilled fear in public officers?

Since the release of the CoI report and the many recommendations, both ordinary residents and some elected officials have stated that the public sector has shut down and now, persons are too afraid to act on anything.  

They spoke of nothing being done in the Virgin Islands because public officers are reportedly in a state of confusion and fear as well as being terrified because of the arrests and charge of two of their colleagues.

The two are Najah Christopher an Assistant Secretary for External Affairs, and Lorna Stevens another Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Education who both were arrested and charged with ‘Breach of Trust’.

Politicians are also reportedly concerned and uneasy because for the first time, a former Legislator who also served as Education and Culture Minister, Mr Myron V. Walwyn has been charged and arrested.

Mr Walwyn was associated with the over $1.6 M Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) wall, and many in the private sector who have worked on Government projects, are also reportedly watching over their shoulders with the arrest of a private resident Kelvin Thomas over the same wall.

There is now a perception that nothing is happening in government, given that public officers and even some individuals in statutory bodies are fearful. This has reportedly brought the country to a standstill and caused the economy in some areas to contract which has frustrated some elected officials according to sources.

People are suffering

The result of this, is the country has reportedly started to spiral into poverty, residents are in hardship where the only focus is on the spending of close to $1M to implement the CoI recommendations signed off on by Premier Dr. the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). 

There was no consultation with the people before the CoI recommendations were signed off and many still see the CoI report simply as a means to transfer power from those we elect in free and fair elections, to civil servants and the Governor.

According to an outspoken former Legislator Alred C. Frett “this trend has been inbred in Slave Descendants - even those with the privilege of serving the Public - As a result, the People are being shortchanged…  Once upon a time, we looked to Politicians for rescue but now both our Politicians and Civil Servants appear to be under the UK’s control and it has been a standing practice for Senior Civil Servants to bamboozle Politicians they regard as weak, old or foolish.”

Politicians have become useless? 

Mr Frett writing in his column noted “this is tragic, since, Politicians were elected by the People to work in their best interest and, the less these Ministers are able to manage their Ministries, the more useless they become”.  

He continued, “meanwhile, Civil Servants are deemed to operate under the 21st Century Colonialist directives of UK’s Government… Under such conditions, the best-intended talks of Elections and Constitutions bring nothing for the People,” the businessman opined.

It is unclear how long the country will remain in a state of confusion, fear, and uncertainty. 

27 Responses to “Has the civil service been paralysed after arrests & CoI report?”

  • we are hurting (26/11/2022, 20:58) Like (9) Dislike (16) Reply
    This article is spot on
    • Rubber Duck (27/11/2022, 08:17) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
      Ranking was pulled out of Bermuda and brought to the BVI because Jaspert was recalled to London 9 months early because he was out of his depth. After a few months back in the UK civil service, the former high flyer, was framed out to the Crown Estate to manage the issuance of offshore wind farm licences (at the same time that UK policy was changed to not issuing any more offshore licences). Rankin has done a good job fixing the mess that Jaspert left.
      • Dear VINO (27/11/2022, 14:44) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply

        “ Politicians have become useless?”.
        In BVi they have been useless since decades. That what happens on all tiny countries with tiny populations. It’s inevitable.

    • Me (27/11/2022, 14:40) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      “ Has the civil service been paralysed after arrests & CoI report?”. No. You’re welcome.
    • Feary (27/11/2022, 14:42) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      The coi didn’t say all locals are corrupt.
      That’s garbage.
      • @ feary (27/11/2022, 16:21) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
        It sure did and the whites are not! Read it again
        • @@feary (28/11/2022, 12:47) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
          It said nothing like that and never would. It also didn’t say anything about what colour the skin is of anyone here. Since when were locals all one colour?
  • not nice (26/11/2022, 21:02) Like (1) Dislike (18) Reply

    You don't see Mr Rankin was send here on a mission by the UK ví islanders wake up before it's too late the police forcé is the most corrupt and it is under the watch of Rankin and noting is been done that don't tell You something we need to get rid of Rankin Collins Pam and the @*&^% UK now before more damage is done

  • @ uncle frETt (26/11/2022, 21:19) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    how come you and others are leaving out , ( yewhacked for the ( COI ) Question ❓ and why ??????? ARE you learning the moonwalk like CsC ???? and a couple of others
    • Westend (27/11/2022, 14:47) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I’ve tried putting your comments into Google Translate but it doesn’t recognise the language. Can you please try again? Thanks.
  • Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (26/11/2022, 22:26) Like (17) Dislike (20) Reply
    When are you going to stop writing propaganda in your continuing attempts of smearing the efforts of the CoI finding of politicians mishandling of our finances, Mr. Alred Frett? To some persons, your writings on issue such as this one is without errors
    Many of our citizens have not reconised it, by many of us do, that your have a measure of rasist attitude in you, against white rule, but your have not forcefully written against black rule misconducts, but you subtlely try to hide your rasist attitude.
    Not that some of what you have written in the past are not true, but some of what you have wrote in this article meant to deceive us, and some are deliberate lies been written against the CoI probed, and conclusive mismanagement of our finances been unveiled to us by the CoI.
    Some may choose to vote dislike, and ma do so, only because either don't understand or they are against proven evidence found, in my honest opinion.



    • @ native senior citizen of the bvi (27/11/2022, 10:27) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
      VINO I will have to leave your news site. I warn you last week to stop allowing this white supremacy with hate propaganda to turn blacks against each other and blame blacks who are the victims of the UK colonial rule.

      How on earth could a Commission of Inquiry be done and leave out all the areas of real corruption ie the police, some areas of the civil service and the issues with the courts? Who kill Frandy Marin? Who kill the guy from JAMDOWN who use to work at the governor’s resident?

      Why did the coi report only focused on Myron, Fraser, Claude, Vincent, Dr. Smith and Andrew? Cant you see that is nonsense and bias? Stop blaming the victims of slavery and blogging hate on VINO please STOP IT, let’s work together for a better BVI
  • Correction. (27/11/2022, 00:25) Like (16) Dislike (6) Reply
    Our people must learn to accept correction and change their bad ways. The COI clearly indicated the wrongs that were going on and recommended corrective measures. . Why we have a problem when we can't have our way...
    • @ Correction (27/11/2022, 10:28) Like (10) Dislike (6) Reply
      but the report was one sided it did not deal with the governors and the police
  • black man (27/11/2022, 00:40) Like (15) Dislike (12) Reply
    Long live the bvi we will get our independence
  • lol (27/11/2022, 01:44) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    The demise of the Civil Service started under the series of NDP Governments everything became politicized and manipulated by Ministers. Then the AF VIP Government took the manipulations to new heights. All the COI has done is made things worse as the corruption and manipulation has gone underground.

    Civil Servants are now paralyzed dejected and have lost all hope. What little used to happen has completely ground to a halt. No leadership vision or direction has emerged in all of the chaos…and none will for the foreseeable future. As the Government fights with the Governor and UK and they fight with the Government and we all lose.

    The cosmetic “fixes” here and there focusing on a “COI Agenda” are not bringing any fundamental change. What we have is a complete stall and regression here in the BVI while the Government and UK play a game of chicken. Our Government is and has been a dismal failure in all of this.
  • Headline news?? (27/11/2022, 06:41) Like (13) Dislike (5) Reply
    As the saying says, "if the cap fits". All those who are innocent and continue to do their jobs fairly and well have nothing to fear. This article is not news, just scaremongering.
    • @ headline news??? (27/11/2022, 10:31) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
      but even the innocent one will not move on anything! so the UK got their mandate to get this government out of office
  • Norris Turnbull (27/11/2022, 06:42) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Alred been bitter ever since Ralph fired his a$$. Talk that. You have corrupt people elected and selected to manage this Terrirory. The virgin Islands will still be here a hundred years from now.
  • Forbidden Truth (27/11/2022, 06:48) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    There are still incorritible persons with INTEGRITY working in the government Alred Frett. Not all are afraid.
  • Josiahsbay (27/11/2022, 08:10) Like (2) Dislike (8) Reply
    The UK has no business in our governance; they can't govern themselves. Self-determination is a one-way track and not a two-step forward and then one step back. If power is given to the Government it should not be taken back. It should be scrutinized, corrected, and fine-tune but never taken away. Every retrograde step is for the colonial rule which defeats the purpose of self-determination.
    • Boo (27/11/2022, 18:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Your plan will have us like Haiti or Venezuela in about 5 years. There will be no accountability and no reckoning for corrupt politicians.
  • @ senior citizen (27/11/2022, 11:57) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Once again that was well put , and like csc he's doing Michael Jackson's moonwalk and exposing ths racist mentality ,I think that's why he uses parables sometimes to keep people guessing his life true intentions , he does come strong , but he need to call a spade a spade , ( no offence
  • @ JOSIAHS BAY (27/11/2022, 14:40) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    WASN'T IT THE HOLY COACH WHO WAS V PLAYING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FIELD , WHO WENT SNITCHING TO JASPRT AND BEGGED FOR THE SAME COI ❔ AND BECAUSE IT BACKFIRED YOU AND JOKERS LIKE YOU CALLING FOWL / LOOKS LIKE YOU ALL GOT A SUDDEN SPELLS OF SELECTIVE ???? AMNESIA ????


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