“I felt insulted & disrespected by the Premier's Office”- Hon. O’Neal
Letter from the Premier’s Office not signed by Premier or Permanent Secretary
Hon. O’Neal, who is the founder of the BVI London House, said he received a letter dated January 2, 2013 about the 10th Anniversary of the BVI London House. He said the letter spoke to his award of the Friendship Medallion as a token of appreciation in recognition of his invaluable services and unwavering support for his work done, which helped to fulfill and realize the mission and vision of advancing and representing the interest of the VI in the United Kingdom.
However, despite the glowing letter, Hon. O’Neal said he found the Friendship Medallion in his House of Assembly office in a white paper bag and inside a brown envelope. This he found “insulting and disrespectful.”
To further add insult to injury Hon. O’Neal, himself a former Permanent Secretary in his earlier civil servant career, said “the letter was not even signed by the Permanent Secretary or the Premier but signed for the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Rosalie Adams.”
While he said in Public Administration there is no rule that says the Permanent Secretary has to sign every letter leaving their office, as letters going out can be signed by the most junior officer, “however, certain letters should be signed by the PS or the Premier as it demonstrates the importance to the matter, the kind of protocol you can expect from the Office of the Premier.”…Hon. O’Neal, the 9th district representative, said “I supposed it does not matter to some people.”
It is a custom that elected officials will usually write to other elected officials or there could be instances when Ministers of Government will have their Permanent Secretaries signed such correspondence on their behalf but usually never other officers not in that rank.
Hon. O’Neal said he had heard while the Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith was in London attending the 10th Anniversary celebration of the BVI London House in December 2012 that he had said he would have had an official ceremony for receptions of the Friendship Medallion, but instead “it was presented to me in such a distressful and undignified way in a brown envelope left at my office.”
Do we have a culture of disrespect?
When asked if since the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government took office, if he believed they have created a culture of disrespect? Hon. O’Neal, the Virgin Islands’ first Premier, told this news site that “I have always treated the current Government with respect while in office and I expect them to treat me the same way.”
He said, “Government must not always be in the business of calling down what another government has done”. He recalls that "around 2008 or 2009 I had to bring before the House of Assembly a 24 million dollar SAP left over from the NDP Government to cover over spending by them, but I was not up and down criticising them over it.”
He said he remained concerned at how he had received the 10th, Anniversary BVI London House Medallion, along with the letter not even signed by the Permanent Secretary.
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51 Responses to ““I felt insulted & disrespected by the Premier's Office”- Hon. O’Neal”
NOT A DAMN SEAT FOR THEM NEXT TIME AROUND
what does it mean?
you are an @$$!@#%e...how the hell them dis-respecting the premier like that (yes, i said premier) with dem outta place self. stupidness
Culture of disrepect, I think not, I love your comments it reminds me of the days when people use to send their resume up to the departments to get jobs and next thing its in the garbage. People have to come to the realization that they days of born here is gone, we need each other, in all areas of life. Lets give the respect to Mr. O'Neal
I with Uncle on this one they out of order
This medal situation is indeed insulting. One may not agree with everything Ralph did, but he has been involved in politics since 1972 when he wrote an environmental report about oil nut bay and north sound... and we see what has happened since. politics. At times, Lavity was no angel yet he has a holiday.
The point is, that he has been a civil servant longer than most have been born. He will not be around much longer and many may not have agreed with him. NDP should have bit the bullet and done something more respectful instead of narrow-minded.
when you have people like I**z at the helm of the public service with her political unprofessional behavior what else get one expect. The whole service is gone to the dogs long time
It is obvious that the gift was not given with the decorum it deserved and it would have left a sour taste in anyone's mouth, let alone that of a former leader of the Territory. My mommy used to say that things done in half are never done correctly. Good intentions, bad presentation, resulting in a slap in the face if you ask me.
I would not like to think that the sorry chain of events was intentional. Let us just blame it in poor thinking and move on with the best interest of our beloved islands as our primary concern.
We learn from our mistakes. If it happens again it is deliberate. Until then, it was just poor old judgment on someone's part. Nuff said.
Well done.