OECS calls on UK to withdraw Order in Council ‘without delay’
The regional body has also supported the request of the Government of National Unity for a visiting mission to the Virgin Islands by the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24).
This was revealed in an OECS Statement on ‘Self-Governance and Reform in the British Virgin Islands' by the OECS Authority on Monday, October 24, 2022.
The strong statement comes on the heels of the Seventy-Second (72nd) Meeting of the OECS Authority held in Montserrat from Wednesday, October 19-20, 2022, under the Chairmanship of The Honourable Joseph Easton Taylor-Farrell, Premier of Montserrat.
Virgin Islands’ Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) attended the meeting and also delivered his maiden address to the OECS Authority.
OECS objects to imposition of colonial rule on VI
According to the OECS Statement, it was at the 72nd Meeting of the OECS Authority, the Heads of Government and Political Representatives discussed the progress of reform in the [British] Virgin Islands.
It said the Authority commended Premier Wheatley and the Government of National Unity for their firm commitment to good governance and the ongoing successful implementation of the Framework for the Implementation of the Commission of Inquiry and other reforms.
The Authority also applauded the Government of National Unity for continuing to meet the needs of the people of the Virgin Islands while reforms are being implemented and the OECS pledged technical assistance to support the VI Governmenty’s implementation of the reform Framework.
The OECS Authority made it clear that it objects to the imposition of direct colonial rule over the people of the VI whose human rights and inalienable right to self-determination set out in the United Nations (UN) Charter and relevant UN resolutions should not be violated by any party.
Order in Council should be ‘withdrawn without delay’- OECS
According to the OECS, it “Supports the request of the Government of National Unity for a visiting mission to the Virgin Islands by the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24),” and calls for the United Kingdom (UK) Order in Council being held in reserve to suspend the British Virgin Islands constitution to be withdrawn without delay.”
According to the statement, the OECS Authority agrees to a common position at the relevant UN fora to support the self-governance and right to self-determination of the people of the British Virgin Islands.
It said it “Reaffirms the right of the people of the British Virgin Islands to democratic governance and to freely elect their representatives to the legislature (i.e., House of Assembly) within the constitutionally due period.”
UK holding a gun to VI’s head!
Suspension of the Virgin Islands Constitution was the overarching recommendation of the lone Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Commissioner, UK national Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom.
While the UK has not suspended the constitution, due to fightback locally, regionally and internationally, the former Minister for Overseas Territories and former UK Prime Minister Mary Elizabeth Truss aka ‘Liz Truss’ instituted an Order in Council in the UK Parliament to be held in reserve. The Order gives the Governor the power to suspend the constitution at his discretion.
While the Government of the Virgin Islands agree that reform is needed and has committed to its implementation it has also objected to the Order in Council.
Many have described it was holding a gun to the VI’s head and is not symbolic of a modern partnership that the UK tends to tout about the VI.
A VI delegation led by Premier Wheatley will be in the UK next month and, among other things, intends to urge the UK to remove the Order in Council.
OECS
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Inter-governmental Organisation dedicated to regional integration in the Eastern Caribbean.
The OECS, which came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate and promote unity and solidarity among the Members, is now an eleven-member grouping comprising of the full Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
These members are part of the Economic Union and received the full benefits of Economic Union like free movement of people and goods, with the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe as associate members of the OECS.
The [British] Virgin Islands became an Associate Member of the OECS on November 22, 1984.
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46 Responses to “OECS calls on UK to withdraw Order in Council ‘without delay’”
take a long hard look at our country blacks gunning down blacks
corruption and other issues that are occurring in their own countries. It is one of the primary reasons why so many of their nationals are leaving for so called greener pastures.
The corruption is the cause of any human rights violations.
Personally I am most comfortable knowing that the UK has oversight of the VI. They cannot hurt our future more than we have done.
T he VI is now a microcosm of the worse of the Caribbean.
PLEASE it is
a nauseating unsettling energy of Blacks that are polar opposites in character and spiritual energy Vislanders,of their own population engineering are submerged in a quicksand of spiritual purgatory. They cannot pull themselves out of the hole they dug , We need a different perspective and a new and different presence.that only the UK can provide.
So far, a number of polititions were questioned, and others on this critical issue.
After the CoI probed was concluded, the current Unity Government agreed to complied with all of the CoI recommendations. According to the CoI two years were given the current Unity Government to fully complied with the implementation. Also, according to Governor John J. Rankin, our present constitution is to be reformed in order for better governance to to be administered to the people of the British Virgin Islands.
Yes, the OECS has power, but who gave authority to interfere in our political affears? The partial reformation of our present constitution is the the UK, our political head, and us, not the OECS. It is not the OECS that was burdened with the mismanagement of the BVI people's economic troubles, we are. Mine your own political business. It is our business how we are managing our. For the majority of us that know better, the CoI recommendations, though not perfect, but will help us achieved better governance for the people of the British Virgin Islands, mine honest, but also responsible, opinion.
The OECS needs to have the UN look into their affairs the more so, when they talking of human rights. The day the BVI make the mistake and go independence before straightening up the sheets, having a defense force, food security, etc. and not considering certain issues of our own our goose will be cooked just like some of the OECS and other Caribbean Countries. As soon as they go through some years of Independence corruption creeps in and the place goes down hill. BVI try it now, now that the corruption is already there, just try it. Because of the pre-knowledge of self we would be watching each other on the side, and sleeping with 1 eye open. Just try it BVI, IT WILL BE HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. GO RIGHT AHEAD MY PEOPLE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
It is hypocritical of the premier to raise this issue without having addressed the indignity meted out to OECS citizens in this Territory. And he cannot claim to be ignorant of it. It is deplorable that the OECS should be considering this given that they are backing up a unity government that never faced the electorate but was imposed on the people by the instigation of the same premier. It is dishonest that the premier should be taking this matter to the OECS while distancing himself from Caribbean unity.
I meant to type, In order to curb or better stop mismanagement of our finances....
Please forgive my typed errors.
Thank you kindly.
It is clear to those of us the exercise reasonable common sense that the OECS has no power to demand of the UK on our Constitution and or independent issue. Because of his, our current Premier, confused mindset, it is very clear to recognise that he is definitely not qualified for the position he now holds An indecisive leader is a weak leader. A leader tha cannot defend himself cannot defend those that he is leader of.
In order for us to make the progress from where we are to where we ne to be, a mucb better leader is urgently in need of for good governance to become a reality for the people of the British Virgin Islands
I am not a personal hater of our current Premier, but the people of the BVI need, now, better political leadership, as soon as possible, in my honest opinion.
Thank you kindly.