'UK now standing over VI like a cop with a gun'– Bishop Cline
Bishop Cline made the comments during the Friday, June 17, 2022, edition of 'The Big Story' with host Cathy O. Richards.
“What I think troubles me most, sitting from where I sit, is the lack of willingness of the UK to truly be a partner with its Overseas Territory,” he said, regarding the threat to suspend the local constitution should the VI not implement the CoI recommendations on schedule.
“Instead, what see is a cop, this big police that’s standing over your head with a gun, and if you don’t what I say, then I will make you pay dearly by suspending your constitution and even rewriting it,” Bishop Cline added.
He added that in the 21st century, the UK ought to be more of a partner, given it has the capacity to help the VI.
“And that is one of the most disappointing things for me… that you could have a great power like the UK who has capacity, who has the ability, who has the resource to help a territory like the BVI, who they claim they value… but instead of helping US, they stand like a police over us.”
No mutual responsibility from the UK - Bishop Cline
According to the Bishop, words of the UK wanting a modern partnership based on mutual respect is just words with no mutual responsibility on the side of the UK.
“You require certain things of us that we do, but we can hardly expect anything from you except for us to keep you off our back, so instead of it becoming like a partnership, it’s like a war,” he said.
He said the hope was that both the VI and the UK want the same things, however, both parties are not on the same page.
The Bishop added that the UK is now putting extreme pressure on the Government of National Unity, that they are almost ready and willing to comply to stop the suspension of the local constitution.
It has long been stated by residents, the political class and governments that a modern partnership with the UK does not exist and has never existed, since the UK has only been interested in carrying out its agenda and is never held accountable in the so-called partnership.
Even the now-sitting Premier, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has expressed similar sentiments in the past.
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38 Responses to “'UK now standing over VI like a cop with a gun'– Bishop Cline”
This clergy man watching too much USA TV.
I am not sure what the objection is to the UK's position is. The Unity Government has said, they will bring into effect all the changes identified by the COI within 2 years. The UK Government has said they can do so, but set a two-year deadline for this. Surely the circumstances require a deadline to avoid prevarication? I am sure that if we get to week 103 and the Unity Government has fulfilled 95% of the changes required then the UK Government isn't going to suspend the constitution. If we get to week 103 and the Unity Government has done 20% then clearly the job is too big for them and the UK will take charge. Seems reasonable to me. Talk is cheap, so action is what is required and we've seen very little so far, tick tock, tick tock.
"The Bishop was standing over his congregation like a cop with a gun".
from back in the 70s London have done nothing for this overseas territory other than build HM Prison
Actually London; came after the hurricane BUT the NDP administration ran them away
The VI people got “drunk” on its success, focusing on materialism and little on civic engagement. Consequently, it failed because of its success, bringing its pig to a fine market as the elders used to say. Nonetheless, it needs to lean forward, fail forward, and learn and develop from its failure. Virgin Islanders contributed to the VI failure and setbacks and Virgin Islanders must engaged like an engaged rattler to fix the VI. Surprisingly, the VI people appear to be split as to whom can fix the VI. As such, the current agreement give the Governor full command and control for fixing the VI. The UK was moving bud speed ahead to suspend the constitution and impose direct rule.
Nevertheless, the current agreement achieves the same goal. Now, missteps can be shifted directly on the local, powerless government. It is suspending the constitution without suspending the constitution. But the constitution look as if it will be suspended and held in abeyance. It will be held over the head of the VI like the Sword of Damocles. With any perceived or subjective misstep, all the Foreign Sec has to do is direct the Governor to take full charge of the VI.
This p****y religious man is speaking in tongues again.
Like, the BVI wasn’t ruled by corrupt and greedy locals allied to foreign narcos, who did whatever they want with our territory with the implicit message that we need to accept it because, well, colonialism was bad, whites are evil.
Bishop Crime, please shut up and accept that our dysfunctional world was forced on us by people like YOU.