UK ‘Unlikely’ to lift reserved Order in Council before CoI reforms– Gov Rankin
The Governor made the statements in the executive summary of his Fifth Quarterly Review of the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry recommendations published yesterday, January 5, 2024.
May 2024 deadline extended
“At the beginning of April 2023, the then UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Lord Goldsmith, wrote to me and asked me to agree deadlines with the BVI Government to ensure that the necessary reforms have taken root no later than May 2024 This [and] “should allow for the Order in Council to be lifted then,” the summary noted.
Governor Rankin said that it looks unlikely the reforms will be completed and hence unlikely that the Order in Council can be lifted at that point, while noting that ‘additional powers’ would be needed on his part to complete the reform.
The controversial Order in Council was put in place following the release of the Report on the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on April 29, 2023, to force the VI to swiftly implement recommendations made by a lone CoI Commissioner.
The Commissioner, a UK national, had recommended direct rule by the UK on the VI; however, following pushback from the Virgin Islands people, as well as support from CARICOM, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), University of the West Indies, US Virgin Islands (USVI) and the United Nations (UN), the UK decided to place an Order in Council to suspend the VI constitution on reserve.
Order not representative of modern partnership
The Order in Council in reserve has been likened by many to the UK holding a gun to VI’s head, which they argue is not representative of a modern partnership, but reeks of colonialism and even racism. Further, the Governor said It has remained an option to consider an interim administration whereby the Governor takes over the responsibilities of Ministers in line with the Order in Council, “However, this is not my recommendation at this stage.”
He said instead, for the outstanding matters to face reform, an extension to the COI implementation process will be necessary for the Government to prove its commitment to and get the work done by the end of November 2024.
Premier Wheatley in a statement last evening said the Government of the Virgin Islands has been working diligently on reforms since May 2022 and good progress has been made.
“We remain firmly committed to good governance and our commitment to reform is unquestionable,” he said while adding that there are challenges, but things are going in the right direction despite the deadline that was “agreed under duress”.
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