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VI on the verge of ‘direct rule’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie

- Says No Confidence motion is to protect the Territory from such actions
The Leader of the Opposition Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has warned the British Overseas Territory of the Virgin Islands (VI) that if the Minister of Finance continue to mismanage his portfolio, that 'someone will police us in a manner we will all regret.' Photo: VINO/File
Jeremy B. Corbyn, Leader of the UK Labour Party advised that the United Kingdom government should impose 'direct rule' on British overseas territories and dependencies if they do not comply with UK tax laws. Photo: Internet Source
Jeremy B. Corbyn, Leader of the UK Labour Party advised that the United Kingdom government should impose 'direct rule' on British overseas territories and dependencies if they do not comply with UK tax laws. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has warned the British Overseas Territory of the Virgin Islands (VI) that if the Minister of Finance continue to mismanage his portfolio, that "someone will police us in a manner we will all regret."

Hon Fahie was at the time justifying his motion of No Confidence in the Territory's Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL). Mr. Fahie will move the No Confidence Motion against the Minister of Finance in the House of Assembly Sitting on August 1, 2017.

Direct rule coming -Fahie

In a statement released yesterday July 27, 2017 Hon Fahie said, “I am doing this to protect us from direct rule! Since the reinstatement of our Constitution in 1950 we are now the closest that we have ever been towards direct rule because of poor financial management that refuses to ensure transparency and accountability. I am doing this for us.”

The Opposition Leader and Virgin Islands Party Chairman also spoke to the blatant violation of many of the same laws put in place by the ruling National Democratic Party Government.

Hon Fahie, a Former Education and Culture Minister said the Smith Administration has violated the Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act and the Protocols for Effective Financial Management and this will lead to the United Kingdom interfering in the VI internal affairs.

The First District Representative wants to avoid the territory from falling into the hands of United Kingdom via direct rule and called for a new Finance Minister who can bring about accountability, transparency and good governance in our Territory's financial affairs.

UK Opposition Leader called for Direct rule

Outside of Hon Fahie warning that if the Virgin Islands do not practice good financial management they will have direct rule imposed on the territory, Leader of the UK Opposition, Jeremy B. Corbyn, the Labour Party Leader had called for direct rule in 2016 following the leak of the Panama Papers.

The Offshore financial Information leaked  from the Panama based firm Mossack Fonseca give raise to the international community wrongfully  labelling the VI as a tax haven.

 

22 Responses to “VI on the verge of ‘direct rule’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie”

  • cay (28/07/2017, 20:12) Like (13) Dislike (19) Reply
    I agree with Foy
  • King Kunta (28/07/2017, 20:19) Like (4) Dislike (20) Reply
    So, ahhh, Brox Bummer gonna set it all straight?
  • King Ping (28/07/2017, 20:34) Like (6) Dislike (11) Reply
    After what the governor did with the money from our Treasury we are already under direct rule so It's not enough humiliation in itself?
  • Irony (28/07/2017, 20:40) Like (16) Dislike (6) Reply
    Remove Dr. Smith That's where compromise is possible with the UK on not imposing more direct rule.

  • E. Leonard (28/07/2017, 22:55) Like (12) Dislike (12) Reply
    The Governor appropriating funds from the consolidated fund under Section 103(B) of the VI constitution should be treated as a precursor to UK's direct rule. Direct rule is on the UK's radar. The November 1949 March led by Dolph Faulkner, IG Fonseca, Carlton deCastro and others brought forth a new constitution and restoration of democracy in 1950. The previous constitution and Legisaltive Council was suspended in 1901. The VI came a long way from a little sleepy hollow and bird sanctuary to a thriving self supporting locale with one of the highest per capita income, quality of life and standard of living in the region. Virgin Islanders must unite to work cooperatively and collaborately to progressively move the territory forward, not backwards. The VI must pursue more internal self governing control, not less. It must practice transparency, good governance..........etc to avoid direct rule being imposed by the UK. The VI may be small but it must continue to prove that it can manage its own affairs effectively. There is a false notion that that people of former colonies cannot effectively rule themselves and have to be rescued from themselves by outsiders. The region needs to rid itself of imperialism, colonialism and neocolonialism.
    • True (29/07/2017, 07:48) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with what you said up to the part where the VI "must continue to prove it can manage its own affairs effectively". Every project the gov has been involved has run over time and budget by significant amounts. VI govt commissions all kinds of studies with the public purse, but never releases those studies. Vi govt would rather spend a million on a wall than on improving the quality of education it offers. Vi govt does not seem to be able to reliable supply power and water to its citizenry etc etc. The potential to manage its affairs effectively is there, but it'll never happen unless we are honest with ourselves about our imperfections and deal with them in a rational and mature way, instead of the rampant cronyism and corruption that seems to be guiding our actions, and that should be rejected outright. At the end of the day, VI govt has for a long time been a good example of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" largely because there is very little accountability.
    • RealPol (29/07/2017, 11:11) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      @E. Leonard, real talk. No doubt there is an erroneous belief that Africans and persons of Africans are not skilled at governing. The VI must not reinforced the erroneous belief.
    • Disinterested (30/07/2017, 11:15) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      @E. Leonard, to borrow from RealPol this is real talk. Nuff haters hitting the dislike button but no explanation why. Readers that hit the dislike button without any explanation are not adding anything to the debate. It is easy to just hit the dislike button. Share your thoughts with us to why you disagree. If you do not, it is like a tree falling in the forest and no one is there to notice it.
  • Dozed off (29/07/2017, 00:56) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    .....Takes the idiom...."asleep at the switch" ....to whole different level.....literally
  • tretretrete (29/07/2017, 08:29) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    It is clear for all who want to see that the ndp has mashed up the BVI. That's what our so called bright boys have done to us.
  • Clearly (29/07/2017, 08:30) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    There's too much corruption in the NDP that needs to be investigated and rooted out immediately or the BVI will never get any better.
  • if (29/07/2017, 09:36) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
    the BVI was suffering economically, dirt poor with no future prospect of growing, such as Haiti for example, would they be spying it through a microscopic, greedy, imperialist, colonialist and neocolonialist, come in and take what our ancestors to present generation have sacrificially and painstakingly build? [NO, no, no!!! We would still be eating salt and drinking sea water for dessert]... Built from the belly of abject poverty. Built from the neglect of the so called "mother country." Now you want to come back to take it back? You should not have left its people to die of starvation and hopelessness a hundred and sixty years ago when the "animals," had become of no economic gain to you. However, it would be of no surprise to many if such a prospect do come to reality. After all, isn't that what the red, white(s) and blue represent? Oppression, domination and misappropriation? Meanwhile, many of our in house servants mentality would cherish being dominated by former oppressors once more. There are still many "uncle Andy's" mentality among the revolutionaries.
  • Freedom! (29/07/2017, 10:34) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    Bvi is the new banana republic
  • Windy (29/07/2017, 10:46) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    I will welcome direct rule. It will show us how far our tax dollars can really go toward the good of the people not politicians
    • @windy (29/07/2017, 18:11) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
      Be careful with what you ask for. When they take over, their own agenda of Britain's interest will take priority NOT improving life for you and me. They have long wanted to get their hands on our Financial Service and direct rule would be the perfect window of opportunity. What we need to do is make smarter decisions at the poles and hold our representatives accountable for their actions. NDP has become too comfortable with their current status hence the problems that we face today.
    • @ Windy (29/07/2017, 19:23) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Windy could care less about matters of state.
  • hello (30/07/2017, 10:34) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    auntie Windy"! If you so wish to live existing as a second or third class non human and to be treated less than your dog, cat, pig or any other animal in every aspect of human existence, perhaps then, you should relocate to your "mother country," the UK. But, a people who have come so far in history and time should never consider, or even entertain the notion of going back, backwards. It is only one who is weak of mind, intellect, and has no sense of history and self worth, and has no confidence in his ability to lead and or govern his own existence would be seeking, with pride, the assistance to "exist" under the supervision and domination of one not of you. If you are of African descent Windy, it stands the more reason why a purging of our race is not a far fetch notion.
  • what (30/07/2017, 11:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    is freedom, you ask? It means not being a slave to any circumstance, to any constraint, to any chance; it.

    It means not being relegated to the circumstances of "direct rule" by an absentee ruler not of you; It means not being subjected to the constraints of a foreign dominating political, economic, religious, philosophic and social entity; It means positioning self to be free to answer to self and all aspects of, it. Those there, if realized and lived by a people, are the authentic meaning of FREEDOM!! Hence, we the people, living under the current political, economic, religious and philosophic realities are not free!! !! He who thinks otherwise is a slave to his own ignorance.
  • wize up (30/07/2017, 15:36) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    fahie should remember that no one is an island for sure the governor can't vote for him.....some of you forgetting that fahie boy need six other candidate before he get elected as premier of this place and it will take God's intervention for that to happen.......
    • Democracy (30/07/2017, 16:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      has witnessed worst. IE., Trump vs Hilary, two diametrically opposing concepts of, it.
  • 1 (01/08/2017, 23:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Country has no confidence in your work and pronouncements


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