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VI politics & the CoI - Part 3

Dickson C. Igwe. Photo: VINO/File
By Dickson C. Igwe

The Commission of Inquiry is presenting a mirror for all residents to look at; what it reveals is not good. The Investigation into Virgin Islands Governance is showing up this country in myriad ways.

First, the COI may be revealing that there is a clear lack of accountability with the powers that be acting with impunity, especially with regard to taxpayer cash.

Talk of transparency is just that: talk. The proof of the pudding is in the taste and the way the pudding is digested.

Treating people brashly and without respect and courtesy- especially public servants who may not have seen eye to eye with specific politicians- is another culture of poor governance in the British Virgin Islands that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

The preceding is no surprise. The fact is that this ‘’society’’ can be very cruel to its own people. These are the residents who may not be in favor of the powers that be: especially those residents who are economically vulnerable: mainly people on contract. These residents are frequently disposed of very unkindly.

There is a culture of fear, with the outspoken swiftly victimized.

Agencies such as the Public Complaints Commission and Financial investigations Agency have zero powers of intervention in most matters with an all-powerful Cabinet that is judge, jury, and executioner in most matters.

The Virgin Islands possesses a Cabinet that is essentially a dictatorship until General Elections.

The results of this impunity in governance is evidenced by a "shoddy" national infrastructure that leaves one to wonder where all the supposed billions of dollars in revenues received by the government over the past 40 years have gone.

This country remains highly underdeveloped in terms of its national services with crumbling infrastructure, and a social infrastructure more attuned with a poor country, than with a country with a supposed annual income per capita of over $40K.

That is one reason so many government scholarship holders never return home after their expensive university education. There has been no vision in governance apart from a spend, spend, and more spend culture.

The Commission of Inquiry is pulling the curtain on 30 years of incompetence and waste. What it reveals is a country with the wealth of a rich country but that possesses the infrastructure of a poor country.

And even while the Commission is conducting investigations there remains a contempt for the public purse, and public opinion, in the formulation of policy, especially policy on financial matters.

The public, from this Writer’s observation, is so fed up that it no longer cares.

Consequently, the COI is the last chance for this country to establish honest and effective governance.

The country is at the proverbial crossroad.

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5 Responses to “VI politics & the CoI - Part 3”

  • Imperfect servant (11/09/2021, 11:13) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Mr. Dickerson, you are a very knowledgeable man, and also a good details writer. Most, by far, of what you write are on points. But Sir, don't you realize by now that generally most blog readers hate reading long writings. I humbly suggest to you, Sir, to use less words in getting your points across to us. If you do, the response to your writings will dramatically increase.
    No offence to you, Sir. I love your writings.
  • Imperfect servant (11/09/2021, 11:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have spelt your name as Dickerson. Forgive my error Mr. Dickson C. If we. Respect to you, Sir.

    Imperfect servant
  • My girl (11/09/2021, 12:33) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Good points yall
  • coi (11/09/2021, 19:49) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    The coi has only one purpose - make virgin Islanders lose all faith in their own people and feel helpless that they cannot do anything without british oversight and supervision.
    Are bvi governments past and present being held to the same standard as british governments? The bvi and its leaders are being painted as corrupt to the core because of failures to meet perfection. But in the uk, £252 million wasted on masks that are so substandard they are useless against covid, you can buy a lifetime membership in the House of lords (ask boris johnson brother) with a donation to the party, sitting Ministers are lobbying for private firms to get contracts for covid supplies, and billions of pounds are given to party supporters through the fast track scheme. But Hickenbottom in the bvi demonizing even the representative who missed filing his declaration of interest by less than 24 hours. Rawat et al practicing law in the BVI for 6 months without following bvi law. They are painting bvi people as corrupt because almost all the indigenous people in the Government and private sector are related either by blood or friendship, even though they know this is a small country of just a few thousand people.
    So no matter how educated Dickson is, his articles are missing the mark. The coi is not a godsend for the bvi. It is a death sentence for the bvi people whose country is slowly being taken away from us as we allow these wolves in sheep clothing to undermine our self confidence. As the late great Bob Marley said how long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look. Faulkner and Noel lloyd must be turning in their grave.
  • FACT OR FICTION ? (11/09/2021, 22:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO CRITICIZE % THE MAN IS SIMPLY BREAKING IT DOWN SO EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND WHATS REALLY IN THE COUNTRY / THE POINT IS IT TRUE OR FALSE ( THE COI) IS ONLY EXPOSING CORRUPTION THAT IS PERPETRATED BY OUR OWN / AND WITH CLOSED EYES , YOU CAN ONLY CRITICIZE


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