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VI to encourage UK to 'reconsider' reserved Order in Council- VI tells UN

- E. Benito Wheatley told UN a new modern partnership can be established if both VI & UK act in good faith.
The Virgin Islands has told the United Nations it will encourage the UK to 'reconsider' the reserved Order in Council that gives the Governor the power to impose direct rule on the territory at his discretion. Photo: therussophile.org/File
Special Envoy of the Premier Mr E. Benito Wheatley, left, seen here with the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Mr António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, said the reserved Order in Council is a form of pressure that can weaken democratic governance and hinder a genuine working relationship between the VI and UK. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands
Special Envoy of the Premier Mr E. Benito Wheatley, left, seen here with the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Mr António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, said the reserved Order in Council is a form of pressure that can weaken democratic governance and hinder a genuine working relationship between the VI and UK. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands
NEW YORK CITY, USA- The Virgin Islands delegation that will travel to the United Kingdom (UK) in November, 2022, will, among other things, encourage the UK Government to reconsider its current position on maintaining an Order in Council in reserve.

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.

Threat of direct rule can ‘weaken democratic governance’- E. Benito Wheatley

In a statement to Members to the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly: Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonisation) in New York City on October 6, 2022, Special Envoy of the Premier Mr E. Benito Wheatley said the reserved Order in Council is a form of pressure that can weaken democratic governance and hinder a genuine working relationship between the VI and UK.

According to Mr Wheatley, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and his delegation will travel to London early next month to attend Ministerial talks between UK Ministers and British Overseas Territories Political Leaders.

VI to encourage UK to remove Order

He said, among other things, the VI delegation will encourage the UK Government to reconsider their current position on maintaining an Order in Council in reserve that allows the Governor to impose direct rule over the territory at his discretion.

“This form of pressure can weaken democratic governance and is an obstacle to building a new genuine modern partnership between the UK and BVI that is based on trust and supports the aspirations of the people of the Territory.”

Mr Wheatley also told the UN there should also be sensitivity about the feelings of the Commonwealth Caribbean on this issue in terms of the colonial past.

Both CARICOM and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have also condemned the threat of direct rule by the United Kingdom on the Virgin Islands.

“A new modern partnership can be established if both sides act in good faith,” Mr Wheatley argued.

‘Misunderstandings’ in Governor’s Report

Mr Wheatley also briefed the UN on progress of reform committed to by the VI, coming out of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and the recent report issued by Governor John J. Rankin, CMG.

He told the UN substantial progress has been made over the course of the last three months through the hard work and dedication of all parties concerned; however, some deadlines have slipped as Government has ramped up its operations and undertaken public consultations, but reform is going in the right direction.

Mr Wheatley said Premier Dr the Hon Wheatley and his Ministerial team have since discussed with the Governor the key issues raised in his report.

“After a thorough discussion, Premier Wheatley is of the view that several of the concerns are a genuine misunderstanding of the situation in some areas. Unfortunately, there was not an opportunity to thoroughly review and discuss the report before its publication, which would have clarified and cleared up some of the misunderstandings.”

Mr Wheatley related to the UN that what is important is that reform in the Virgin Islands is going in the right direction and the Territorial Government is committed to implementing the agreed framework of reforms.

15 Responses to “VI to encourage UK to 'reconsider' reserved Order in Council- VI tells UN”

  • whistle blower (12/10/2022, 15:05) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Are they going to the UN to carry news or blow the whistle?
  • PT09 (12/10/2022, 15:08) Like (27) Dislike (10) Reply
    The UK should have taken over the BVI instead of what they did with this so call Premier, Wheatley the UN is no help to you we hope that the UK will do what's right for the people on the BVI and that's take it over and clean up this place and put us in good standing with the world, the sooner the better.
    • fromafar (12/10/2022, 16:49) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
      PT09 What do you really want?
    • @PT09.. Britain mistake.. (12/10/2022, 17:48) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      I agree. I think Britain realized now that they messed up, they made a big mistake not to take over. Any slip up by BVI govt they will take over...
    • Sambo (30/12/2022, 08:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @PT09, I’m relatively positive that you may not be an indigenous or true VIrgin Islander and if you are a self-hating, self-discriminating, bootlicking, Brown nosing, stepin and fetchin Sambo. You and Governor John Rankin, CMG, are no John Brown but John Bull, Jim Crow, Robert Taney, or Bull Connor.
  • Reparations & Independence (12/10/2022, 15:48) Like (5) Dislike (24) Reply
    Lets move towards independence and run home Rankin and Collins
  • Reconsider this.. (12/10/2022, 17:10) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    After the breaking news on:

    - Arrest of Premier
    - Arrest of Head of Ports
    - Removal of Head of Customs
    - Arrest of Premier's office assistant secretary (rogue officer)
    - Arrest of former Post Master General
    - Arrest of former head Protective Child Services
    - More to come..and UK needs to go away?
    • Common Sense (12/10/2022, 20:14) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
      You make a very good point, the BVI has minimal if any credibility left, so, perhaps the best way to stop this circus is to hold a local referendum on the UK taking full control.
    • Rubber Duck (13/10/2022, 09:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      And many more to come including members of the HOA, senior civil servants and well known motormouths.
  • ccc (12/10/2022, 18:06) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Benito does not speak for us
  • run dem (12/10/2022, 19:12) Like (2) Dislike (10) Reply
    We don't need these white people to survive.y'all head hard or what.
  • worst (13/10/2022, 06:28) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    case realized. One brother in BVI and the other in London destroying the BVI together.
  • @ run them (13/10/2022, 07:27) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    we csn see why you don't want them around , so you and parasites like you will be able to rip off our people and get away with murder and whatever else you all can sweep under the RUG and the blame somebody else ( you all will be caught one by one sooner or later
  • josiah'sbay (13/10/2022, 10:41) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    When will we realize that begging, appeasing and placating wont help us. Stop looking for them to revoke the "Order". It's wrong and need to be challenge as such. The world says that colonialism needs to end. We are under colonial rule don't care how you dress it up. Let's take our fight to whatever bodies that recognize and sympathize with our status and are willing to help us to get out from under it. Independence is the solution with a reasonable time frame but until then let's do what we can to keep the UK from imposing their colonial whims on us.
  • WOWO (13/10/2022, 16:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    When are the British going to give reparation to the descendance of the the people they build their empire on?


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