Criminal investigations into ESHS wall project remain 'under active work'– Gov Rankin
The Governor was at the time speaking during a press conference and update on the Commission of Inquiry Recommendations Implementation and Quarterly Review on September 29, 2023, following questions from the media.
Criminal investigations Continue - Gov Rankin
“So a number of Criminal investigations were ordered pursuant to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) recommendations and indeed, subsequent to the CoI recommendations, a number of audits have been carried out which I have referred to the Commissioner of Police and to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further investigation,” he said.
“As you will know, some charges have been brought, so you will be aware that one former Minister and a Senior Public Official face charges in relation to the school wall project. Now I made no comment on the details of that because you know before those are now before the court. It is a matter for the courts to determine and not for me as Governor,” Governor Rankin detailed.
The Governor’s statement comes after almost a year since the former Minister for Education under the National Democratic Party (NDP) administration Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6); now Opposition Member, was charged in relation to criminal investigations into the Elmore Stoutt High School Wall Project.
Mr Walwyn on November 1, 2022, disclosed that he was arrested and charged by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) for Breach of Trust by a Public Official in relation to the Elmore Stoutt High School Wall Project.
Mr Kelvin Thomas, 55, of Chalwell Estate, Tortola was the first person charged in relation to the ESHS wall project investigations. He was charged in June 2022 with Obtaining property by deception; Making a false statement to a public officer; and Possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct while Public Officer Lorna Stevens was arrested and charged on October 20, 2022, and was subsequently granted bail.
Untilate decision lies with DPP - Governor Rankin
Governor Rankin in his statements further added, “And a number of other investigations continue and there are different stages of investigation, but the ultimate decisions in relation to charges and prosecution are for the Director of Public Prosecutions to take, who’s independent of me.
While it has been almost a year since some of the charges were laid, the governor added that Criminal investigations take time because they should be thorough and there is a need to be fair to all concerned, and the relevant evidence needs to be compiled and brought to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration.
“But I can assure you that those investigations remain under active work, and I trust it will be brought to fruition, some in early course,” he said.
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60 Responses to “Criminal investigations into ESHS wall project remain 'under active work'– Gov Rankin”
Why is the Governor not insisting that she be replaced!
This is a direct quote from the Governor. The man is so devious that he brought up the matter for his own devious purposes knowing it is in the courts and needs to be left alone and let justice take its course. So, why bring it up and then say you have no comments as it is in the courts. These people have no regards for our judiciary, legal, political, health, or any other system of the BVI. Their behavior is clearly skewed towards hatred and racism and think the people of the BVI have no rights but to be wrong.
1) Just do a speech weekly and name only the bad about the country while striking fear to destabilize.
2) Use the police force through the head to go at anyone who exposes their deceit or challenges them.
3) Don't do a thing all day but get melee, plot the next attack, and plan the next social event (paid for by our tax dollars) for his local imps.
4) Have tax payers pay for his butler, house, local staff, vehicle, security, social events, gas, chef, gardner, domestic staff, office expenses, and many more.
5) Divide the country and public service cloaked as good governance and integrity.
6) Condemn who he feels should not rise to prominence or he thinks need to remove from prominence.
7) Fool people with words sounding like he is saying one thing but really saying another. Master of deception cloaked as diplomacy.
8) Do not have to run for elections but have more power than those elected which is slap to democracy.
9) Determine on his own the country is not running how he and his UK bosses want so high handedly pass an order in council in the UK Parliament to suspend the country's constitution in modern times, so they can be the judge, jury, and executioner.
10) Fool the people telling them if they want independence all they have to do is ask but cannot produce a clear policy or written procedure to follow so one can apply or pursue independence. Simply meaning it will not be allowed.
11) Plot the least troubled path to get UK people to be the Head of Prison, Immigration, Customs, PS, DPP, AG, etc. If they get these then it makes it easier to do a bloodless take over and seem justified as they will say they are acting on the recommendations of the Heads of Department (which would be them).
12) Force without negotiations 48 unrealistic COI recommendations and have the local government put them in knowing full well they are written to control the country from the UK. So by having the local government do it the UK say to the BVI people, don't blame us, blame the local Government. And if the local government doesn't do it then they suspend the constitution and do it and still blame the local government under the cloak of corruption.
I want a job like the Governor where the laws of land do not apply to me but I can apply it to everyone.
Today, it about crusading, ie, taxpayers paying to be ruled. Taxpayers pay for housing, telecommunications, utilities( water, gas, electricity), transportation, food, entertainment, lawn services, etc. The Glorious, Bloodless, Revolution of 1688, along with the 1215 Magna Carta under King John limited the absolute power of the monarchy, creating a constitutional monarchy and power sharing between Parliament and the Crown.
The opposite is true in the Virgin Islands [British]. The UK-appointed Governor, the Crown Representative in the VI, is literally the de facto King of the BVI with absolute power, ie, he is accountable to no one but himself. Some may argue that he is responsible and accountable to the FCO. Well, there is no daylight between the Governor and FCO, for not even air can ooze its way between them. The VI and other OTs are between a rock and a hard place, up the creek without a paddle. They have no one to redress issues with. They have no parliamentary representative(s) to bring issues to. What about the minister for OTs? Well, they are not in his/ her constituency to cast votes so he/she does not give a rat’s about OTs. The PM Sunak surely does not give a rat’s ass about OTs, for he is busy trying to appease the conservatives to see if he can elected. King Charles III also probably does not give a rat’s about OTs. The only value they see OTs having is how, if anything, they can contribute to its Global Britain initiative.
Moreover, the Governor’s absolute power is strengthen by the VI people disunity. They are still consuming the divide and rule conditioning cool aid. They are affected with the Stockholm Syndrome. They fail to recognize and acknowledge that unity, group effort, is strength and power. Here is a news flash for the Uncle Toms( Sambo is the more appropriate term), the Governor and his posse don’t give a rat’s ass about us so keep “ bring cum, carry,” to him. Stop the self discrimination, and get some pride. , confidence, self worth, etc, for Mount Olympus is not into you. Awaken from your slumber, for it is 2023, not 1823.
To Manjack, who negotiated this bad parasitical taxpayers support of the Governor? Was it forced on the taxpayers or our folks agree to the deal? Should not the UK be paying the bill for them Governor’s tenure in the BVI? The taxpayers paying to be ruled. That is like slaves working from sun up to sundown to generate wealth to be abused. The Governor living high on the hog on the taxpayers dime. They live the best life when they come to BVI, getting a break from their cold flats in England. The Governor living high on the hog upon the taxpayers dime while according to Hon Myron Walwyn, Virgin Islanders are living in derelict vehicles. The VI has an approximate $1B GDP and an average annual O&M budget of $400M. The UK on the other hand, has a £3T GDP and £1190B O&M budge. Shame, shame, shame….but colonialism/colonialists have no shame, exploiting and feasting, etc on the labour of others. Agree that the behavior inflicted and attitude adopted by the Governor/FCO/ UK is encouraged by Virgin Islanders disunity, infighting, crab/in-bucket mentality,etc behavior. The BVI boast of having the highest number of masters degrees per capita in the region but they are dumb as hell, bright yet dumb, for they are letting the Governor treat them like they are simpletons, mumus, etc. They trust him because his ancestors came from the Caucasoid Mountain. I don’t trust the de***. He is convincing but I have to tell him to get the %^&* from away from me every day.
This is modern day slavery.
London returned to this territory just to have control over the black peoples, some folks might recall the black peoples back then were slaves(why should the slave days be forgotten)
History will recall from 1834 to 2023