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Gov Rankin assents to Register of Interests Act while making demands
In a press statement today, Monday, December 12, 2022, he noted that “after much consideration, I have decided to assent to the Act as passed by the House of Assembly. I do so in the hope that members of the public will make such proper use of the information contained in the Register as they can, and with a clear expectation that the House of Assembly (HoA) will return to this subject within 1 year to design a new system for registration of interests.”
Under the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 and the Register of Interests Act 2006, Members of the HoA are required to register their interests. However, in the CoI report, it claimed that Members of the HoA (across all political parties) had failed to meet that obligation.
Members rejected the CoI one-sided script
However, during the testimony by many current and former Members of the HoA, they strongly disputed that script. But the Government of National Unity headed by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) undertook to make the Register of Interests public.
While Dr Wheatley had signed off on all the recommendations coming out of the CoI Report, no one has disputed that the purpose of a public register is to produce greater transparency around the interests of Members of the HoA.
Make changes in 1 year or else- Governor
The governor noted that his assent to the Bill was conditional “my assent to the Act is therefore being made together with my clear expectation that the House of Assembly will return to this subject within 1 year”.
Mr Rankin, a senior civil servant in the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, continued: “It is vital that the commitments made under the Framework Document are adhered to”.
Many in the political class have condemned Governor Rankin telling the independent Legislature when they should amend a bill. A former legislator, speaking to our newsroom on condition of anonymity, stated: “We should be very concerned when the Governor of the day is now blatantly interfering in an independent legislature and demanding that a law must be further amended within a year.”
The former Member stated, “it continues to cement in our minds that the Governor is fully in charge even though the Constitution has not been officially suspended, and all elected Members should be highly troubled.”
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11 Responses to “Gov Rankin assents to Register of Interests Act while making demands”
The oI probed was necessary. The 49 or 50 recommendations are meant to inhance better governance for the people of the BVI. It was the selfish greediness of most of our elected politicians that are most to be blamed for the mismanagement of our finances,not the UK, not Governor John J. Rankin, not the chief of the RVIPF, not la k of money, but mismanaged public money.
Be Careful Who You Chose To War Against, Both Physically, And Politically.
Read the following carefully
I saw a video of two stubborn animals that wared foriciously aagainst each other, one a buffalo, and the other a rhino. Non of the two had decided to backed down. It was a long fight. After been stabbed a number of times in the underbelly, the buffalo weakened, bled, and died from his injuries.
Some people have said, "I will go down fighting. Which of both is better, fight to live or fight to prove others that you can fight? or which of the two above mentioned animals prevailed over the other? We know
In the political arena, the UK will preved over the VI everytme. Negociate for peace, rather than become a dead fighter. The brain is stronger than the tongue. Life is far more valuable than death and attempted political victory. "Wisdom is more precious than silver and gold." The life of our people and the quality of their survival is priceless.
We will fight to the death for our freedom just like the USA did against the Uk
the ignorance that lurks within your mind , like those who did ????