Governor distances self from inefficiencies of Public Service under his watch
"I certainly want an efficient public service, and I want public officers working in the most effective way possible. I also want the public officers working on the right things,” the Governor said during an interview with 284 Media on June 1, 2022.
He was at the time responding to questions on whether the VI public service was too large and added, “it has not been the right things where public monies have been expended not to the public benefit.”
Who heads public service?
While the Governor who is the head of the public service took no responsibility for the inefficiency of the people under his watch, he laid all the blame on elected Governments of the VI.
By tradition, the Governor is also head of the Public Service and is also the Chairman of Cabinet and the National Security Council.
“I believe, frankly, the primary responsibility for that has not been public servants but has been poor decisions made by previous governments, not just the immediate past government but successive governments in the BVI,” he added.
According to Government Information Service (GIS), the Governor is the representative of Her Majesty the Queen where the Constitution gives the Governor certain responsibilities, which include oversight for external affairs, defence and internal security, administration of the Courts, and the terms and conditions of public officers.
Change inevitable – Governor Rankin
“Change is inevitable, and I’m not going to predict for you precisely what size the public service will be 5 years now. From where it is, I do know we have a lot of decent, hard-working public servants and I want them to be focused on the most effective areas for the people of the BVI,” he said.
The VI laws also give the Governor certain responsibilities in relation to elections, disaster preparedness, and the prison amongst other matters.
Meanwhile, when questioned on staff shortages and troubles in some government offices, the Governor said staff will have to be adaptable and will have to be more flexible to meet the needs and demands of the sector under an established criterion.
Governor's subjects not investigated under CoI
While the recently concluded CoI into good governance focused on the elected governments, political pundits have called out the inquiry for ignoring subjects directly under the Governor.
Silk Legal Attorney Mr Richard G. Rowe, whose law firm represented Members in the House of Assembly (HoA) who were not Ministers, said RVIPF, crime, and the illicit drugs trade were under the purview of the Governor and the CoI should have investigated his failures.
“This Commission of Inquiry, if it were properly exercised in an open way, should itself inquire into the failings of the Governor in controlling crime and the police force which falls directly under his control, but we’re not hearing that,” he said during a press conference on August 18, 2021.
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25 Responses to “Governor distances self from inefficiencies of Public Service under his watch ”
1 2 3 Rankin must go
1 2 3 Rankin must go
Failing to accept, confess, and forsake evil deeds done is counter productive to achieve good governance in the BVI.
The current political structure is nonsense and needs to be replaced.
The people should continue to elect the HOA to pass all laws affecting them, this includes the financial services. Neither the UK nor the Governor should be abe to interfere with the HOA. If they do, they will be branded as dictators and be unable to apply this term to leaders like Vladimir Putin.
I suspect the UK will continue to appoint a British Governor for now. The Governor will head the whole government and stop the confusion which lead to the corruption we have seen in the last decades. This corruption is the real problem. The Governor can appoint a Cabinet as he sees fit. I think he will turn over Premier functions to an ELECTED Deputy Dovernor who in turn will head the Cabinet.
I also think the UK should appoint an Attorney General from anywhere besides the UK or the BVI. The AG will head the courts system.
But the AG should also determine if the HOA laws violate the constitution, which must be written/updated by the UK and locals alike. Among other things, this constitution should review the Governor's reserve powers especially as it affects the elected Deputy. On this, there must be consensus or arbitration by an international tribunal if necessary.
govenor tried to have the uk navy police our shores during the lock down..for FREE...over ruled...now look what is being investigated for corruption in the ships that were used........and on and on it goes.
We need helo..we need it now. govenor is not related to anyone here, there will be no favouratizm, no corruption. we need help. let him help..unless you have a better idea and by that i mean a better sensible idea.