Governor Rankin’s departure delayed until January 2024
It is unclear the reason for his delay; however, sources in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have told our newsroom that the new incoming governor was not “quite ready” to take up his new assignment in the [British Virgin Islands.
The incoming governor is Mr Daniel Pruce.
Mr Rankin’s controversial tenure
Governor Rankin has had mixed reviews from the territory.
He oversaw a one-man Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that many persons thought was biased and based on a script already written. The CoI was sponsored by the United Kingdom during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and even when the UK Government was against a CoI into its own performance.
Other significant happenings under Governor Rankin’s tenure include the arrest of former Premier Andrew A. Fahie by law enforcement authorities in the United States and the arrest and charging of many civil servants on what many have described as “trumped up charges” of Breach of Trust.
His popularity took another hit in the Virgin Islands when he pardoned fellow United Kingdom national and Commissioner of Police Mark Collins, who had faced heavy criticisms from the public following the publication of a video portraying the territory as a crime-infested place. Mr Collins had claimed the video was created for recruitment purposes.
Hypocrisy?
Governor Rankin has so far refused to lift a finger in the wake of some 55 allegations against the Commissioner of Police by senior police officers and a call for the Commissioner to step aside. Meantime, some public officers have been sent on Administrative Leave for simple matters such as “writing a letter” and minor offenses.
He has also insisted on a new police bill that many in the public, political, and legal classes have labeled as containing blatant violations of human rights.
Meanwhile, efforts to get a comment from the Office of the Governor on the departure date of Mr Rankin were unsuccessful.
22 Responses to “Governor Rankin’s departure delayed until January 2024”
Almost every day for 2 years some of you talking about, oh the Governor Have to Leave: Homeboy will be here for another Month and not a Dam thing can be done
New governor don’t want to start off his tenure answering to this move although he will have no other option but to do so.
He has every right to remain and forever if he so desires. The presence of one and only one deograhic has been the detriment to these VI. Not 1 adverse behavior has been attributed to a citizen 0f the UK. When and if he leaves,he will be replaced by another anr...Your concern should be the installation of the dregs of the Caribbean Islands of poverty and crime to the effective degrading of life in these VI..
A complete revision of demographics,eliminating the residents and the habitual predictable prison inhabitants would be sensible and useful for upward mobility with the revision to respectability in these VI.
Or he’s disgusted by having to inherit the sitting governor and his C.O.P and their trailer of judicial reviews and misconduct..clean up some of your mess Rankin please don’t leave Mark chuppid ms with me