Opposition stands with Wheatley Gov't in opposing additional powers for Governor
Hon Skelton during a press conference called by the Opposition on January 9, 2023, said the Opposition Members were therefore concerned at the statement of the governor requesting more powers.
“We called this press conference because we are extremely concerned about the statement the governor has made in his Fifth Quarterly Report, which is that he will be seeking additional powers. As a result, we reiterate the Opposition's solidarity with the government and the people of the Virgin Islands against any additional powers being given to the governor,” Hon Skelton said.
Governor Rankin, in his Fifth Quarterly Review published on January 5, 2024, stated he was disappointed at the rate of reform ahead of an already revised May 2024 CoI Reform Implementation deadline, and has reached the conclusion that he must request additional powers to help ensure the Framework Agreement proposed by the VI Government is delivered.
Step for more powers 'Unnecessary' - Hon Skelton
Further, the Opposition Leader said he believes it is both a retrograde and unnecessary step in the furtherance of governance and democracy to give the governor more powers.
“I need to make it abundantly clear that, while we are in agreement on this core point. There are certain issues, discussions and agreements between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the UK, of which the Opposition and the people of the Virgin Islands have not yet been made aware.”
Hon Skelton on behalf of the Opposition added that while they stand formally with the government on this issue, they feel it was necessary to hold their own press conference to demonstrate zero tolerance for any dilution of the devolved power conferred by the duly elected representative of the people by the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Hon Skelton said he is of an age that is almost as old as the constitution and noted that “History has proven that every time the duly elected representative of the people get power, the VI advances."
VI advanced when its leaders get more powers - Hon Skelton
“In the 1950s or 60s when little Dix and all the other development came into this country. It was the duly elected members… who advanced the cause for development in our country,” he said.
The Opposition Leader said even in the 1970’s when the VI leaders got additional powers through constitutional advancement under H. Lavity stoutt as Chief Minister, the country further advanced in ‘leaps and bounds’ in the areas of education, healthcare, and road infrastructure for example.
“I’m not just saying this in a vacuum that I don’t want Him [governor] to have it, I don't think when they have it our country does anything, our country goes in a stalemate," Hon Skelton said while adding the VI can solve its problems.
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21 Responses to “Opposition stands with Wheatley Gov't in opposing additional powers for Governor”
United will shall stand but divided we shall fall….
1) Take over Immigration: He wants to immediately give over 4000 of his kind status so they can out number the people of the BVI and then allow them to have a secondary take over plan.
2) Pass the new police act on his own: He wants to give the police unlimited powers to do many anti-democratic things such as but not limited to searching anyone's home without a warrant and do so on mere suspicion. Talk about making the BVI a police state where people will have no basic human nor democratic rights.
3) He wants to pass the Jury Act: Here is where he wants the cases to proceed without any jury to decided the cases but rather have the Judge themselves decide if you are guilty. Not only is this anti democratic but it represents dictatorship as all the UK will do next is flood the position of Judges with persons from the UK who have like minds as them against the locals and Caribbean people. It is another tier of their take over plan.
4) Powers to pass laws by himself without HOA: Here is where he wants to legalize same sex marriage. Here is where he wants to redefine who is a Virgin Islander.
I will stop there for now but people of the BVI these people have no good intention for us. They have no respect for our democracy and democratic rights. It is time to wake up and stand up for what is right and represents true democracy and not sit back and allow a wicked agenda by the Brits to get through.
The Governor is playing the long game, playing chess while Virgin Islanders are divided, playing checkers. The colonialists abandoned the VI as only useful as a bird sanctuary. Today, the VI is experiencing a rebirth, a renaissance,etc. The British Empire has collapsed and vanished and things are not going too well economically, socially,,politically, etc., for the UK and Britons and they have trained their eyes on the VI and other OTs as employment and business opportunities, their tropical play grounds, etc. Stay vigilate, vigilant and woke folks.
Moreover, the divide and rule, divide and scatter construct employed by colonialists have controlled and retarded/slowed slaves and descendants progress, keeping them non-empowered, impoverished, powerless, non competitive and as an underclass. The colonialists have always had the assistance of some slave and descendants in executing their divide and rule,,divide and scatter plan. Colonialism’s Modus Operandi is dividing a country, colony, territory, etc into sectors and supporting a sector which is then beholding to it.
The Virgin Islands [British] is a deeply divided territory. And consistent with the divide and rule strategy, Governor Rankin and the cabal are weaponizing the VI’s disunity to easily do what it wants—-take control. Consequently, the VI people must unite to protect the VI for the good of Virgin Islanders and residents by working collectively, cooperatively, and collaboratively. Pushing back against the colonialism rising tide requires effective organizing, planning, unity. The Great March of 24 November 1949, which was led by national Hero Theodolph Faulkner, success depended and rested heavily on organizing, planning and unity. National hero Noel Lloyd and Positive Action Movement (PAM) success in putting Wickhams Cay and 80% of Anegada back into local hands rested on unity , organizing and planning. The blueprint is there for fighting the rising tide. Let’s do dis ting!!
There is a saying: Those that done no wrong do not attempt cover-up of wrong. But that statement is not entirely true.because many people that have not done certain wrong do try to help cover wrongs that others have committed for various reasons.
We humans is living in a world of two extreme, good and evil. The following statement is a true one. More often than not we assume that persons, Governors to be exact, in Superior position than us, if given additional power in an attempt to help remedy certain needful problems, such as we are currently experiencing in the BVI, especially if their skin colour is white and they birth place and culture differ, we assume the worst outcome will be evil prematurely, rather than some good. Such a way of thinking is also just as racist as those we often we accusing of being racist Colonizers Racist mentality is of no particular skin colour, place of birth and cultural diversities.
Old people say, 'Yuh know what ya have, yuh don't know wa yuh gon get!"
1. Is the BVI small population deeply divided??? Is the 70:30, expats to locals contributing to division(I’’m just asking the ???)?
2. Is the Willie Lynch divide and rule conditioning still working in the BVI? Is meritorious manumission still being used in the BVI? Are some Virgin Islanders behaving like Benedict Arnolds and Neville Chamberlain? Is the Stockholm Syndrome affliction prevalent in the BVI?
4. Are BVIslanders more interested in commercialism than social, political , cultural, etc issues? Is this focus opening the door, making it easy/easier for others to encroach and take control?
5. When did the UK take full control of the BVI? When did the BVI become part of the Leeward Islands Federation? When was the BVI Legislature suspended in and reinstated? What action(s) preceded the Legislature reinstatement? When did the BVI become a colony of the UK , a dependent territory, overseas territory??
6. When was ministerial system of government ushered into the BVI?
7. When did the BVI get off of Grant-in-aid ? What was the last major capital project has the UK funded? Who funds the Governor’s tropical sojourn holiday in the BVI?
8. How has the UK done as the Administering Power’ in guiding the VI towards a full measure of self-government?
9. Is the VI constitution a modern, non-dependency?
10. Why is the UK dishing out dependency model constitution?
11. Having bolted from the territory , why is the UK so interested in the territory?
12. Why after centuries of control neither commissioner, administrator or governor have been a person of African descent, a woman or another minority ?
13. Does the UK have ulterior motives with their urgent interest in the BVI, ie, employment, belonger status, etc.
14. Are Virgin Islanders fully engaged in the political process? Do they think the process is self executing?
15. Should Virgin Islanders come together, setting aside political philosophy to resist the Governor’s power grab?
16. The Governor already almost absolute power?
17. What is the risk of VI people not doing anything about the power grab?