'We wish for partnership, not a confrontation' with UK– Premier Wheatley
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At the center of it, is the implementation of extensive "recommendations" from a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) called by the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic and presided over by one person- a retired judge and UK national, who was handpicked. The implementation process has fallen behind time, and now measures are being recommended by the Governor to bring things back on track.
Governor John J. Rankin, CMG in his Fifth Quarterly CoI implementation review published on January 5, 2024, said he has requested additional powers, which, according to Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) is for the governor to implement CoI reform measures “as he sees fit” without any democratic accountability.
Dr Wheatley has already hinted that should those measures be approved, it could retard progress built in establishing better relations with the crown.
“For the past 20 months, my Administration has engaged constructively with the United Kingdom in a genuine effort to improve relations. We substantially contributed to the development of the Political Declaration recently agreed between the UK and Overseas Territories in what was thought to be a genuine effort to re-establish a modern partnership and end the drift backward toward a colonial relationship.”
Progress being made between UK & VI - Premier
The Premier added that last September, his Administration hosted the UK-OT Illicit Finance Dialogue Meeting of Senior Officials on Tortola where good progress between UK and OT colleagues on critical issues were made.
“The UK facilitated a Virgin Islands delegation's participation at COP 28 and we held positive talks on UK climate support to the OTs. In addition, early last year Lord Goldsmith visited these islands in what was the beginning of a positive rapprochement between the Virgin Islands and UK. The current OT Minister Hon. David Rutley continued in this vein and I have commended him for positively changing the tone of the relationship.”
The Premier has since said granting the Governor additional powers would go directly against the Political Declaration OTs have just agreed with the UK and would do considerable damage to the relationship. “We wish for partnership, not a confrontation that is completely unnecessary,” he said.
With no definitive word yet on the way forward and the Governor looking to have the recommendations implemented, the Premier has announced that a full update on the matter will be done today, January 8, 2024, at 2:00 PM.
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48 Responses to “'We wish for partnership, not a confrontation' with UK– Premier Wheatley”
when they failed to deliver on their own promises. This Governor has bent over backwards to avoid suspension and Britain take over . Now to hear the Premier talking these drowning man nonsense about the Gov. It was sad...If it was up to Hickenbottom and Britain the Constitution would have already being suspended but the Gov fight on our behalf, yet before our Premier used some gratitude and diplomacy to show appreciation and seek compassion and sympathy who was insultive to the crown..
In order to prove that we truly desire cooperation with the UK, we must first accept whether it is us or the UK's rule is the highest authority in power in the BVI. History showed the the UK'S appointed Governors wheels the bigger power, not our local politicians. Next in line of authority of power the people, not political parties.
Whether or not some of the 49 CoI recommendations are complected to achieved within the stipulated time frame,. cooperation means the they must not be ignored for personal nor political party purposes.
Let this truth be clearly accept, we the citizens nor those that live among us can't outster the UK From the BVI. Whether or not many of us don't agree with some of the tactics that are used by the UK politicians, historical facts has not given us no option, but to seek and foster cooperation with the UK, it being in charge.
Just like we don't welcome others to force their preconceived ideas and cultural diversities on us, we should also realize that other people of different ethnicity and culture do not favor us to, even try to, force ours on them.