Statement By Premier Wheatley On UK Decision on COI & More News Here

8^TH JUNE 2022

STATEMENT BY PREMIER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE
DR. HON. NATALIO D. WHEATLEY

UNITED KINGDOM AGREEMENT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY

 

His Excellency the Governor Mr. John J. Rankin, CMG

Fellow Virgin Islanders,

Ladies and gentleman,

Good morning.

Today marks one other necessary step in our efforts to reform and renew our democracy and to construct a greater Virgin Islands.

Following the go to to the Territory in early May by UK Minister for the Overseas Territories (OTs) Rt. Hon. Amanda Milling, MP, my Administration has had very constructive discussions with Governor Rankin and UK Government officers on the Commission of Inquiry Report (COI Report) suggestions and different reforms, with a view to what’s in the perfect curiosity of the individuals of the Territory.

The individuals of the Virgin Islands have a authentic expectation that these individuals who they elect to signify them and to control the Territory will achieve this with honesty and integrity. They even have a authentic expectation that their elected representatives will make any wanted reforms to enhance governance and uphold the legacy of our foreparents who’ve sacrificed a lot over the previous 70 years to attain the constitutional progress we’ve attained. The Government of National Unity stays absolutely dedicated to assembly these expectations as we usher in a brand new period of democratic governance to move on to future generations.

We welcome UK Ministers’ settlement with our ultimate proposal for the implementation of the COI Report suggestions and different reforms. As a Government, we are going to work carefully with Governor Rankin, and within the spirit of partnership with the United Kingdom, to ship for the individuals of the Virgin Islands. Our success would be the results of doing the laborious work of reforming our establishments and methods of Government and engendering a brand new tradition within the dealing with of the peoples’ enterprise. We are assured and imagine it’s in the perfect curiosity of the individuals of the Territory that every one involved do their half to make reform a hit.

I need to restate what I’ve beforehand stated. Reform isn’t merely in regards to the suggestions made by Rt. Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom. This is why the Government has gone additional in some situations than his suggestions. Reform is about us as a individuals wanting higher for ourselves and making modifications accordingly. It is about constructing these Virgin Islands into the society that all of us need to see. It is that this very spirit of the individuals of the Virgin Islands that noticed us rise to the problem of getting the Legislative Council restored in 1950, attaining Ministerial Government in 1967, taking management of the general public funds in 1977, getting off of grant-in-aid in 1978, and adopting the International Business Act in 1984.

I need to be clear. Change can be laborious. It can be painful in some situations. People we all know and care about can be affected. However, ultimately, it is going to be for the betterment of those Virgin Islands.

This is our alternative as a society to remodel these Virgin Islands right into a mannequin democracy the place we’ve higher establishments, higher methods, higher processes, higher public providers, higher infrastructure and an financial system that delivers for all. 

The Government of National Unity’s ultimate proposal will function the federal government’s plan for endeavor the necessary work of delivering the COI Report suggestions and different reforms in a well timed trend. The proposal can be printed on the federal government’s web site immediately.

As you will note, the doc accommodates a stability of duties which can be both shared or divided between the Governor, Premier, Cabinet, Ministries and House of Assembly. Several of those had been inaccurately reported by one media outlet in current days which can be readily obvious as soon as the ultimate proposal is learn. The roles and duties for implementation truly replicate collaboration and partnership by the first actors below continued democratic governance.

We should additionally keep in mind that there are mutual obligations by the Territory Government, the Governor and UK to make sure that the establishments and methods of Government that assist good governance within the islands are match for goal and functioning successfully.

Today’s announcement gives a better political certainty that can lend itself to a extra secure financial atmosphere. This will in flip profit the monetary providers business, tourism business, development business and different sectors of the financial system. As each day life resumes, I need to guarantee the general public that the Government of National Unity will proceed to work in the perfect curiosity of the individuals of the Virgin Islands and that reform will stay our high precedence.

We look ahead to partaking the general public additional after we maintain a collection of townhall conferences later this month in every district on Tortola and the Sister Islands. We thank everybody for his or her endurance.

As I shut, I need to thank Minister Milling, Governor Rankin and their respective groups for his or her constructive method to our discussions on reform over the previous weeks. I additionally need to thank UK Foreign Secretary Rt. Hon. Liz Truss, MP for the UK Government’s assist for the Territory Government’s implementation of the COI Report suggestions.

To my Government of National Unity colleagues and Cabinet Ministers, thanks in your staunch dedication to reform and the brand new tradition we’re embedding in Government.

Special thanks exit to my Special Envoy Mr. Benito Wheatley who has served as our most important interlocutor in BVI-UK discussions since early May. His wealth of diplomatic expertise gained throughout 4 Government Administrations was instrumental in immediately’s end result.

Finally, girls and gentleman, we thank the general public for his or her endurance and calm throughout this tough interval. We should face the challenges forward collectively as a neighborhood. I name on everybody to be part of the optimistic modifications which can be going down to strengthen us as a individuals and to not be bystanders as we rework our Territory.

Let us go ahead within the spirit of unity and partnership to reform Government for the higher.

God bless you and God bless these stunning Virgin Islands.

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