OECS leaders condemn moves by governor to acquire more power in BVI
THE LEADERS of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on Tuesday expressed their “alarming concern” at the current situation in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) where the governor of that British Overseas Territory, John Rankin, is moving to implement the recommendations of a Commission of Inquiry(COI) for governance reform.
The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla and the BVI.
In a statement, the leaders said that they have noted “the request by the governor for additional powers which will allow him to bypass the Territorial Government, and implement unilaterally, the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) for governance reforms in the BVI”.
The group said it condemned “strongly any efforts to undermine the legitimate Government of the BVI and expressed solidarity with the Government and people of the BVI in the undertaking of the process for reforms”.
Earlier this month, Rankin, who is due to leave his post on Thursday and be replaced by Daniel Pruce at the end of January, said he would continue to “work hard during my remaining time in the BVI” and that “with determination and resolve together, the reforms which the people of the Virgin Islands want and deserve can be achieved”.
In his statement, Rankin said that he was also publishing his fifth quarterly review of the implementation of the COI recommendations.
“The COI report was published in April 2022, twenty-one months ago. The COI found poor governance, a lack of accountability and the misuse of public funds. Members of the House of Assembly weren’t declaring their interests, two thirds of all contracts over $100k weren’t being openly tendered. There were serious concerns over the system of assistance grants, which were further clearly shown in the audits that have been carried out by the auditor general,” he wrote.
Rankin said in June 2022, the Government of National Unity accepted 48 of those 49 recommendations and committed themselves to delivering them, adding that politicians from across political parties agreed that delivering these reforms was vital.
“I am disappointed however to report that in recent months progress on these commitments has significantly stalled. My previous Quarterly Review was relatively positive, but it called for a concerted effort and prioritisation from ministers to make further progress. This has not happened.”
He recalled that in April last year, he published a letter from the then United Kingdom minister for the Overseas Territories, Lord Goldsmith who “said if the necessary reforms have taken root no later than May 2024, this should allow the Order in Council to be lifted.