London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

The Virgin Islands, post the Commission of Inquiry

The Virgin Islands, post the Commission of Inquiry

An entitled minority must never again be allowed to control Virgin Islands governance, politics, and society, without full citizen and resident participation.
Now, had full citizen participation been the governing culture for decades in the British Virgin Islands the country may have escaped where it is today: sitting at the center of negative narratives of a global media never ‘’in love’’ with offshore finance centers, and a Virgin Islands in the telescopic sights of its enemies and detractors.

Then, one reason the debate on greater autonomy and independence is going nowhere is that discussion of independence is not being fully introduced into the public square, apart from repeated assertions by talk show hosts and politicians, on the need for greater autonomy, even Independence.

Independence can only ever happen when a two thirds majority of VI citizens vote for independence in a Referendum. The Virgin Islands is ‘’light years’’ away from that day. No minority of citizens will decide independence.

No politician has yet to offer a clear vision of the Virgin Islands Post the granting of independence, how the independence process will be managed, and the when and how of an independence referendum. The rest of the Overseas territories are in the same boat.

And it is always a good thing when the mass of a country’s population is involved in the great issues and policy debates of the day.

Citizens must be in the know on what happens behind the closed doors of power at every point in time. Then, before specific matters become troublesome, tricky, and dire, the ones who pull the levers of power are warned in time, through effective public feedback, before these leaders enter the place of no return.

The informed, aware, and proactive citizen is the best friend of good governance. His or her support and input is never to be taken lightly. And when government fears and discourages the views of opinionated citizens it is a set up for failure.

At least In the UK, Brexit was debated before the Brexit Referendum. Hence there is no one to blame for that decision, as the people voted for Brexit even though by a slim margin.

Brexit should never have been decided on a simple majority of those voting in the referendum, but by a two-thirds majority vote as is the norm for referendums. However, the powers that be pushed for the slim majority option. Today, Brexit is viewed as a disaster by most intelligent people.

Clearly, Citizen Participation offers a route out the cul-de-sac, when a government gets into trouble of its own making.

The problem in the BVI is that there is citizen participation at the level of party politics at election time. Then when a party is elected a clique takes over the running of affairs of the country while the rest of the citizens who placed that party in power through their votes and activism get locked out of decision making.

A handful – elected and nonelected persons – are at the center of power. These are the characters that are in the know on matters of a sensitive nature, with no scrutiny. There is a temptation to keep matters hidden from Joe Public. The preceding is never good for governance no matter how secret the issues and affairs of the territory need to be.

Transparency is always a plus in governance for the simple reason transparency fosters trust in government. When public trust disappears in a democracy governing becomes difficult, if not impossible.

Now the recent intervention in matters of state in the British Virgin Islands by UK High Officials showed the efficacy of checks and balances, and public oversight.

An unchecked executive- the Cabinet in the case of the BVI- easily falls into abuse of power. Human beings by nature crave power, and power that is left unchecked corrupts.

The Commission of Inquiry shows that executive oversight is working in the case of the BVI. Checks and balances are good for residents and taxpayers.

Imagine the UK Commission Inquiry was not introduced at this time. Then matters may have gotten out of hand, maybe even worse in the alleged mismanagement of the financial affairs of the Virgin Islands, and down the road.

In the USA, Donald Trump was stopped in his tracks from overthrowing the constitutional, legal, and institutional powers, of Congress, Law Enforcement, and the Supreme Court, through a constitution that was airtight and very difficult to bypass and ignore, even by a rogue president.

The report of the Commission of Inquiry after the Commission ends its investigations and enquiries will be quasi-constitutional. It will be a resilient and powerful document that will lead to better governance by pointing out areas in BVI governance that require better management, greater probity and scrutiny, and greater oversight.

The report will provide a path to the future. It will place in concrete the guidelines and parameters in the management of public resources.

It is unfortunate that matters reached a stage where the intervention of a Commission of Inquiry became necessary.

However, residents of the Virgin Islands must look at this Enquiry as a positive. The Enquiry is an opportunity to get things right in a world that is growing more complex and dangerous, especially for small isolated countries.

The Good news is that the Virgin Islands continue to sit at the top globally, for being a safe, idyllic, and pristine travel destination.

It will indeed be a pity if we allowed alleged corruption and criminality to spoil what is an excellent travel and tourism brand.

Consequently, the Commission of Inquiry is a very good thing at this time.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×