London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

VI politics & the CoI - Part 3

VI politics & the CoI - Part 3

The Commission of Inquiry is presenting a mirror for all residents to look at; what it reveals is not good. The Investigation into Virgin Islands Governance is showing up this country in myriad ways.

First, the COI may be revealing that there is a clear lack of accountability with the powers that be acting with impunity, especially with regard to taxpayer cash.

Talk of transparency is just that: talk. The proof of the pudding is in the taste and the way the pudding is digested.

Treating people brashly and without respect and courtesy- especially public servants who may not have seen eye to eye with specific politicians- is another culture of poor governance in the British Virgin Islands that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

The preceding is no surprise. The fact is that this ‘’society’’ can be very cruel to its own people. These are the residents who may not be in favor of the powers that be: especially those residents who are economically vulnerable: mainly people on contract. These residents are frequently disposed of very unkindly.

There is a culture of fear, with the outspoken swiftly victimized.

Agencies such as the Public Complaints Commission and Financial investigations Agency have zero powers of intervention in most matters with an all-powerful Cabinet that is judge, jury, and executioner in most matters.

The Virgin Islands possesses a Cabinet that is essentially a dictatorship until General Elections.

The results of this impunity in governance is evidenced by a "shoddy" national infrastructure that leaves one to wonder where all the supposed billions of dollars in revenues received by the government over the past 40 years have gone.

This country remains highly underdeveloped in terms of its national services with crumbling infrastructure, and a social infrastructure more attuned with a poor country, than with a country with a supposed annual income per capita of over $40K.

That is one reason so many government scholarship holders never return home after their expensive university education. There has been no vision in governance apart from a spend, spend, and more spend culture.

The Commission of Inquiry is pulling the curtain on 30 years of incompetence and waste. What it reveals is a country with the wealth of a rich country but that possesses the infrastructure of a poor country.

And even while the Commission is conducting investigations there remains a contempt for the public purse, and public opinion, in the formulation of policy, especially policy on financial matters.

The public, from this Writer’s observation, is so fed up that it no longer cares.

Consequently, the COI is the last chance for this country to establish honest and effective governance.

The country is at the proverbial crossroad.

Connect with Dickson Igwe on Facebook and Twitter

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×