TIMES.KY

Cayman Islands, Caribbeanand International News
Wednesday, Nov 06, 2024

OECS condemns a ‘UK takeover’ of VI

As the people of the Virgin Islands (VI) begin to mobilise to demonstrate to the United Kingdom (UK) that they are not in favour of any direct rule as recommended in the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Report, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has made it known that it stands with the people of the VI in rejecting direct rule by the UK.

According to the CoI Report, serious dishonesty may have taken place in Government and by Members of the House of Assembly (HoA) over recent years and recommended a temporary partial suspension of the constitution. This means that there would be neither ministers of government nor elected representatives and the VI would be run by the Governor.

VI Gov’t & people rejecting UK takeover


Acting Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said the recommendations in the CoI Report could be implemented without the need for suspension of the legislature and constitution, and has called for a mutual partnership with the UK.

The people of the VI; however, have also been making their objection to possible direct rule known, via various platforms, including meetings and public demonstrations. Such as demonstration was held outside Government House today, May 2, 2022, where approximately 300 persons turned up at short notice. More demonstrations will be held over the next few days.

Direct colonial rule by UK has never worked well- OECS


The OECS also said it has noted the position taken by the duly elected Government of the VI which, while welcoming the recommendations arising from the Inquiry, rejects the intention of the British Government to impose direct rule on the VI.

“It is clear to us that, in principle, it is a bad idea to impose direct colonial rule and the history of such imposition in the Caribbean has never delivered the desired result.”

UK ‘bound’ by UN Declaration


The OECS said it concurs with the elected representatives of the people of the VI that abolition of Parliament with direct rule from London represents a retrograde step in the evolution of the democratic process that is inconsistent with the United Nations Proclamation of Human Rights to be free of colonial rule.

“The UN Declaration on granting independence to colonial countries and peoples - Resolution 1514 of 1960 is an international commitment to which Britain is itself bound.”

OECS urges UK to respect wishes of VI people


According to the OECS statement, the historical responsibility for strengthening governance in the VI must rest on the shoulders of the elected representatives and the people of the VI themselves. “That ultimately will be the guarantee of good governance and full, transparent accountability.

“We strongly urge the British Government to work with and support the elected Parliament in this process of rectification.”

The OECS also said it is willing and ready to provide technical and other support required by the VI as an Associate Member State in addressing the governance issues that need attention.

Newsletter

Related Articles

TIMES.KY
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
BBC Personalities Rebuke Accusations Amidst Scandal Involving Teen Exploitation
A Swift Disappointment: Why Is Taylor Swift Bypassing Canada on Her Global Tour?
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
Unilever Plummets in a $2.5 Billion Free Fall, to begin with: A Reckoning for Misuse of Corporate Power Against National Interest
Beyond the Blame Game: The Need for Nuanced Perspectives on America's Complex Reality
Twitter Targets Meta: A Tangle of Trade Secrets and Copycat Culture
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
×