STATEMENT BY:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR,

MR. DANIEL PRUCE

ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY RECOMMENDATIONS

Today I will provide an update on the Commission of Inquiry and its implementation. This is in advance of travel to London with Premier to meet Minister Stephen Doughty, the Minister of Overseas Territories, on 11 September. I will group my remarks around three broad areas.

First, I last stood before you on 31 May. This marked the end of the two-year period, agreed by the Government, in which it undertook to deliver the COI Framework Agreement.

I paid tribute to the hard work carried out to deliver on these reforms, but recognised progress was slower than had been imagined and deadlines were missed.

The Premier and I submitted a joint action plan to the UK’s the Overseas Territories then Minister David Rutley which set out the remaining reforms and the timeline required to do this.  On the basis of this plan, I announced in May that my recommendation was for the UK Minister to extended the final deadline to 31 August for COI completion.

Since then, we have had a general election in the UK and a change of Government and that recommendation as submitted has not, as yet, received a formal reply. We have nevertheless continued to work hard against the deadline we have set for ourselves.

It is now clear we will not meet that deadline of the end of August.

Flowing from that my second point is that it is absolutely critical that every branch of government continues to make a concerted effort to complete the remaining COI recommendations. This was a promise made to the people of BVI. We should ensure we are in the best possible position when we present our progress to Minister Doughty on 11 September.

Now is not the time to slow down. We must complete as much as we can, to the standard required by the COI.

Third, alongside completing the recommendations to a high standard we need to demonstrate an enduring commitment to actually implementing the reforms of the COI.

For example:

Firstly, we need a genuinely effective and coherent framework to ensure the integrity of, Ministers and Members of the House, public officials, and statutory board members;

Secondly, we must rigorously and consistently apply a fit for purpose system for vetting customs, immigration, police, and prison officers and in so doing protect both them and the public;

Thirdly, we must operate a public assistance system that reaches those who are most in need.

 and Fourthly, the people of BVI deserve the effective application of an immigration system that is fair, transparent and efficient balancing BVI’s labour needs with long term sustainability.

It’s not just a question of ticking boxes or changing the rules.  I expect UK Ministers will want to see genuine commitment at every level and in every branch of government to implementation.

I should add that the COI has prompted an open and vibrant public debate. That is to be welcomed. But I would also note that now is the time for everyone involved in this process especially those of us who have the privilege of holding positions of power or influence, to fulfil our duty of service to the people of the Virgin Islands and to the generations to come. Now is a time for unity, not division, if we are to deliver the reforms that the Government of the Virgin Islands committed to two years ago.

Let me now provide some more details on progress to date. And what remains to be done.

I want to thank all public servants for their sustained efforts to accelerate progress. Teams have worked tirelessly and collaboratively across government. Cabinet has met more frequently in order to quickly progress a range of policy issues. The House of Assembly has done likewise.

What have we achieved in the last two years? I will highlight a number of areas.

All audits have been received, the final three are with the House. All reviews have been completed, including the Constitutional Review and the recent Law Enforcement Review. The recommendations will help shape the Virgin Islands for many years to come.

The House has passed brand new legislation for example the Crown Lands Management Act, which I now have assented to - and has amended others - including Integrity in Public Life Act, Register of Interests Act and the Immigration and Passport Act.

A new Discretionary Powers policy has been agreed which seeks to improve transparency and fairness when Ministerial discretion is exercised.

Where more work needs to be done.

Statutory Boards is a key priority area and we have had a number of reviews and a new policy. We discussed at Cabinet and legislation is coming into the House.  We are yet to see any changes to the way Statutory Boards operate, following the three reviews commissioned because of the COI. There is a new Statutory Boards policy, and just this week approved revised legislation for five key boards.  There is still a huge amount to do.

We have been working intensively to put in place a vetting procedure of all law enforcement officers. We are making progress but there is more to be done.

The Public Service Management Bill is still to reach me for assent. And amendments to the Whistleblower Act have not yet been made.

These are important issues. There is still significant work to be done. So, we must continue to deliver results at pace without compromising quality.

It is a credit to all involved that much has been done but important items remain to be completed so we must all sustain our collective efforts.

Ultimately all of this work is in the service of the people of the British Virgin Islands. I am confident that the principle of service to people will continue to guide us all in the period ahead.