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by pltm
(PLTM) - Social activist Amberley Crabbe in an interview with BVI Platinum News, asked pointedly whether the proposed recommendation in the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report to suspend the constitution temporarily and partially, is a question of race.
She referenced to the G7 Germany 2022 Foreign Ministers’ Communiqué, of which the United Kingdom (UK) was involved, where members denounced the actions of Russian President Vladmir Putin as eroding the principles of democracy.
The G7 Foreign Ministers collectively confirmed that “Democratic governance and its fundamental values underpinning our societies are under attack”. The official statement by the G7 also asserted that “The G7 remains convinced that democracies remain best placed in the 21st century to ensure peaceful and prosperous societies where their people can freely exercise their human rights and freedoms and choose leaders who represent their interests.”
Crabbe proposed that the UK’s sentiments expressed in the communique can be perceived to be hypocritical, based on the recommendation made in the CoI report which suggested that Governor Rankin would largely possess all executive and legislative powers.
“How on May 14th, this is a statement that you are making on a global international scale in support of Ukraine in relation to Russia’s action towards them, but you are down here in the Caribbean talking about the suspension of my democratic rights?” an impassioned Crabbe asked during the interview.
She, therefore, asked, “My question that I want to pose is: Does this play into a matter of race?“
She also questioned the notion that speaks to the incapability of the Virgin Islands people to govern their own affairs, and where necessary implement changes and remedy the existing systematic flaws in the private and public sectors. Relating to this, Crabbe opined that the suspension of the constitution would contribute to a regional uproar that the UK cannot afford.
Alluding to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Crabbe stated, “The United Kingdom is out there defending someone else who needs to have their democracy maintained and sustained, and this is their fundamental position then suspension of our constitution does not feed into the narrative you are portraying”.
Further, she stated that the delayed official communication anticipated from the UK is unacceptable since weeks have passed since the Minister responsible for Overseas Territories met with members of the government and other key persons.
