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Honest Mistake! Premier Appeals To Opponents Over Fast Track Errors

by pltm
Apr 14, 2023
23

(PLTM) - Premier Hon. Dr. Natalio Wheatley is pleading with political candidates not to politicized the issue of the recalling of the House of Assembly.

Governor John Rankin announced on Friday evening, April 14 that the House has to be recalled to remedy some 688 awardees who are on the voters’ list and benefited under the Virgin Islands Party’s (VIP) Fast Track Residency and Belongership Programme carried out during 2019 and early 2020.

“Let me be clear. This issue is not one for politicking. It involves the lives of real people who are members of our community. Their lives and that of their families should not be seen as a convenient opportunity to score political points,” the Premier said during the joint statement on Friday evening.

He said: “I am committed to addressing this matter because I take democracy extremely seriously. I call on all of my honourable colleagues to do the same. Our brothers and sisters should not be disenfranchised because of a legal oversight or administrative error.”

He said democracy is a sacred trust and they all have a responsibility to protect and uphold democracy.

“The rule of law is the best way to ensure that we can participate in an orderly and meaningfully way in a democracy. The Fast Track Residency and Belonger Programme was implemented to regularise the immigration status of a number of persons who have lived, worked and meaningfully contributed to the Virgin Islands over time,” he said.

Premier Wheatley said that, Cabinet’s approval of those persons was done on the basis of the legal advice provided by the former Attorney General.

“However, the recent audit of the Fast Track Programme identified what appears to have been an honest oversight. Six-hundred and eighty-eight (688) persons were simultaneously approved for Residency and Belonger status, when in fact they should have been free of immigration controls twelve months prior to applying for Belonger status, according to the law,” he stated.

The Finance Minister continued, “I agree with Governor Rankin that this was not the fault of any of the applicants. We live in a democracy and it is important that no one who is qualified is disenfranchised because of this error.”

He stated that this is why he supports the Governor in recalling the House of Assembly so that this matter can be appropriately and immediately addressed.

“The House of Assembly has the power to validate the grant of the Residence and Belonger Certificates made by Cabinet and this is what we will seek to do as early as Monday the 17th April, at the beginning of next week. A Bill will be introduced in the House of Assembly to validate the Residence and Belonger status of the 688 persons identified in the audit report,” the Premier stated.

He also assured the public that following consultation with the Governor and advice from the Attorney General, that the scheduled General Election of the 24th April will proceed as planned as well as advanced polling day on the 20th of April.

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Reader Opinion

Please note that the opinions posted are the opinions of its author and does not in any way reflect the views of the management, staff, parent company or sponsors of Virgin Islands Platinum News.

UN Convention

The Governor is committing a serious offense under the UN Convention. He is abusing his powers as well as interfering with the outcome of the elections to push it in the direction he wants. This is wrong on all fronts.

Outsider

Most of the times when something goes wrong in a country, the politicians is behind it. Bad dealings of the VIP government come back to bite them in their a**

Nonsensical

This makes absolutely no sense. The decision was made in cabinet where the Attorney General (there to provide legal advise) would have offered comments. The monies were taken by the Government for the 2 for 1 process given those residing in the territory for over 20 consecutive years both Residence and Belonger Status. Many of these individuals, since receiving Belonger status, would have already moved on acquiring BVI Naturalisation, BVI Passports, UK Naturalisation, UK Passports, Trade Licences, etc. What do we do now? Do we revoke their statuses? Do we contact the UK to revoke their Naturalisation and passports? Do we close down their business? Of course not! The statuses were given in 2019 under a special program, the Fast Track program. These individuals are not at fault and for that reason, the government needs to fix the situation. If we are trying to be technical, these individuals would have been living in the Territory for at least 20 years in 2019. We are now in 2023. The additional 12 months needed to acquire Belonger status already passed. No need to complicate things. Regulate their statuses. This is just another political gimmick. I am a born BVIslander.

GET RID AH DEM

VOTERS ARE WE GOING TO SIT HERE AND ALLOW THE VIP TO MAKE MORE MISTAKES?

Nope

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

cut the head off the snake by not voting for any vip

This vip government made too many mistakes...cant afford for them to make any more

Larva?

The hypocrisy in this territory stinks. When people receive status in the legal and correct manner you would hear a big huplah ..like look out they giving away awe country to them down island people. Well where is the out cry now. Wah? because ah Head Coach and VIP and aryo want to an election illegally ?? He\'ll no!! Governor tek charge now.\n Honest mistake he say you know....Really??

Youth

I applaud the Premier for stepping up to rectify these issues as they are brought to his attention.

Interesting

You really say brought to his attention. You realize this man had that report for months. He did not want it out. Now it out he got to fix it and talking bout mistake.

Migoman

Lol at your acomment

Please

I am in agreement with the Governor, those famous words it was a mistake when called out is no longer going to fly or be tolerated.

Signs and Wonder

People don't be fool and do not get this twisted. This is the first thing HC did when he went into office. Head Coach had no good intentions, he was not doing this to help no Caribbean brothers and sister. He did it to protect himself. Remember the OTs received a document from the UK stating they were going to remove a lot of things including the belongers status? Well just in case the British had acted, he did that inorder to have majority on his side.
GOD DO NOT WEAR PAJAMAS.
No he doesn't.

You\'re Lying

That is simply not true. You\'re trying to gain political points but telling outright lies to serve your ends. If you want to appeal to the people who illegitimately got belonger status and are now eligible voters, do so on the facts.

Common sense

That is almost correct, Fahie did not do this out of the kindness of his heart. The rational put forward in the UK for the abolishment of Belongership, was, that no one group of British subjects should be advantaged over another as that is highly discriminatory. Fahie thought that rectifying the illegal backlog of applicants through the Fast Track initiative might temper that decision in London. As it turned out, the UK did not heed the advice of their advisory committee and Belongership remained in place accordingly. The BVI is now having to address the fact that the Fast Track programme was illegal, and, the best excuse the Premier can claim me up with is it was a simple mistake, just like the grants, and, just like the greedy bill.

Mr. Premier I disagree.

How about those who applications who is been in yrs before to this date can't get an answer, still waiting. Some here 40 and 50 yrs. Foh did this illegal act just to put money in the treasury. I have to agree with the Gov on this one.

Former Attorney General need licks!

Premier you and the Governor are doing the right thing. If the former Attorney General gave wrong advice to approve those people, then it have to fix since it ain't the people them fault. You guys just go ahead and fix it so we can move on. I just glad that we have a Premier who care about Island people. Thank God that 600+ plus will still get to vote after waiting three years. Only you guys were brave enough. NDP left us in limbo with this illegal 25 people a year thing.

Interesting

You really believe that nonsense. The law in that is clear as day. It isnt up for interpretation or nothing of the sort. It is explicit and straight forward. Why would the Attorney General tell them they could of done that without giving them the full instructions on what needed to be done. \n\nSecondly the premier had that report for months and they did nothing to fix that issue before we even got to this point. Blaming the AG who aint here to defend himself is a smart man move.

Jim

That’s just it. They were caught trying to DENY 600 potential voters the right to vote. See that’s how they control the vote…. Think about it

Jim

That’s just it. They were caught trying to DENY 600 potential voters the right to vote. See that’s how they control the vote…. Think about it

Jim

That’s just it. They were caught trying to DENY 600 potential voters the right to vote. See that’s how they control the vote…. Think about it

Mistake

Doesn't the premier have any other words in his vocabulary? Everything is a Mistake. He sat and watched all these wrong doing but not they are all mistakes. Voters beware! How can these people be trusted to not do right again and call them mistakes. Only God can save us now. Say a prayer!

Shareen. Help. Pls.

Can\'t be fair that my father here 43yrs, never out of work, don\'t have criminal record application in for yesrs, can\'t get sn answer when call, can\'t get a status update. Yet them VIP in Carbinet decided to call in a set of people some who just make 20yrs, some not even 20 yrs and gave them status ignored the hundreds of applicatiins already in for yrs just in the office sitting or hiding, because they do hide some people application. Thats why this is a very srrious matter and need proper investigation..

Thank you kindly

Thank you for your comment. I am in agreement with the Governor 100%. This is a very crucial election coming up. Be very careful as to whom you vote for.

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