The complaints commissioner’s position was originally established so that members of the public could be given an opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction with the general performance of the Virgin Islands government and civil service. It is the equivalent of the ombudsman in other countries. The person chosen for this position was Elton Georges, who has occupied numerous positions in the civil service, including deputy governor. He is highly competent, well educated, literate, and thoroughly humane. He is eminently suited to the position.
He also has an absolutely perfect record as complaints commissioner. He has written at least eight hard-hitting and well documented reports on various government failings —and been ignored by successive governments at least eight times. His job has to be the most frustrating in the whole of the government structure. And that is never going to change as long as the government does not care. It is obvious that the government’s chosen response is to ignore the commissioner’s reports.
There is a saying in the military when one is faced with this type of problem: “Put it in writing and keep a copy.” At least when you are ignored, you can then justifiably say, “I told you so!” That is exactly what Mr. Georges is doing! And, based on the comments of Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering, it is blatantly obvious that the government does not like the report approach.
Dr. Pickering, for all his position as the government’s second-in-command (and frequently its mouthpiece), most certainly has no reason to criticise Mr. Georges for the proper performance of his function and duties. But then Dr. Pickering has shown himself to be a highly opinionated, arrogant and authoritative individual who is fully prepared to ride roughshod over any person or public opinion with which he disagrees. He consistently ignores the fact that a democratically elected government is expected, in a democratic country, to be the servant of the people — not their master, as Dr. Pickering all too often seems to think. At last glance, the VI was supposed to be at least something of a democracy.
‘Arrogant’ minister
Examples of Dr. Pickering’s approach abound.
On the extension of the airport, Dr. Pickering, who is the minister of natural resources and labour, has suggested that the project will proceed no matter what the public thinks or says. He said as much in his opening statement at a public meeting last year. Just a touch on the arrogant side, perhaps?
By inference, the government, for whom he must be assumed to speak, is not interested in the electorate. And it gives substantial substance to the impression that public meetings under government auspices are substantially useless.
Dr. Pickering also criticised Mr. Georges, saying he should stop writing “school boy” memos and try to solve problems with the minister over “a glass of juice.” If Dr. Pickering is embarrassed by a memo that is critical of his ministry, he should avoid the problem by either controlling his civil servants (all too often an oxymoron) before the fact or responding in a positive manner intended to solve the problem.
Ostriches try to solve problems by burying their heads in the sand and ignoring them. This method of handling problems almost never works for humans. I am surprised that Dr. Pickering has not realised that at his age.
In fact, the insulting terminology used by Dr. Pickering has very little place in an adult public discussion. The approach diminishes the stature of both the deputy premier and the National Democratic Party government for which he speaks.
The usual government reaction to Mr. Georges’ work is total and absolute disinterest and inaction. It is frankly a disgrace. And, if there was no memo, there would not even be a paper trail. But perhaps this is the object of the government exercise?
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour is not the only party involved. The Immigration Department also has its problems. It is rumored that, under the previous regime, just prior to the election, about 200 people were granted full immigration status. Some of them apparently had never even applied, and others who had been here for more than 15 years (the law requires a maximum of 10 years) were refused status and told that 25 years of continual residence were required for consideration.
This is not, of course, the fault of the current government — such fault as exists lies with the previous minister in charge of immigration. But the matter is now being considered by Mr. Georges — another report which will predictably be ignored.
It is also interesting to note that the Labour Code passed under the previous government has never been fully enacted. The required “Labour Tribunal” cannot be formed, it seems, because they cannot find a self-sacrificing individual to head it. (Surprised? I’m not! No one is that dumb!)
Speaking of the interplay between departments, it seems to me that if you are in the territory on a work permit and your work either dries up or is terminated, your immigration status also terminates and under current legislation, you should literally be deported to your country of origin. How often does this happen? Virtually never.
For those who are interested, some weekday morning take a ride to the central traffic circle in Road Town and turn up past the Sol gas station. View with interest the group of 20 or so casual labourers who have no obvious occupation other than jabbering away and looking for casual work for the day. Why are they allowed to stay under the circumstances? Surely under the Labour Code their work permits should be terminated — and without a work permit, they should be forced to leave the territory. Mind you, it would be difficult to find suitable replacements in the VI population willing to work on such a tenuous basis, or at such menial jobs. No white shirts, no air-conditioned offices, no laptops.
In the VI, we have a habit of enacting legislation that we have no intention of enforcing. The same is true of our traffic laws, by the way!
As an aside, we seem to have a plethora of colour-blind drivers. In my recollection, a yellow light does not mean “floor it and run the light when it turns red.” Want to pay the police salaries? Station a plainclothes officer at each light and charge drivers who deliberately run red lights.
Golf course plan
For an encore to his unjustified criticism of Mr. Georges, Dr. Pickering has a new scheme! Instead of allowing an unwanted golf course on Beef Island, we will put it on Anegada. Poor Anegada! We spend too much time looking for ways to ruin what little is left of the unspoiled land in the VI. When it is finally gone, it is permanently gone!
And as usual, Dr. Pickering ignores a few fairly basic facts:
• It takes water to grow the grass on golf course fairways — and a whole lot of it! There is reputed to be a freshwater aquifer under Anegada, but there has never been a real evaluation of the capacity of this water source.
• It takes years to fully develop a first-class course. And both the developers and the VI government seem to lack the patience to do this successfully — to say nothing of the ability.
• Golf courses on a global basis are apparently victims of the decrease in popularity of golf as a sport and, in a way, of the recession. Golf is an expensive sport! Statistics show that more golf courses are closing than are opening. The closed courses are often converted into housing developments.
• If we, by some miracle, managed to get a golf course established on Anegada, what would the golfers do in the off hours? Anegada offers minimal other activities. Maybe we should build a recreation park with the Ferris wheel that was cancelled for Road Town? Maybe a cost-benefit analysis would show that a Ferris wheel would be just the thing for Anegada?
• And what about Mahogany Run, the well-established golf course on St. Thomas. The ferry service (however lousy) already exists. A lot of golfing residents play there.
Or is this just another pie in the sky by Dr. Pickering?
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