"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Following the recent leadership shakeup in the United Kingdom, senior UK officials have postponed meetings with leaders in the Virgin Islands and other overseas territories. Former OT Minister Jesse Norman …
Continue reading “Meetings with United Kingdom leaders delayed”
Promising “bold” economic reform for the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss won the seat of Conservative Party leader on Sept. 5 and subsequently became the new prime minister. Ms. …
Continue reading “Foreign secretary to PM: Liz Truss takes the reins in UK”
As the Virgin Islands works with the United Kingdom to address local governance failings exposed by the recent Commission of Inquiry, the UK is now embroiled in major scandals of …
A delegation from the House of Assembly visited the United Kingdom Parliament last week to document policies and procedures that they might apply to their own work in the territory, …
Continue reading “House of Assembly members visit United Kingdom Parliament”
In response to allegations of poor governance aired during the ongoing Commission of Inquiry, Premier Andrew Fahie last week described a pattern of systemic problems with the Virgin Islands’ constitutional …
Continue reading “Facing COI, Fahie explains rocky UK relationship”
After hurricanes Irma and Maria, the talk was all about what the Virgin Islands would look like as it recovered. Today, it appears the territory has learned very little from …
The below is adapted from the speech Mr. Wheatley delivered on June 6 during the Frederick Pickering Memorial Lecture Series at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. Let me …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Call made for referendum on political status by 2030”
I am writing to the Virgin Islands community from a small village in Cornwall in the United Kingdom about a figure we share in common: the late Reverend Ralph Perry-Gore, …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Random act of art’ in UK had VI link”
For the Virgin Islands and other British overseas territories, the weapons of diplomacy, tact and negotiation are better options in moving towards self-determination than banging an anticolonial drum. Indeed, tact …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VI urged to use diplomacy with UK”
Some individuals may not want to acknowledge that there are ties which bind the United Kingdom and the Virgin Islands, and I think I can understand why that would be …
Last Thursday marked the end of 2020, but also the last day of the “transition period” to the start of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. As a …
Continue reading “Brexit trade deal brings changes to all overseas territories”
The coronavirus pandemic will usher in a post-globalisation world order. It will bring greater regional integration and a whole new travel protocol that adds a robust layer of medical scrutiny, …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Seven years of famine’ predicted”
The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union tomorrow with a deal. This deal includes a newly negotiated withdrawal agreement, whereby the UK will enter an implementation period …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Guv explains likely Brexit impacts”
The Meghan Markle story is part of the ongoing process of change in the west at a time when the United Kingdom has been slow to enter the 21st Century. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Royal couple’s exit analysed”
British voters sent a strong message at the polls last Thursday in a historic election, giving the Conservative Party a green light to carry out its promise to “get Brexit …
Continue reading “Virgin Islands braces for Brexit after Tory sweep in UK”
In the United Kingdom, shortly before the election was announced, the queen read “The Queen’s Speech” outlining the government’s proposed legislation for the next session of Parliament. This has since …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Throne speech draws scepticism”
As the United Kingdom general election approaches, the country’s ongoing political turmoil over Brexit continues to overshadow the strained relationship between the overseas territories and the UK. The critical issue …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Fears of ‘soft colonialism’ aired as UK election looms”
After weeks of criticising the United Kingdom’s conditions for a recovery loan guarantee, Premier Andrew Fahie returned from a visit to London and said this week that his government is …
Continue reading “Government ‘on the way’ to loan guarantee”
While Premier Andrew Fahie visited London this week following a public spat with United Kingdom officials, opposition members launched a series of community meetings and pushed back against Mr. Fahie’s …
As Premier Andrew Fahie continued to criticise the United Kingdom’s offer of a £300 million loan guarantee for the hurricane recovery, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office fired back Monday …
Continue reading “FCO fires back at premier on loan guarantee”
Brexit is the most damaging event in recent United Kingdom history, equivalent to the Suez Crisis of the early 1960s in terms of its malevolent effect on UK politics, economics …
Whatever the reasons for the premier’s attempts to fast-track residency and belongership applications, the genie is out of the bottle: The eruption of heated arguments for and against the proposal …
As Election Day approaches, this Virgin Islands resident pleads with the voting and nonvoting public to exercise patience, civility and cordiality throughout the whole electoral process through the voting on …