When the Governor was confronted at a recent press conference about whether committee member Tanya Cassie-Parker had expressed to UK officials that there should be a takeover of the BVI, he offered a different take instead.

The Governor noted that when UK Overseas Territories Minister Amanda Milling visited, she met with a number of people that now serve on the CRC.

“I am not going to go into what was said in private meetings and discuss them publicly, and I trust that you and others would respect that,” Governor Rankin told local activist Cindy Rosan.

Two of the Governor’s three picks for the CRC received tremendous pushback from critics, including former First Lady Lorna Smith, who charged that the persons selected by the Governor should be more involved with and more knowledgeable about the wider Virgin Islands community.

While all of the Governor’s picks for the CRC are Belongers, critics and Cabinet members opposed to the two selections felt that those persons did not represent the best interests of Virgin Islanders.

In the meantime, Governor Rankin said the committee is comprised of good people, and said like everyone else, he was looking for people who first and foremost had the relevant expertise to serve and would be able to contribute constructively to the work of the body.

He also stated that he was looking for people who would help to contribute to a diverse committee which would be representative of the people of the Virgin Islands as a whole.