Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Has Governor Rankin become the ‘Unwanted Uncle’ @ Thanksgiving Dinner?

Has Governor Rankin become the ‘Unwanted Uncle’ @ Thanksgiving Dinner?

Today, Thursday, November 24, 2022, many in the United States of America are celebrating Thanksgiving.

In the Virgin Islands (VI); however, the buzz on the streets is if Governor John J. Rankin, CMG has become the ‘Unwanted Uncle’ in the room at a Thanksgiving dinner.

While to date the constitution of the Territory has not been officially suspended, many continue to claim that we have indirect rule and the Governor calls the shots in most public sector areas.

It is alleged that no major decisions can be made without the Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) checking in with the Governor.

The Governor is not elected but is simply an appointed senior foreign service civil servant of the United Kingdom (UK) with a lot of local constitutional powers.

In addition, many elected officials, civil servants, and ordinary residents are wondering aloud why Mr Rankin seems to be injecting himself in local events.


Governor John J. Rankin, CMG attended the Annual Emancipation Service at Sunday Morning Well on July 31, 2022.

Why was he there?

Many were in shock to see him in July of this year at the Emancipation Celebration opening ceremony where he spoke. This was a local celebration of freedom from the evils and shackles of the slave trade perpetrated by the country Governor Rankin represents, the UK.

It is also alleged that he went to many other local events uninvited. It is the protocol to send His Excellency, the Governor, an invitation to events where it’s appropriate for him to attend.

He was spotted, for example, at the horse races on August Tuesday 2022 at Ellis Thomas Downs, shaking hands like he was an elected politician.

According to a senior retired civil servant whose last assignment was at the Premier’s Office, “the tradition is Governors are not to hold press conferences, interfere publicly in local politics and be around giving the impression that they were elected,”.

She noted that the previous Governor had also departed from that “unwritten protocol”.

Those moves have been reserved for the 13 elected officials of the House of Assembly (HoA), the retired civil servant opined.

It is said the Governor also showed up, allegedly uninvited, at a science fair hosted by the Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL) and injected himself in photos with the school children.
It is reported Governor John J. Rankin, CMG also showed up, allegedly uninvited, at a science fair hosted by the Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL) and injected himself in photos with the school children.


He forced two nominees on the Territory

It was very controversial when he also injected himself in the Constitutional Review Commission by nominating two persons, despite the strong objections from Cabinet. Many residents saw this as very inappropriate, as the constitution usually comes from the people and must be in line with their aspirations.

There is nothing to prevent the Governor or any other resident from showing up to any public event; however, tradition dictates that Governors will await for an official invitation, which is never unreasonably withheld.

While we know he has new friends all over the Islands in both the public and private sectors, after the Commission of Inquiry report, with a minority of people telling him the UK should recolonise the VI by suspending the constitution, the majority of residents have rejected the notion that the territory should be run by an unelected Governor.

The only place so far the Governor cannot enter without an invitation is the HoA; however, with many thinking he has all the power, anything remains possible.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×