Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

I never set deadlines for gov’t formation — Rankin

I never set deadlines for gov’t formation — Rankin

Governor John Rankin has denied ever setting any sort of timelines for the formation of a government after the recently held general elections did not produce a clear winner, arguing that the normal precedent is for parties to be given multiple days to resolve any issues that arise.
“Well, the fact is, and contrary to some statements I’ve seen, I did not set a deadline,” Governor Rankin said while appearing on the Talking Points radio show recently. “I would certainly have given parties, had it been necessary, time to see if they could form the necessary arrangements to have those seven votes in the House of Assembly if they had not been able to.”

“If they had not been able to come up with a solution themselves, then actually the normal precedent in countries with the Westminster system and Commonwealth countries in the overseas territories would be for the governor in this instance, to give a number of days for it to be resolved,” he stated. “Had it not been resolved then, we would likely have had to have had another general election.”

Rankin explained that, under Section 52 of the Constitution that governs the appointment of the premier and the government, the general principle is, if a single political party gains a majority, then they form the government and the premier is appointed accordingly. However, he noted that if no political party gains a majority, then a judgment has to be made.

I wrote to party leaders

The governor disclosed that he wrote to party leaders ahead of the elections pointing out the provisions of the Constitution on that particular issue. He noted in that missive that, in normal circumstances, as the majority, one would expect a government to be formed quickly, suggesting this could ordinarily be within a day of the election results.

He added: “Clearly, if there had been a number of days’ delay in forming the government, I might then have set a deadline, but we did not reach that stage.”

When asked whether he would have considered someone from a minority party to be selected as premier in forming the government, Rankin stated: “I would look to whoever as Premier could form a working majority in the House of Assembly because that’s what is necessary for government business to be carried on.”

The controversial switch

Deputy Premier, Lorna Smith, OBE, contended recently that she felt there was a need to move the country forward and expressed concern that the territory was in a state of limbo without a government being formed, even though less than 24 hours had elapsed after the elections had been completed.

Smith has been heavily criticised by members of the political opposition, including Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Marlon Penn, and members of the public for her unilateral decision in establishing an alliance with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) to help form the new government.

But the Deputy Premier has since doubled down on her position about the need for moving ahead with urgency as it relates to the formation of the government, suggesting recently that her hand may have been forced after she was left out of leadership discussions between her NDP colleagues and other members of the now-opposition.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×