Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Premier: PSC First Casualty Of Reckless Assault

Premier: PSC First Casualty Of Reckless Assault

After announcing that his statement about the permanent secretary appointments in the House of Assembly on September 2 was misrepresented by some areas of the media, and by what was described as internet trolls, Premier and Minister for Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie stated that the Public Service Commission (PSC) was subjected to reckless assault by the Governor and are the “first casualty.”

The statement regarding the PSC stems from an announcement that was made on Friday regarding the reshuffling of current and appointments of new permanent secretaries. The contention of these appointments was referenced in the House of Assembly by Premier Fahie, as he announced that the decision was made solely by the Governor and was not reflective of what was suggested by the PSC.

This displeasure that the Governor did not consider the PSC’s recommendations was further referenced in a statement by the Premier, that was released on September 4. In that statement, the Premier suggested that the Governor’s action echoed unconcern for the PSC.

Hon. Fahie stated, “By trashing the PSC’s recommendations, the Governor has signaled his lack of confidence in the members of the commission to perform in a manner that protects Her Majesty’s service. This is a very serious aspersion that the Governor has cast on the members of the commission who are among the brightest minds of the Virgin Islands with long, unblemished careers and who are stalwarts of our Territory.”

In further blasting the Governor’s actions, Hon. Fahie referenced his statement that was made in the House of Assembly on Monday, and once again accused Governor Augustus Jaspert of usurping the PSC’s responsibility.

“As I said in the House of Assembly on Monday, the Governor’s usurping of this function from the PSC is an insult to self-reliance, self-determination, modern partnership, mutual respect and the democratic future of the BVI.”

In further condemning the Governor’s action, the Premier said, “It signals that, in the eyes of the some, colonialism is alive and thriving. Thus, to them, we the people of the Virgin Islands are still subjugated, inferior and lesser persons. Chains and whips have been replaced by less obvious, invisible kinds of shackles that can be tugged on whenever we raise our heads too high, so that we will cower back in line.”

The Premier said, “The members of the PSC are early, frontline casualties of this reckless assault. For, through his actions, the Governor has imputed that the commissioners are incompetent or compromised, thus smearing their professional records.”

“It would be curious to see, going forward, whether having displayed this lack of confidence in the members of the PSC, whether what the Governor’s next move would be. How can he justify keeping a commission in which he has demonstrated that he has absolutely no faith. But, also, how can he justify firing them when they have done no wrong, other than being born here,” Hon. Fahie added.

"We will continue to be fully respectful of the United Kingdom and their representative. But, respect ought to be a two-way street,” he added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×