Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Residents should be able to seek recourse from public service, not 'white house on the hill'

Residents should be able to seek recourse from public service, not 'white house on the hill'

Governor Augustus Jaspert said he believes residents of the British Virgin Islands would be better served if there are functioning institutions where persons can seek recourse other than at his office.

Responding to questions from members of the media during a press conference on Friday, the Governor said: “Each Overseas Territory (OT) is very different and some of that is historical in culture where people feel that if they go to the White House on the hill, they can get an answer than actually holding the public service to account, or the minister to account as they may need to.”

“My door is always open. I am always happy to talk. I want to be connected to the community and that’s a very important thing. But, actually, for the long-term success of the territory, it is more important that the institutions are there to be able to do the jobs for the people,” he added.

Jaspert said while the practice of residents seeking redress from the sitting governor is not unique to the BVI, the territory is lacking in key areas when compared to the other OTs.

“The Deputy Governor’s Office has done some mapping out across the other OT’s where we stand across those and this is why we are keen to bring forward the proposals that will bring us up to the same level. [These proposals include making provisions] to have a ministerial code, to have an Integrity Commission that we have talked about so that it’s not the Governor who has the pressure, [and] that there is an independent body who can go an investigate and properly draw up the conclusions around it.

He said there is also a need for freedom of information legislation so that “people can get information when they need it”.


People seek help on various issues

The Governor said residents seek out his office for assistance on a wide array of issues they are faced with.

“A lot of things is about the service that people have gotten in terms of permits and licenses and various things,” he explained. “Some of them are rightly for us where I have constitutional powers and responsibilities, and we look into. For example, we get a lot of issues relating to prison matters, appeals from prisoners in various ways and those things come to me to consider and depending on what the issue is I draw advice from the parole board or various committees of support.”

Governor Jaspert said he is also privy to what he described as “a lot of gossip”.

“For a small population, I think there is probably more rumours than people. But, for me, the important thing is the institutions working correctly and the ministries are able to respond quickly.”

He said when persons seek out his office, it is usually something one of the government ministries can handle, and so he would forward their request to the necessary department.

In the event of legal matters, he would also advise them accordingly.

“One of the things that I think is every Governor when they start their job, they should think of the end of their term and write a little note saying ‘you have less to do’ … The Governor should be about improving the institutions, making the territory more successful, more self-determining, stronger democratically, stronger in accountability, and transparency, so that the public is the ones who are really in the lead.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
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
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×