“Like all other governors, I was selected after a competitive process. One isn’t simply handed these jobs; these jobs are advertised, there is a very rigorous process and ultimately the Prime Minister and Her Majesty will appoint the person that they believe is best suited,” he said during his appearance before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Wednesday, November 24.

At the time he was being questioned by Sir Geoffrey Cox QC on behalf of the Attorney General Hon. Dawn Smith.

“In the course of these processes, are the Overseas Territories (OT) consulted? Was the Virgin Islands consulted?” Sir Geoffrey asked him.

He replied: “I believe it varies somewhat. There is no formal requirement or consultation with the OT.”

Sir Geoffrey questioning continued: “My understanding is that the governments may be written to prior the selection, asking what qualities that they would wish but they are not actually consulted on an individual. Is that correct?”

He replied: “I believe that is correct.”

Before becoming the Governor in the Virgin Islands, Governor Rankin spent four years as the Governor of Bermuda, four years as the High Commissioner in Sri Lanka and he was also the acting Ambassador to Nepal.

In the past there have been calls for a local to fill the post of Governor.