A big part of the self-determination march is the ability to protect ourselves. But since we are not responsible for our own national security, it is difficult, if not impossible, to garner the expertise to build the types of institutions and experiences required.
We have been on this march now for over 5 decades. We must get serious and begin to place country above self. There is too much school boy posturing and jockeying for power in the halls of state.
And good governance and education of the masses must be the cornerstone of our public administration, otherwise, to put it in the words of one of our Caribbean neighbours, “(we) will be singing God save our gracious (king) for a long, long time.”
Regardless of how the Minister for National Security handles that portfolio, it is still on us to be law abiding; To be our neighbour’s keeper; And that goes a long way.
Prosperity in BVI has introduced its own wave of opportunism and lawlessness and the price we have been paying is extremely high.
It also elicits closer scrutiny of our economic and other activities by the UK.
But we must get our security right, otherwise, like many who have walked the road of prosperity before us, we will crash and burn.
One of the safest places in the world! That is how these gems, ‘Nature’s Little Secrets,’ were known. And for us, in that respect, we must succeed in doing what Cher could not. We must ‘turn back time.’
The Law Enforcement Review Report Vol 2 failed us. True, there are many good recommendations in it but the inherent power-grab is a means of further reducing our competence and usefulness.
We are already grappling with a dumbing down due to the rising and excessive use of AI without checks, balances or boundaries.
And we should not have to add to that, the willful negation, by our partner, of our right to develop to look after ourselves.
Almost 2 decades ago we asked for help to practice a more independent form of public administration by way of support to develop our institutions and ourselves.
But, at that time, the preference was to give us the fish rather than teach us to fish. And by the looks of things, nothing has changed. Except that we have to pay for the supply of the fish, according to the Report.
And even before the COI, we have been witnessing a clawing back of power. To be fair, we brought the COI on ourselves. Nevertheless, it is helping us to approach governance in a more transparent manner.
Al least, on paper.
The problem for us is that we are being forced to do things that even the UK are grappling with, Windrush aside, like determining who belongs; Who stays; Who goes.
Perhaps we provide a good testing ground or the functional autocracy makes implementation easier. Nevertheless, we thought that partnerships worked differently. We will check.
Still, we must be careful at every step of the dance with our partner lest we suffer more than a mashing of the toes.
We know what happened over the weekend by way of crime. We are saddened that, although not novel, such can still be the case in the Territory.
It would likely be insinuated, that were we in full acceptance of the proposal that the Minister for National Security becomes responsible for all law enforcement agencies in the Territory, our crime issues would be better addressed.
That would be a reach and a stretch but it provides good cover.
And although one Minister for National Security wrote to the Minister for the Overseas Territories that he needed additional powers and another Minister said that he doesn’t; While it is a victory for the Territory, it does not as yet mean that we have averted ‘direct colonial rule.’
The business of diplomacy is usually the case of death by 10,000 cuts. We have averted 1 cut while many threats remain, some inherent in the Law enforcement review report.
And the UK’s look into Port Security will likely increase its direct involvement in that area.
Did we drop the ball in many instances? Assuredly so. Now we have to carefully manage the new paradigm of the partnership, otherwise we may find that we are increasingly responsible for truly little unless someone else nods.
So much revolves around our national and personal security. It is a topic the leaders seem not to visit often unless something earth shattering happens. But even then, they put the brooms to work.
The Ag Commissioner of Police appears to be determined to do a respectable job. We do not know if her efforts will earn her confirmation but we are glad that she is speaking to the public about her stewardship.
RFK in a speech on 6 June 1966 noted that “There is a Chinese curse which says, "May he live in interesting times." Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also the most creative of any time in the history of mankind.”
Are the 13 up to the challenge?
Are we on our Fridays?
Happy Friday!