TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, CMC – The owner of a local shipping company, EZ Shipping, Clyde Chalwell, has submitted a formal complaint concerning Governor John Rankin to the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs.
EZ Shipping is the company the government led by disgraced former Premier Andrew Fahie hired to secure the territory with barges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, an Auditor General’s report later concluded that there were several abnormalities with those contracts.
Rankin also asked law enforcers to determine whether any offenses were committed when EZ Shipping was contracted to secure the territory with their barges.
The letter of complaint sent on October 13 through Chalwell’s legal representatives at Stokoe Partnership Solicitors brought Governor Rankin’s integrity and impartiality into question regarding comments he made at a press conference in March.
According to the letter, during the press conference on March 3, 2023, Governor Rankin referred to Andrew Fahie’s refusal to allow the UK Navy ship to secure the BVI and his preference for EZ Shipping, saying, “I leave others to speculate as to why the former Premier might have been so opposed to what was the deployment of the more effective method for deterring activity in the waters.”
The attorneys explained that the Governor’s statement was “a deliberate attempt to insinuate misconduct on behalf of our client.” They say the phrase “I will leave others to speculate” is a common way of saying something by pretending not to say it.
Chalwell’s attorneys also argued that at the time of Rankin’s comments, Fahie had been imprisoned in the United States on drug charges. Such a phrase linked EZ Shipping to the former Premier’s alleged motives.
The attorneys said the Governor should not have given his opinion on the matter, especially since the audit report on the EZ Shipping contract had been sent to the police and the DPP’s Office to assess whether any offenses were committed.
The letter to the UK government also said that the Governor’s comments were inappropriate and amounted to him descending into the arena when it was not his place.
However, the letter has not called for any decisive action against Rankin, who is enjoying his last days in office as BVI Governor.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether local law enforcers are preparing to release information about the status of their investigations into the US$1.2 million contract that EZ Shipping signed with the Fahie administration.
The UK government has allocated approximately one million dollars to contribute towards a comprehensive review of the territory’s law enforcement agencies.
The funding was allocated amid a spike in various crimes, especially those gun-related, which law enforcers say are primarily due to the drug trade.
Governor John Rankin said members of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) arrived in BVI last weekend to begin the fieldwork phase of the review.
The study will examine the structure, resources, funding, conduct, and standards, among other matters, of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Customs, Immigration, and the Prison Service.
The team will also examine whether the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and other enforcement agencies have the facilities and powers to prevent, monitor, detect crime, and prepare matters for prosecution.
“I believe the outcome of this review will shape our approach to law enforcement over at least the next ten years. I aspire for BVI’s law enforcement agencies and the justice system to be seen as models for the region,” the Governor said.
Rankin said the review will provide greater clarity on areas for improvement and recommendations for alternative ways of approaching law enforcement that would benefit the BVI.
The report is expected to be presented to the Premier and the incoming Governor by the end of March 2024. It will then be published as appropriate after that.
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