In speaking about the Ethiopian Eunuch who the Apostle Philip met on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, E.G White exclaimed in her ‘Acts of the Apostles’ that:

“Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.”

Stated or not, the OTs are important to the UK and vice versa.  That is why we like to think of it as a partnership.

The biodiversity claimed by the UK is largely in the OTs.  However, at Kew gardens, over 2.4B seeds from plants around the world, including the OTs, ensure a rebirth in the event of disappearance.  

Of course, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, owned by Norway, exists but how are such resources accessed?

We have accepted that the OTs supply the motherland with some high paying, quality jobs that ease its rate of unemployment.

We acknowledge that the UK passes and extends legislation to the OTs that comply with its obligations but may not, at times, be in their best interest.

We doubt the UK governor should ever find it necessary to call for a COI if that office is truly executing its mandate.

If the basis of good governance is only to call out the hounds after allowing the fox to decimate the henhouse, then, for other reasons, we can answer ‘NO!’ to Sam Smith’s question in song:  

“If I risk it all; Could you break my fall?”  Although we agree with him that “…. the writing's on the wall.”

We are jealous of the fact that the French have a Ministry of Overseas Territories dedicated to the interests of their OTs.

Perhaps the way the UK regards its OTs would be different if they were not treated, functionally, as foreign countries.

So, our modern partnership is no partnership at all.  The Kingdom rules!  (“Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves...”)

The Kingdom claims contingent liabilities and so it imposes borrowing guidelines to protect its interests.  But, often, our interests require expenditures beyond a child’s allowance.  

And the begging game begins although they have not, since 1978, given us a penny in budgetary aid.  

We are begging to spend our own money to develop our infrastructure.  The irony cuts deep; And we bleed.

Now, to our broken record, security!  The constitution gives the UK responsibility for our security and for external affairs.

It was an elaborate piece of bureaucracy for BVI to receive an entrustment from the kingdom to join Caricom and OECS as associate members.  

Equally so, to represent ourselves in matters pertaining to financial services in the international financial community.

But is the Kingdom serious about protecting the people of the BVI?  What is it to them that crime is our constant companion?

We have no Damocles sword to ensure that the Kingdom complies even with its constitutional responsibilities.

And we are powerless to announce a COI.

Are all the matters that affect our national security shared in the National Security Council?  We doubt it.

We are dumbfounded that a kingdom, so fixated on the rule of law, is failing the Territory so spectacularly.

“Cry me a river” (Arthur Hamilton).  The incongruity is painful.

But, at least on these Fridays, we are not on the verge of that kingdom waiting only to be gathered in.

We await answers and action.

Happy Friday!