Guv says cops had long been underfunded

Governor Daniel Pruce has criticised the government’s long-time “underfunding” of law and order prior to recent allocations that he said will help rectify the situation.

The governor made the comments on Monday at his first 2026 press conference, which he used to hail extra security funding from the United Kingdom and VI governments alike.

The UK, he said, has agreed to pay for a new maritime radar system to protect the territory’s borders. He added that he expects the system to be operational within a year but gave no indication of its cost.

Mr. Pruce, who is responsible for the territory’s security, also welcomed a boost to crime-fighting resources that the VI government added to this year’s budget, including an extra $6.7 million for police, $2.3 million for His Majesty’s Prison at Balsam Ghut, and $800,000 for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr. Pruce said the move followed Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley’s commitment to the UK government to increase funding across law-enforcement agencies.

“The funding allocations will help us address what has been an historic period of underfunding of the crucial agencies that are here to help keep us all safe and secure,” the governor said.

The governor also used the press briefing to defend his decision to extend the contract of acting interim Police Commissioner Richard Ullger by three months.

He insisted that the move is needed to strengthen “stability” while the process of recruiting a permanent police chief continues.

Mr. Pruce previously provoked public and government anger when he announced last November that Mr. Ullger was replacing Jacqueline Vanterpool in the post of acting commissioner.

On Monday, Mr. Pruce also expressed confidence in Director of Public Prosecutions Tiffany Scatliffe despite her office’s loss of multiple high-profile cases in recent years.

“I work closely with the DPP,” he said. “I have every confidence in the work that she’s doing.”

However, he declined to comment on individual cases.

Bank of Asia

Asked about the controversy involving $5 million of public funds deposited to the Bank of Asia shortly before it was placed into provisional liquidation last May, Mr. Pruce said the matter is still being probed by Auditor General Sonia Webster.

Pressed on whether he knows who authorised the deposit, the governor did not respond directly.

“The situation, as I understand it, remains that the auditor general is conducting her work in relation to the Bank of Asia and the matter sits with her,” he said. “And it’s certainly not my place to second guess what that work might be.”

$20m overspend

The governor was similarly tight-lipped about an ongoing probe into the government’s $20 million-plus overspend on annual public sector pay, which came to light in 2024. He stated that follow-up inquiries in the wake of a critical report by the auditor general are continuing, and he declined to make a public comment at this stage.

Mr. Pruce did, however, confirm that he had sought additional information from the Office of the Deputy Governor and the Ministry of Finance in light of the report’s recommendations.

“Additional information has been provided, which I’ve been considering since then,” he said in response to questions about the matter. “When we get to a point where there’s anything for me to share publicly about that, I will do so, but for the moment that follow-up work is still in [progress].”

Constitutional talks

The governor was also asked about his role in the coming constitutional talks between the government and the United Kingdom, but he replied that this question would be a matter for the negotiating teams.

He added that more information on the dates and format of the talks is likely to emerge after the House of Assembly finalises its report on the matter.

COI recommendations

Asked about incomplete Commission of Inquiry recommendations under his remit, the governor explained that they are security matters.

He added that he hopes to announce progress on the vetting of prison, immigration and customs officers in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, a requirement for police officers to undergo vetting is still on hold following a court ruling last August that temporarily limited the government’s ability to enforce the rule.

Asked whether King Charles III may visit the territory during a reported Caribbean tour this year, the governor said he had no information on the matter.