Developing the British Virgin Islands: The first Crown colony

Abstract

In an analysis of the administration of government in the British Virgin Islands the Deputy Governor's use of team or collective management techniques stands out as an important factor in the success of the Islands in coping with problems of small scale and of sparse resources. This method of reaching general decisions may be rooted in the country's African heritage, which was little touched by the brief attempt of English planters to develop a colony in the Islands. In any event, this heritage may be reinforceable as a bulwark against Americanization.

Team Management and Development in Montserrat and Anguilla

“…The principles which could be taught spring from the British Virgin (Kersell, 1989), the Montserratian and Anguillian experiences with team management. They provide a synthesis of British colonial and African traditional (Kersell, 1989) management ways.…”

“…As local selfgovernment emerged and the British officials were replaced by indigenous ones. the tradition of administration teams lived on particularly in the British Virgin Islands (Kersell, 1989) and to a degree in Montserrat. Governor Watson's predecessor of 1983 suggested the intensive team building exercise previously referred to.…”

“…In any event, Montserrat's public service is ahead of the British Virgin Island's (BVI) (Kersell, 1989) simply because it began, some time ago, to codify elements of its bureaucratic culture and to instill related values in its members. Inevitably, significant problems remain.…”

“…That leads to frustration and morale problems of an understandable variety. Montserrat could utilize a Deputy Governor of the model of BVI's (Kersell, 1989). Things might then go slower, but they could go better.…”

The organization and management of ministries of education in small states

“…It began with a general article by Murray (1981), which formed the basis for a series of more specific case studies. Hope (1983) and Kersell (1987Kersell ( , 1988Kersell ( , 1989Kersell ( , 1990 wrote about the Commonwealth Caribbean, and others focused on Niue (Thynne 1981) St Helena (Gillett, 1983), and Tuvalu (Tisdell and Fairbairn, 1983).…”