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HoA will receive audit report 'in shortest possible time'- Premier Fahie

-affirms commitment to accountability regarding botched BVI Airways case
Following accusations of procrastination by the Governor, Mr Augustus J. U Jaspert over delivering the BVI Airways audit report to Cabinet some two months after its receipt from the Auditor General, Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said he will do all in his power to now deliver the report to the House of Assembly (HoA) in the shortest time. Photo: VINO/File
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert fired back after the Premier had complained to the UK Minister for Overseas Territories, Baroness Elizabeth G. Sugg, that he Mr Jaspert did not deliver the report to the cabinet with enough time for it to be properly analysed. Photo: VINO/File
Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert fired back after the Premier had complained to the UK Minister for Overseas Territories, Baroness Elizabeth G. Sugg, that he Mr Jaspert did not deliver the report to the cabinet with enough time for it to be properly analysed. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said he will now do all in his power to deliver the BVI Airways audit report to the House of Assembly (HoA) in the shortest time, after accusing the Governor, H.E. Augustus J. U Jaspert of slothfulness in delivering the report to Cabinet more than two months after its receipt from the Auditor General.

"As the Leader of Government Business, you can be assured that I will do all in my power, while abiding by the attending laws and procedures, to have this report brought before the HOA in the shortest possible time," Hon Fahie said in a statement on April 30, 2020, regarding the audit report on the missing $7.2M BVI Airways funds. 

Report will not be taken lightly - Hon Fahie 

The Premier at this time was addressing Governor Jaspert, who through a statement, told sections of the media that the audit report was sent to Cabinet, implying that the report was now in the hands of the Premier to make sure it is taken to the HoA by the statutory deadline. 

The Governor fired back after the Premier had complained to the UK Minister for Overseas Territories, Baroness Elizabeth G. Sugg, that he, Mr Jaspert did not deliver the report to the cabinet with enough time for it to be properly analysed. 

While Mr Jaspert also cited some inaccuracies over the timeline Hon Fahie said the report was sent to the Governor's office in his letter to the UK Minister, Hon Fahie said the audit report was only tabled to Cabinet on April 22, 2020.

According to the Premier, it was still insufficient time to properly comb the document assuming that it must be taken to the House by May 7, 2020; having been in the possession of Governor since February 7, 2020.

Commitment to accountability 

"I must also state that not all matters that come before Cabinet are equally weighted. This matter is one of those that is on the 'heavier' side, and therefore while there are mechanisms that Cabinet can use to fast track the lighter matters, this Auditor General Report is not something to be treated lightly or trivialised," he said. 

The Leader of Government Business also affirmed his commitment to accountability, "From my first day in office as Premier and Minister of Finance in February 2019, and even when I served in Her Majesty’s Opposition, I have always sought accountability on behalf of the people, and I remain committed to this promise." 

He said Government remains committed to all stakeholders and noted that the findings and recommendations of the report will be put to good use.

18 Responses to “HoA will receive audit report 'in shortest possible time'- Premier Fahie”

  • My girl (02/05/2020, 14:52) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    Why did Jasper hold on the report for so long, that is what we wanna know.
    • @Jack (03/05/2020, 11:23) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply

      The Gov did nothing wrong.
      He is given a 3month time frame by law from the time that he was given the report.

  • My girl (02/05/2020, 14:57) Like (2) Dislike (15) Reply
    Why you people not marching on Gus he has failed in his duties
    • At Jack.. Wrong March (02/05/2020, 15:56) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
      Any Marching should be against the lock down... How easily we are driven back into slavery...
      • eyes (02/05/2020, 19:54) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        Be careful what you say the governor might impose s next curfew if he had his way we would be in curfew all now . If you become cripple you become a dependent .
      • Jaigon (02/05/2020, 20:14) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
        @wrong March, ignorant people like you need not blog because of the assishness you are blogging. What is there about the lockdown you must march about. What was the purpose of the lock down? For you information it wAs to curtail the community spread of Civid-19. Did it work or did not work? In my humble opinion, it works perfectly well. I will recommend that if we started to get
        More cases and I hope we don’t, that we go into lock down again. Can you imagine if the government did not take immediate steps to curtail this thing what could have happened here. Some of you people just don’t get it or to blind to see what is good for everyone
        • Rasta Live (03/05/2020, 01:10) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
          @ jAigon: the U.K. rep is white so we cant afford to offend him by marching but fahie is a local boy so we will paint the town red with him. Here we have one person holding up the possibility of a judicial process as our administration is seeking to follow the paper trail associated with the residents tax money: we have a leader of government business doing what he thought to be right by restricting our movement in an effort to minimise the spread of COVID 19 throughout our territory. Hon Fahie did very well because it had to be a different task seeking to restrict the people’s movements(since 1834.......
  • The objective (02/05/2020, 14:58) Like (13) Dislike (4) Reply
    Waiting to hear what they going to do with the report and why they want it so badly...
  • Interested (02/05/2020, 15:08) Like (26) Dislike (3) Reply
    Who cares.There are more important matters at hand such as the tanking economy.
    • 7.2 million (02/05/2020, 17:56) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      @ interested—so if the people of the territory can recover that 7.2 or even half of the 7.2 million will that not help our economy
    • Outlaw (03/05/2020, 05:57) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Interested, people like you don’t really wAnt to see this report and what’s in it. This is a very important matter, that $7.2 million, the high school wall, over run at the pier park all contributed to the shrinking of the economy. There are too many lies about this $7.2 million and BVI Airways. The tax payers of this country is anxiously waiting for the truth to be told. NDP people like you will wish that this report be shredded and never heard of again but it will not happen. We do care to see this report so don’t come hear asking, “who cares”. You may not but the majority of VILanders do. So for God in Heaven sake, go si down.
  • Lord 0 (02/05/2020, 15:48) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am just praying we dont get another hurricane the likes of Irma thats whats on my mind more than this Corona virus.. I aint even hearing nothing about the upcoming hurricane season...The fear of Corona has consumed our leaders..
    • June fuss (02/05/2020, 21:54) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      No need to hear about hurricane season. It would be here on June 1st 2020.You don’t got to wait for government to prepare yourself for hurricane season. From now when you go shop start stocking up on supplies. Can goods. Bleach. Flashlights. Batteries. Meds. Bandages and wound cleaning agents. Cases of water and store them in the coolest place in your home as possible. Cutlasses. Can’t wait on government. We got to start being self sufficient for a few days after storms
  • I wonder why (02/05/2020, 16:02) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    There are certain entities which functions in the territory without any scrutiny; scrutiny is mostly reserved for local and elected officials but those operating under the portfolio of a governor act as a law unto themselves......who audits police spending and who oversee the recruitment process: who ensure the drugs are disposed off correctly: outside of police who gives an account of money taken away from offenders???? It is factually that members of enforcement have help themselves to evidence even built properties and nothing was done by police administration: so it appears matters being handled under given offices in our territory have no accountability to the tax payers: u can not put rat to watch cheese
  • legal team (02/05/2020, 21:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is rather unfortunate that the territory of the vitgin islands have come to that stage,when the Governor,the queen's representative in the bvi and the elected premier find themselves at lock-a-head on such an important matter,where it is believed that millions of dollars are unaccounted for.
    For the sake of the truth,lets hope that this report make it to the house of assembly on time.
    Because there is obviously,no plans to send this matter to the director of public presecutions,for an intended police investigations.
    C;early,the matter is for HoA.
  • Rubber Duck (03/05/2020, 09:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Does it say whose hands were in the cookie jar?

    Because that’s what we want to know.


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