Dr Sandra M. Besson Out! as Accountant General; No replacement named!
Former Accountant General Dr Besson left her post on July 31, 2015, according to Government Human Resources insiders, after tendering her resignation last year- a story first and accurately reported by this news site.
Weeks after our report, Minister of Finance Dr. The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, whose portfolio includes the Treasury Department, confirmed our story. He had said Dr Besson was leaving for “personal reasons.”
Meanwhile, according to our news room’s sources close to the National Democratic Party (NDP) regime, no one has been named to act as Accountant General. Ms Laurel L. Smith is reported to be the most senior in the Department, however, it remains unclear if she has been given an acting appointment.
Financial Secretary Mr Neil M. Smith did not respond to our queries.
The unsettled position!
Since the NDP took office in 2011 there have been several changes of Accountant Generals. In fact, there have been four Accountant Generals in four years.
Mrs Kharid Fraser, wife of Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA, was removed from her post of Accountant General as soon as the NDP took office. Ms Anna Rabsatt was then named Acting Accountant General. However Ms Rabsatt was sent home under the Government programme of ‘take your vacation days or lose it’ and never returned to the post.
An Anguillan consultant assigned to the Treasury Department Kalleesha C. Mendie then became the new Acting Accountant General of the Virgin Islands.
In August 2013, however, Dr Sandra M. Besson was confirmed in the post of Accountant General of the territory before tendering her resignation on December 2, 2014.
Prior to the recent 2015 election campaign, Virgin Islands Party senior member Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) blasted the administration for the many Accountant Generals who had fled or were removed from office for political reasons.
“In three years, this Administration has had four Accountant Generals and a fifth is yet to be named. In any business where the Head Accountant flies the coop so often then something is drastically wrong with the financial management of the company,” Hon Fahie had said on January 24, 2015, during his delivery of his First District Annual Report at the Capoons Bay Recreational Grounds.
Treasury is open for business
When a senior NDP member was asked by this news site about reports that the Treasury is shut down and not issuing cheques or having challenges in meeting salaries the person flatly denied such reports.
The source told our news room that everything is normal at the Treasury Department as cheques are being printed and salaries are being paid to all concerned.
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12 Responses to “Dr Sandra M. Besson Out! as Accountant General; No replacement named!”
Why would the Government put a spiteful, chip on shoulder in charge?