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Gov’t welcomes ‘Factual & Transparent’ CoI into Governance – Premier Fahie
Governor ignored calls for updates on NDP scandals – Premier
The Premier noted that the announcement of the CoI comes even as Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert has procrastinated on the way forward regarding several high-level reports and scandals under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) Government.
Those reports include the $40M cost overrun Tortola Pier Park Project (TPP), the $7.2M botched BVI Airways deal and missing funds and the $1.6M Elmore Stoutt High School Wall (ESHS) project that was labelled corrupt by the Auditor General.
The Premier suggested that while the Governor has ignored calls to indicate the next steps forward regarding those investigations, the Fahie Administration will welcome the newly announced CoI on the premise that investigations will be based on facts and not rumours, and that it must allow due process.
“Starting in March 2019, weeks after taking office, this Government Administration under the leadership of Premier Andrew A. Fahie made and continues to make inquiries of Governor Augustus Jaspert concerning the steps to be taken in an effort to clear the names of accused persons in relation to any of the three major investigations that were conducted by the Public Accounts Committee, the Auditor General, and/or the Police,” Premier Fahie noted.
Meanwhile, he said the Commission of Inquiry Act (Cap. 237 Section 2) specifies that the governor is within his right to call for a CoI, “It shall be lawful for the Governor whenever he shall deem it advisable, to issue a commission appointing one or more commissioners, and authorizing such commissioners, or any quorum of them therein mentioned, to inquire into the conduct or management of any department of the public service in the Territory or of any public officer of the Territory, or of any parish or district, or into any matter in which an inquiry would, in the opinion of the Governor, be for the public welfare. Each such commission shall specify the subject of inquiry...”
With regards to the CoI, Premier Fahie went on to say, “The Act directs that any inquiry shall be specific. If there exist other specific concerns which have not been examined by the Public Accounts Committee, the Auditor General, or the Police, this should be clearly stated, and due process allowed.”
CoI based on facts & not rumours – Premier
While the Governor has long been accused of hurling accusations and basing public statements on pure rumours while preaching the opposite, the Premier has indicated that any CoI into his administration must differ from that approach.
“As stated on numerous occasions by the Governor, a Commission of Inquiry would only be conducted based on facts and not rumours and unfounded allegations,” the Premier went on to say.
He said Governor Jaspert in the past has stated to Cabinet Members, that to ensure due process, all government institutions established to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance would be allowed to function and produce their reports.
“It is only after these stages of the process are completed and investigations deemed inconclusive would the way be paved for a Commission of Inquiry. This has always been the process followed because it is the only process that allows for good governance to function in a manner that keeps the tenants of democracy sacred.”
It remains unclear how fast a CoI into the Fahie administration will commence, given the Governor Jaspert's slothfulness in updating on the TPP Scandal, the ESHS Wall project and the BVI Airways deal and associated missing $7.2M funds, even as a new Governor, John J. Rankin will replace him.
Governor showed lacklustre approach to investigative reports
Meanwhile, Governor Jaspert's lacklustre approach to major investigative reports was brought to the fore when he allegedly caused the Auditor General’s special report on the BVI Airways deal to miss the deadline as required by law, for that report to be laid before the House of Assembly.
"With the focus rightly on our response to COVID-19 this report has understandably taken a while to reach the point of being laid, but I am pleased that the report has now been laid before and discussed by the House of Assembly," Mr Jaspert said in an excuse released on June 9, 2020.
"The Auditor-General submitted her final Special Report to me on 7th February 2020. I subsequently sought to discharge my duties fully in line with the timescales set out in Section 20 of the Audit Act in referring the report to Cabinet on 23rd April with the intention of it being brought to the House by 7 May," he said.
With the report eventually reaching the House on Thursday, May 28, 2020, legislators, including Premier Fahie, said the April 23, 2020 referral of the report to the Cabinet was not enough time to properly vet the document and call a sitting of the House with the required 10 days notice.
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49 Responses to “Gov’t welcomes ‘Factual & Transparent’ CoI into Governance – Premier Fahie”
Very sad day please do not let the racist and white supremacy win this one
1. Governor will paint bvi as corrupt. To set a precedence for the belief that bvi has no integrity. Then push the agenda for uk to step in and take control...
And as i said the governor trying to roll it out that agenda now.
Guess which governor came to the bvi? The same one that was sent to the turks and caicos islands when the uk decided to take control of those islands.
i been said this cause bvi people letting the governor pull the wool over their eyes.
Nope Jas.... not everybody in the bvi going to fall for this plot...
We deciding how the bvi will be run... thats why we have election every 4 years.. so our own people could make decisions on our future. Our own people going to make decisions not an outside entity with no skin in the game who is just passng through.
That is a lie.
The Governor of the Turks and Caicos in 2009 when direct rule was imposed was Gordon Wetherell (sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8202339.stm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Wetherell)
The Governor-designate for the BVI is John Rankin (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rankin_(diplomat))
It is 2021. It is the information age. Use the SAME internet you are using to spout lies to do research and try to support your argument with truth and facts next time.
Jespert wants to make the BVI into a South Africa with his rac**t actions
Anyone who takes a drive on the territory’s roads would have to know that corruption is rife here.
We boast some of the most potholed roads in the Caribbean despite being one of the wealthiest islands...
Virgin Islands deserves better than this.
One even made headline news for drunk driving yet NOT fired.
You talking about corruption, investigate there.
We want to know why no belongers get the local jobs there, why only white drunk women.
One even wrote a book on our dime. Obviously no work to do there, just getting paid to write her own book!
You sound like you work there.
You think the VIP motorcade was the largest ever? Let’s see this rac**t man try to? We will be outside his home protesting for months and months like the Black Lives Matter Movement. This will become a Movement of Global proportion!
He loves himself and not the people. He is very vindictive and knows there is no corruption under the VIP
we will not let you take us over.
They have no need to take over something that is already there...
think!