Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) says that under his leadership, all elected district representatives in the Virgin Islands (VI) will have full access to financing and will be respected unlike how it was under the Dr D. Orlando Smith led National Democratic Party (NDP). Photo: Facebook

According to Hon Fahie, one issue under the Smith led NDP government that prohibited district representatives from carrying out their mandate, was the fact that access to funds was often limited. Photo: VINO/File

Hon Fahie made the revelations on April 2, 2019, during an interview with the Government Information Service (GIS) in the compound of the VI House of Assembly (HoA) where he also noted that each district representative will get equal access to money as well as equal amounts of money to carry out their mandate.

Access to Financing

“Each district representative gets the same amount of money. I must highlight that this isn’t the first that it has been done,  but not only will we make sure that each district gets the same amount of money, we going to also make sure that each district representative gets the same level of respect and access to the money,” he told GIS.

According to Hon Fahie, one issue under the Dr. Smith led NDP government that prohibited district representatives from carrying out their mandate, was the fact that access to funds was often limited.

“The problem was, when I was in the opposition, we would get the same amount of money but you didn’t have access to it, and even when you went to it and you got good words you could use it, it would be finished and you wouldn’t know it was finished,” he said in pointing out some possible corruption with regards to the earmarked district funds.

Resentment

“I resented that, because when you are elected to represent people, and they come to you and you cannot perform for them… because someone is in your way, it is a very helpless and hopeless feeling,” Premier Fahie said.

He said under the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government, respect will be given to all district representatives and this commitment has been communicated to all Ministers under his watch, to make sure it comes to fruition.

“I said hey, make sure that money is spent in collaboration with the district representative… along the lines with programmes that the government is doing, but they would have full access to it, and be able to have a say in it,” Hon Fahie implored.