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Members of ousted NDP regime to face CoI next week

- past gov’t had been accused of mismanagement of public finances on various projects including BVI Airways & Pier park
From left: Former Premier Dr D. Orlando Smith, Former Deputy Premier Dr Kedrick D. Pickering and former Education Minister under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) Government, Myron V. Walwyn will appear before the Commission of Inquiry next week. Photo: VINO/GIS/File
Former NDP Ministers, from left: Archibald C. Christian, Ronnie W. Skelton and Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) will appear before the Commission of Inquiry next week. Photo: VINO/File
Former NDP Ministers, from left: Archibald C. Christian, Ronnie W. Skelton and Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) will appear before the Commission of Inquiry next week. Photo: VINO/File
Former Speaker of the House of Assembly (HoA) under the NDP, Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe and Current Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) will also appear before the CoI. Photo: VINO/File
Former Speaker of the House of Assembly (HoA) under the NDP, Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe and Current Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) will also appear before the CoI. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- A number of members of the former National Democratic Party (NDP) administration, including former premier Dr the Hon D. Orlando Smith, are scheduled to appear before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) from Monday, June 14, 2021.

It is unclear what questions the members will asked; however, there were a number of projects under the NDP administration that had come under serious scrutiny and criticism, including the infamous BVI Airways Project that cost the Virgin Islands (VI) some $7.2M without anything to show for it.

The NDP was last in power from 2011 to 2019.

Public concerns under NDP regime

Other projects and actions that became questionable in the public sphere were the Tortola Pier Park Project that had some $40M in overruns, the 'illegal' transfer of $8M from the East End Sewerage Project to the TPP Project, distributing of crown lands among themselves, and a wall around the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) that had a price tag of some $1.6M.

The ESHS wall project commissioned by former controversial Minister for Education Myron V. Walwyn was also a subject of an investigation by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

The persons that made up the past NDP regime and have now been summoned by the CoI are Dr D. Orlando Smith; now Opposition Leader Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8); Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), who has now switched to the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), Dr Hubert R. O’Neal; Myron V. Walwyn; Dr Kedrick D. Pickering, who has since left the NDP; Ronnie W. Skelton, who is now with the PVIM; Archibald C. Christian and Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4).

Former Speaker of the House of Assembly (HoA) under the NDP, Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe is to also appear before the CoI.

Members of the ruling VIP government will also be part of the CoI next week.

CoI wants to know about held & declared interests

The Commission has said it is particularly interested in knowing about serving and former HoA members’ held and declared interests.

It is expected that witness evidence will commence at 10:00 am on Monday.

“The Commissioner intends that all the matters canvassed at the hearing will be livestreamed on the CoI’s YouTube channel so that the BVI public can continue to follow the work of the CoI,” the Commission stated in a press notice on June 10, 2021.

29 Responses to “Members of ousted NDP regime to face CoI next week”

  • Holly wood Tola! (11/06/2021, 18:26) Like (44) Dislike (8) Reply
    Look pon thing. The Great Wall! Plane ✈️ still never return, when I see those pics I get night mares ndp was smooth con artist.
    • hold (12/06/2021, 06:24) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      Don't forget NHI scheme, it killing we!!!
    • the rock (13/06/2021, 07:20) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      I hope the last governor and the police chief would answer questions to state of the bvi after Irma!
  • Quality (11/06/2021, 19:05) Like (13) Dislike (22) Reply
    You can count on them to have their ducks in a row.
    Professionalism at its best.
  • asking for a friend (11/06/2021, 19:11) Like (11) Dislike (8) Reply
    But I thought it was only fir vip?
    • eye (12/06/2021, 12:51) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      the popo and prison should be qizzed as well. How can you change the mess without a full investigation. At this rate it seem like these two agencies been perfect.
  • Hmmmm (11/06/2021, 19:12) Like (14) Dislike (9) Reply
    Let us see what this staged COi will ask them.
  • Hammer time (11/06/2021, 19:41) Like (17) Dislike (2) Reply
    government in the sunshine was the statement used during NDP's 2011 campaign so many of we fell for those beautiful words

  • Han (11/06/2021, 19:49) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    Where is mark
  • Purge (11/06/2021, 19:56) Like (23) Dislike (3) Reply
    Victimization was their dam game. Ask the Hill man who used to be in immigration
    • East man son of the soil (12/06/2021, 10:48) Like (6) Dislike (8) Reply
      This look so stupid to see how some people think of eachother. The words of Dr. King. We as a people need to stand together as one or perish together as fools. When you look at all those cements that people put in the papers about each other it makes me wonder is it really BV Islanders doing this or we have outsiders in this country creating problem for our people. Wake up people time to stop this going after each other and find love and respect for each other. Stop been a part of bringing your brothers down. Stop it. Let us all stand together as one or we will go down together as fools.
  • ndp (11/06/2021, 19:59) Like (18) Dislike (2) Reply
    but the present gov will be questioned too
  • Greedy (11/06/2021, 20:19) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    klien killed both parties
  • cm (11/06/2021, 21:32) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    These are the wise man we looking for..Opps
  • Leave my Ppl. (11/06/2021, 21:39) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    So what’s the point of this? Jail or a picnic
  • wondering (12/06/2021, 06:30) Like (0) Dislike (5) Reply
    Wondering what crazy personal bat C***y have to say now!!! I’m happy a lot of people are seeing her personal agenda while using actual eternal affairs to gain minions.
  • @CANARIES (12/06/2021, 07:43) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    EVERYTHING TAKES TIME /THE COI HAS TO RUN ITS COURSE IN THE WAY IT IS NOMMALY WAY AND THOSE WHO HOLLERING / ITS FAIR / ITS AGAINST VIP / ITS AGAINST THE BVI / ITS THIS AND THAT WELL MAKE SOME MORE NOISE NOW WITH SOME HONEST FOR ONCE / HYPOCRITES
  • pat (12/06/2021, 08:24) Like (4) Dislike (14) Reply
    I sticking with vip all the way
  • A Dem COI really after (12/06/2021, 12:33) Like (9) Dislike (10) Reply
    NDP government is really who the COI after, they are using VIP as Bridge to get there....Thats what smart prosecutors and detectives do....They never go straight to their target, they work themselves there....We will see. I think both of them in a lot of Shixxttt
  • stop (12/06/2021, 13:28) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    @East man son of the soil, Road Town Man of thed Soil. These people were elected to represent us but what they have done is misrepresent us Take the taxpayer's money and spent it as it belonged to them, Yes we are happy to see something been done about it no mercy
  • oh (12/06/2021, 14:01) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Was wondering how unfair for VIP that NDP dont have to answer too...
  • musa (12/06/2021, 17:17) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    We cover that what the pastor said.
  • Realistic (12/06/2021, 20:16) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Can’t help but agree with East man son of the soil. United we stand but divided we fall. Some of us are ourselves worst enemy and are always eager to tear down and bring condemnation on the people we don’t like. As far as I recall when the CoI was launched, the Commissioner never said who the targeted audience was going to be. So how could so many jump to the conclusion that only the VIP administration was going to be questioned? If transparency is going to be realized then it means that ALL the PPP’s (whether VIP or NDP)as long as they were sworn into office, MUST be held accountable. Let’s hope for the best!
  • Thewatchman (13/06/2021, 19:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    OK THEN. LET'S SEE IF OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN
  • concerned citizen (14/06/2021, 10:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Vino you missing a member. not because she jump ship. She was part of the party.
  • looknthing (14/06/2021, 20:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The walkways going to nowhere ..them buckle up paving stones...everyone on the block in town turned contractor overnite..extortion. mark what u saying boss.


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