Premier, Ministers should have right to refuse AG report lacking integrity- Hon Fraser
He was at the time addressing the House of Assembly (HoA) on March 2, 2023, on the Report on COVID-19 Border Security for Static Marine Platforms, which has come under serious disrepute as lacking balance.
In his contribution, Hon Fraser said there has to be more to the story as he questioned when the accused will have the opportunity to tell their side of the story.
“I think that the Premier or any other Minister who’s bringing a report here from the Auditor General should have the right to say, ‘I’m not bringing it’. Because something isn’t right. I need more information,’” Hon Fraser said.
PAC should have public hearings- Hon Fraser
He added that in such a case, the Public Accounts Committee could be useful, but pointed out that in this case, it may be a conflict of interest.
“But then how the Public Accounts Committee could be useful in an instance like this when that same Public Accounts Committee has in it, through the Standing Orders that the Auditor General’s the Advisor to the Public Accounts Committee. How do you advise a Committee who’s investigating a report that you wrote…?” Hon Fraser questioned.
The Opposition Leader also stressed that the Public Accounts Committee should have public hearings.
“I think, Madam Speaker, that we should make laws that determine what is fair…
“I’m not here to defend anyone. I’m not here to criticise anyone. I’m just here to talk about what is right”, he said.
The AG Report said that EZ Shipping was paid $738,000 by Government, between November 26, 2020, to January 21, 2021, when the barges were not in use.
Both the Premier and Leader of the Opposition have slammed Mrs Sonia M. Webster’s Reports on EZ Shipping as being biased and unbalanced.
Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) noted that neither he nor anyone from the National Security Council (NSC) was interviewed in this regard.
In addition, he stressed that no one from EZ Shipping was interviewed, as he labeled the report biased.
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31 Responses to “Premier, Ministers should have right to refuse AG report lacking integrity- Hon Fraser ”
The end of the day though, the EZ shipping money was a waste when the UK was willing to provide the services free of charge. No fancy rhetoric from Fraser or any member of government will change that fact.
If it finds something that shows a person did something wrong, that person can not just 'reject' the audit!
Your entire governing strategy is "sweep it under the carpet".
How about fixing the problem! How about holding people to account!
OWN PEOPLE FOR THE LOVE OF POWER AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR / JUST CONTINUE TO BRING THE FACTS TO THE PEOPLE SO WE CAN SEE WHO THOSE CROOKS ARE , AND HOW BOLDFACE THEY ARE
the united kingdom have not given her bvi overseas territory any money support since 1976…
Uk just wants to get them fingers on the BVI check book: don’t forget these are the very same humans beings, who make your fore parents toil in hot sun every given day(just make money for them from the cotton & sugar cane)
Very clearly , crooks within governments would very much like to get rid of that function.
Every one else believes that audits of government expenditure is a very good thing.
The auditor has done an excellent job and I commend her for it.