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Premier slams ICIJ’s ‘unlawful’ publication of financial data
In his first of three statements issued today, April 25, 2013 during the eighth sitting of the second session of the second House of Assembly, the Premier indicated that the publication had set out to create maximum mayhem regardless of who is affected as a result.
In his first of three statements issued today, April 25, 2013 during the eighth sitting of the second session of the second House of Assembly, the Premier indicated that the publication had set out to create maximum mayhem regardless of who is affected as a result.
The Premier was at the time addressing the publication of reports in the international media which was first made public by the UK Guardian through a group referred to as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
Premier Smith further stated, the publications create the impression that the Virgin Islands has been engaged in unlawful conduct or has been facilitating the activity of money laundering or other illegal activities. “This”, he said, “has thus created in the minds of some readers of these publications that the Virgin Islands and persons who use Virgin Islands business structures were or are up to no good.”
According to the Premier, “By unlawfully publishing business companies’ client data with absolutely no regard for the persons concerned, the team of journalists and their associates have succeeded in making many innocent people the subjects of untoward negative scrutiny and potential physical and other danger.”
Premier Smith felt the consequences of these actions would extend to the business owners’ families as well, including children that are beneficiaries of the trusts.
The Premier further indicated that persons involved were in full knowledge of laws that govern the sector. “Those who utilise the business structures of the Virgin Islands are in no doubt that they are obligated to comply not only with our laws, but also with the laws of other jurisdictions in which they conduct business,” Premier Smith stated.
Commenting on the effect of the publication on the public, Premier Smith said, “We fail to see how the public interest is served by dumping private and confidential information of persons in the public domain, especially in circumstances where the perpetrators of these distasteful and unlawful acts admit that the majority of what they have publicly dumped is legal.”
“Why would they compromise private and confidential information that they admit is perfectly legal?” he asked.
Click link below for full text of Premier Smith’s statement:
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22 Responses to “Premier slams ICIJ’s ‘unlawful’ publication of financial data”
The same could be said of the Premier of things he's done since coming to power.
US is who bread? you better wake up and smell the johnny bread boss man. US is a has been. Asia and Latin America are where it's at $h1t, even the rich US people are investing in these places. WAKE UP! lol
This Government is a complete failure and we still don't have a clinic in VG to save lives but we find money to put in certain people pocket!