Leader of the Opposition Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) has accused the United Kingdom of trying to destroy the British Virgin Islands with the Integrity in Public Life (Amendment) Bill 2024. Photo: YouTube

The Acting Premier explained the resolution is part of the Commissioner of Inquiry (CoI) recommendations aimed at greater transparency as well as good practice in government. Photo: YouTube

Speaker of the HoA, Corine N. George-Massicote voted in favour of the Bill breaking a 5-5 tie following a division of votes. The Speaker said she would have liked to hear more debate from Members. Photo: Youtube

Hon Skelton was speaking during the debate of a resolution presented by Acting Premier Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL) during the continuation of the Sixteenth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

The Resolution was for the HoA to accept the amendment made by the Cabinet to the Public Finance Management Regulations, S.I. No. 87 of 2005, which now states that "Cabinet may for specific and fully justified reasons made available to the successful tender, reject the recommendation of the Central Tenders Board under subregulation (2) where (a) exceptional circumstances or force majeure events which would make it impossible for the recommendation of the Central Tenders Board to be fully executed or performed; or (b) there is a cut or shortfall in the national budget, making the implementation of the recommendation unlikely.”

Part of CoI Recommendations

The Acting Premier explained the resolution is part of the Commissioner of Inquiry (CoI) recommendations aimed at greater transparency as well as good practice in government.

Currently, recommendations brought forth by the Central Tenders Board do not have to be accepted by the Cabinet. 

“In fact, we all know that as it goes the Cabinet does not have to accept the recommendations of the highest or any tender. This level of flexibility could lead to inadequate safeguards, according to the reviewer. Therefore, with this resolution, which seeks to tighten and provide the requisite safeguards, with this resolution, the Central Tenders Board recommendation can be rejected only in exceptional circumstances,” Acting Premier Smith said. 

The circumstances under which a recommendation would not be accepted must be conveyed to the Central Tenders Board. 

Among these exceptional circumstances would be “where there is force measure or where there is just not enough financing in the budget for the project to be implemented”.

The government & people are being destroyed- Hon Skelton

Hon Skelton questioned the real motive behind the resolution saying, “These things sound simple, they sound logical but they are destroying us a government and a people and nobody seems to be able to stand up and say enough is enough”.

He claimed the “highest decision-making body”, the Cabinet, is unable to “question anything” unless in exceptional circumstances saying, “I don’t know [what] exceptional means”. 

“They know they’re hurting us, they know they are doing the wrong thing, the country, the economy of the country is in chaos…and here we are this morning telling us the Cabinet cannot make any decision unless it’s exceptional. The people need to understand that if these things are happening then you need to send people to the Cabinet that can fight and stop some of these stuff from happening,” Hon Skelton continued.

The Opposition Leader said the tying of Cabinet's hands, according to the Resolution presented, is only just one of the actions "that we have done before and coming up to the 31st [of August] that's going to really going to destroy our country and our people, and they know it.

He said when the last Overseas Territories Minister, David H. Rutley, visited the VI he [Rutley] "asked what are some of these things doing to the economy, because they recognise it is hurting the economy...I don't know what to say anymore. This is dangerous,” Hon Skelton warned.

Cannot support resolution without serious amendments- Hon Skelton 

Hon Skelton said what Acting Premier Smith read in the resolution is about the Central Tenders Board and Cabinet accepting or rejecting its decision and nothing else. 

“Cabinet could only say things in exceptional circumstances or the Minister of Finance will have to go into the budget and move the monies and say we don’t have the monies for that project anymore. This is wrong, and they know it’s wrong. They have never run a candy shop in their lives and they here telling us to do all this foolishness in our country, just because some things happened in the past."

Hon Skelton added that wherever you place "bad people" they will do bad things but that is no reason for the 90 to 95 percent of good people to be subjected to such foolishness.

"I know the members on the other side don’t agree with it but seems like they have no strength or will to do anything about it,” Hon Skelton added. 

He said if “serious” amendments were not made he could not support the resolution, calling it “stupidness”. 

Speaker breaks 5-5 tie following division of votes

Upon the request of Hon Skelton, the resolution went down to a division of votes resulting in a 5-5 tie. Speaker of the HoA, Corine N. George-Massicote voted in favour of the Bill. 

Hon Skelton was the only member of the HoA who debated on the Bill and Speaker George-Masicotte said, “In relation to this, I was hoping to hear a bit more in terms of the debate from members on their views as to whether or not me now being in this position to have a casting vote should be, in fact, vote in favour but given the situation and where we are I would give my casting vote and say aye so, therefore, the motion is passed.”

Only Hon Skelton had contributed to the debate.