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VI taxpayers to foot Governor's $44K CoI legal bill
This is according to Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) in questions answered during the May 26, 2022, 3rd Sitting of the 4th Session of the 4th House of Assembly at the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola.
Senior legislator and Opposition leader, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) in questions to the House said he noticed that the Governor, both past and present, were called as witnesses.
The legislator said he remains struck by the logic of the appearance and needs answers to a few questions.
Senior Legislator Hon Fraiser raised question
“Madam Speaker, could the Premier and Minister of Finance please tell this Honourable House how was he able to discern: a) Whose interest was the Governor serving, given that he represents the UK while in the Territory?, b) Who paid for his legal fees? And c) How were they paid?”
While the Premier, Dr Wheatley said he does not perceive it to be his role to discern whose interest the Governor was serving, he said the conclusion will be drawn by the other legislators.
“I will leave the Member and others to come to their own conclusions about that. I believe that the Governor would have provided answers to the question raised based on his knowledge and experience. In the respective matters raised,” he added.
The Premier revealed; however, that when the Governor appeared before the CoI and faced questions posed by Sir C. Geoffrey Cox on behalf of the Attorney General, in those circumstances, the Attorney General did not legally represent him.
“Instead, private legal representation was provided in consultation with the Attorney General, with the cost to be met by the Government of the Virgin Islands.”
VI to pay up for UK Governor
As such, according to the Premier, the cost incurred was $44,220 for taxpayers to foot after the contract is vetted ahead of payments being processed.
Meanwhile, a Special Select Committee appointed by the House of Assembly (HoA) to examine whether former Speaker Julian Willock should be indemnified of court costs has concluded that the HoA should not be held responsible for the fees incurred when the then Speaker and his Deputy filed an injunction against three Commission of Inquiry (CoI) lawyers who were deemed to be working illegally in the Virgin Islands.
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47 Responses to “VI taxpayers to foot Governor's $44K CoI legal bill”
Y'all keep lying in bed with these wicked w**** people and expecting the best. They can't change its their DNA
The uk only want to come back because of the money globally speaking London is one of the corrupt places under the sun and in 2022 some of we still fanning the flames of this racist country were the color of your skin determines how you are treated and where you should stand in line
Can you just imagine the white cops running around road town a predominantly black community
When it comes to other class of our society every man mouth shut
Cindy and those on that same train will not go on that FM station and chat about why our tax pays for the governor from the UK expenses but the little black boy from Hog City can not have such a privilege
hear this or go back and play the time because it was never discussed on that FM station back then
during the covid 19 pandemic and the lockdown of our economy the governor from the United Kingdom went shopping for a new Range Rover but some of our own people got money look big talk shows
As around and find out the cost spent on that vehicle for the governor well over fifty thousand dollars at a time when our country was in lockdown
WTF! This is nuts! This is crusading! The UK needs to be shame of itself; it is a brazen in your face exercise of unilateral action and you can’t do a thing about. It is a Might is Right colonialism philosophy. Let’s look at the logic. Controversial and r...t UK-appointed Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert going out the door after a shorten tour handpicked Sir Gary Hickinbottom to conduct a commission of inquiry on BVI governing practices. The current UK-appointed Governor who was in only in the territory for a microsecond was called to testify, representing the UK and an integral part of the commission of inquiry. Here is a news flash. The UK-appointed is not on site to represent the BVI people. He is on site to represent the UK interest. I dare someone to provide the facts to counter my assertion. So the UK-appointed Governor commissioned a commission of inquiry and now the BVI people are being forced to pay a $44K for Governor John Rankin’s appearance before the commission of inquiry. Is the reverse true here or it is a one way street. For example, if the BVI government were to file issues with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to redress some issues of concern to it, will the UK government foot the bill? By the way, there is no daylight between UK-appointed- Governors and the Foreign and Commonwealth. It is a clear that the decision/ outcome, ie, suspend the constitution, of the commission of inquiry was determine before hand. An objective perusal of the commission of inquiry would conclude that the drastic recommendation to suspend the constitution among other recommendations was made on subjective opinions and vague non-concrete phrases, not objective facts. The commission of inquiry was a Kangroo Court and a cabal. I will get many dislikes by Sambos and others for my brash, truthful and candid comments but I don’t give a rat’s @#$ or a flying %^.... Who bex, bex.
TAXPAYERS MONEY UNTIL HE OUT PLAYED HIMSELF / HEY BRO , ???? HOW ABOUT YOUR SEA COWS BAY PROJECT ❓ ????
Who, when the tables were then pointing to investigate himself, tried to block things? FAHIE
All his mess is now revealed and having to pay one million to be let out of jail, who to blame? FAHIE
NOT THE HARD-WORKING GOOD PEOPLE OF THE BVI, Just.................................................. FAHIE
You people can read and think out the rest
The UK Parliament is holding the UK-appointed governor and other staff harmless for any financial liabilities resulting from the conduct of the CoI. On the other hand, the BVI HOA is so afraid of its shadow and wants to be in good graces of the UK that it is forcing Julian Willock. The HOA needs to grow a pair of stones. Let’s assume that the former didn’t dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s, the HOA can ratify the inadvertent actions and pay his legal bills.