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Walwyn lashes out at AG yet again; disputes latest Fact Check
Yesterday, December 17, 2018—in a bombshell statement—the AG, Ms Webster, in defending her office and integrity, said she was standing 100% behind the findings of the report, even as Mr Walwyn had publicly lambasted her and Governor of the Virgin Islands (VI), Augustus J. U. Jaspert on Friday, December 14, 2018.
Today, December 18, 2018, Mr Walwyn in firing back, released a five-page document entitled, ”The Real Fact Check,” to dispute several of Ms Webster’s own fact checks, in relation to statements he Walwyn made on the Wall Report in some sections of the media.
In her original statement, the AG further revealed that the wall—costing taxpayers some $1.6M—was managed with little regard for public resources and she called the actions of Hon Walwyn—in attacking her agency—a danger not only to democracy, but to the very foundation of good governance, accountability and public transparency.
Round Two
Today, Mr Walwyn in the five-page document, left no stone unturned in hitting back at the AG for her criticisms of his media statements and the project in general.
In the statement yesterday, the AG revealed that Hon Walwyn had said that the Public Works Department (PWD) was not consulted during the audit process, however, Ms Webster revealed that those statements were false since the Auditor had visited the PWD and conferred with both the current and former Directors.
“PWD was asked to provide a costing for the wall but the then director declined, indicating that they were not involved in the planning and execution of the Elmore Stoutt Perimeter Wall,” the AG notes in a fact check.
However, the alternative document is saying, “We understand that PWD was asked for copies of the drawings and they directed the Audit Office to the Building Authority. That’s all they were asked for.”
It goes on to say, “It is also our understanding that PWD was never asked to do a valuation of the wall. How was it that the Ministry of Education was able to get a valuation of the cost of the wall then and you the big Auditor General couldn’t get one? Something doesn’t sound right here,” the document notes.
On Friday, December 14, 2018, Governor Jaspert—in breaking his silence on the issue—has since indicated that the ESHC Wall Report is now with the Police for further action.
More Disputes
In another one of the disputes, Mr Walwyn had made statements that the Audit Report valued the wall at $372,000. The AG again indicated that the statement was false, saying, “The Audit Report does not provide any valuation of the wall. It benchmarks the quantity surveying rates used by SA Architect for this project against PWD rates used on similar projects in 2015.”
To which the document responds, “Well, tell us what is your valuation of the wall? I’m just asking for a friend. Why are you avoiding this question?”
Further, the document comments on several of the confirmed “True” facts uttered by Mr Walwyn such as, “The Auditor General has requested more resources for staff and training.”
The AG had said that “More resources would allow the office to perform a greater number of Value For Money Audits and Special Audits on Government Projects and provide greater transparency on government’s operations.”
The document responded, “Well, if you need human resources hire them so that you can stop writing half-baked reports or use PWD like you are asking every other Department to use.”
See “The Real Fact Check” report embeded below:
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Minister’s Assertions (As presented in his Statement and as Reported in 284-News Interview)
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̶F̶i̶n̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶
Alternative Finding |
Auditor General’s Response |
Real Findings |
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1. PWD was not consulted during the audit process. |
FALSE |
PWD was contacted for this audit. The auditor visited the PWD and conferred with both the current and former Directors (together in person). PWD was asked to provide a costing for the wall but the then director declined indicating that they were not involved in the planning and execution of the Elmore Stoutt Perimeter Wall. |
We understand that PWD was asked for copies of the drawings and they directed the audit office to the building authority. That’s all they were asked for. It is also our understanding that PWD was never asked to do a valuation of the wall. How was it that the Ministry of Education was able to get a valuation of the cost of the wall then and you the big Auditor General couldn’t get one? Something doesn’t sound right here.
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2. Audit Report valued the wall at $372,000. |
FALSE |
The Audit Report does not provide any valuation of the wall. It benchmarks the quantity surveying rates used by SA Architect for this project against PWD rates used on similar projects in 2015. Nowhere in the Audit Report is there a valuation of $372,000 (or $371,007.72). The amount appears to be an incomplete computation which is being presented by the Minister that is based on the PWD benchmark used in the Audit report. This apparent incomplete computation includes only the works for “Block Wall Construction” (discussed on page 10 of the Report) but does not include the amount for “Rail installation and Painting” and for “Other Works”( such as Demolition works and the addition of a Bus Drop-off area). The benchmark is not intended to be used to cost the project but to provide a comparison with other public projects. No benchmarking was done for rail works as there was insufficient information in the PWD 2015 petty contracts to reasonably drawn on. However based on the Ministry’s data the omitted costs would increase the estimate by an additional $412,256.51* for Rail Installation/Painting and $124,413 for Other Works. The amount of $372,000 (or $371,007.72) presented by the Minister is therefore both incorrect and misleading. (*actual payments plus amount requested for completion of rail works) |
Well, tell us what is your valuation of the wall? I’m just asking for a friend. Why are you avoiding this question? PWD Figure - $554.67 per square yard which brings wall to a value of$871,942.34 to date. BQCS Figure - $545.39 per square yard which brings wall to a value of$857,353.08 to date. James Todman Figure - $555.39 per square yard which brings wall to a value of $873,085.48 to date. The Auditor General Report had a figure of $236.01 per square yard. Again. Based on your findings what is the real. |
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3. Ministry’s procedures satisfied Government requirements for payment. |
FALSE |
The Ministry circumvented the public service payment procedures by sending documents which falsely certified that the work was done and payments were due. Payments were made based on these false certifications which the Ministry accompanied with purchase orders and vouchers. The payment process relies on senior government officers to do their part to ensure that government’s resources are protected. The officers of the Treasury cannot be expected to examine the wall to determine which contractors completed the works. They must rely on the integrity of the persons submitting the completion certificates. Accounting Officers who submit false payment requests may be subject to surcharge by the Financial Secretary. |
Point out in the audit report where this was said. When you are doing an audit you have to put everything in so that the other party can get a chance to respond. Where is this in the report? Our findings indicate that it does not exist in the report. This is the problem with your report, it is unprofessional. An allegation like this should have been in the draft report so the Ministry of Education could have responded to it. Again, Please provide proof of this. |
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4. There are no quantity surveyors in the Auditor General office. |
TRUE |
The Audit office does not provide quantity serving services Nor does it claim to. |
Why didn’t the audit office use PWD since they have quantity surveyors and engineers? Again, tell us where did you get the figure of $236.01 per square yard from? |
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5. The Auditor General has requested more resources for staff and training |
TRUE |
More resources would allow the office to perform a greater number of Value For Money Audits and Special Audits on Government Projects and provide greater transparency on government’s operations. Additional training is required for Auditors as the Treasury prepares to move from GAAP accounting standards to IPSAS accounting standards for the preparation of financial statements. This transition should be fully on stream by 2020. The Office’s resources were more than adequate to perform an examination of a wall. |
Well, if you need human resources hire them so that you can stop writing half-baked reports or use PWD like you are asking every other Department to use. |
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6. Attached to the Audit Report should have been a PWD valuation. |
FALSE |
The Minister does not determine what goes into, or is attached to, an Audit Report. |
For the sake of transparency and accountability, don’t you think that it will be good to have attachments added to validate your report? Again, since your figures did not come from PWD where didyou get them? |
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55 Responses to “Walwyn lashes out at AG yet again; disputes latest Fact Check”
Oh dear, the heat is surely hot as the responses from the Minister is personal and unethical!!
A Guilty conscience makes the most noise!! A pure heart is humbled and let it’s light shine!!
What an example for the future generations!!! My My! Shame on you Minister!
Have we seen or is seeing this movie? Why is the MEC imitating the Trumpster and behaving in an unhinged manner? As an attorney and a prospective Premier, the unhinged behaviour is unbecoming. If as the MEC is claiming that nothing was done wrong, why not relax and let the RVIPF do its investigation? Findings either by the AG or RVIPF must be based on facts. Facts are not facts only if one went to Rudolf Guilllani School where the nonsensical idea is peddled that facts are not facts. Where is the Premier? The Premier is still the Premier and must belk these cats. Oh snap! There is no one else on the bench; the bench is depleted. Enough already. Just give residents a Christmas present by calling an election by January 31. BVI residents have suffered enough thru the historic flood, and catastrophic hurricanes and don’t need the political tsunami. Gives us some relief. When you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, life becomes unhinged.
You all keep playing around with the devil and reap the aches in the near future!!!
To date there is no evidence indicating that the Auditor has respond to the Ministry of Education questions. As far as I see the Auditor General is acting on a political basis and not as an independent person.
Myron has to play tit for tit in this matter. The Auditor General is not being fair you cannot publish half of a report to the public.
The most important question The Auditor General has not answered is where did she get the total of three hundred and something dollars a square foot when she has not evidence to confirm such whereas the Ministry of Education has provided PWD, James Todman Construction and BCQS with figures per square foot.
In addition if The Auditor General confirmed that PWD was not involve where did she got the evaluation cost from.
Dude read and understand. If you want to see bias you will see bias. Nobody can help you but yourself.
The "three hundred and something thousand" that you are referring to is not from the auditor report it is something that the minister made up. Ask him how he got the figure.
Fair is fair if you going to expose a report be factual about it. Plus it is so strange that when vino publish the report yesterday it left out the section of the ministry response. This is all politics to the best.