$1.2M COI legal defence top-up for future gov’ts as well — Premier
Premier Andrew Fahie has expressed that the Cabinet’s decision to agree to an extension in retaining Withers LLP law firm will not just benefit the present government, but future governments as well.
The government recently disclosed through a post-cabinet meeting release that it decided to pump an additional $1.2 million into Withers LLP, the legal firm which represented the government for the Commission of Inquiry (COI).
Furthermore, that disclosure comes as Governor John Rankin announced that he had received the highly anticipated report of the outcome of the COI.
When asked whether that recent deposit was adding to the financial burden on the territory’s coffers, the Premier suggested that this was not the real issue at heart.
“That’s not a question with the COI, that’s a matter of defending your name. The Commission of Inquiry was extended and the lawyers’ tenure has to be extended,” the Premier argued.
“In this day and age everyone has rights, even a country,” Premier Fahie said. “I answer that question every time I come here.”
Meanwhile, the Premier explained that once it is discovered through the report that there are areas that need to be improved, the BVI is willing to improve them, as well as its systems.
“And yes we agree and I will agree there are systems to be improved, but at the same time too, a man’s name is all he has. A country’s name is all they have. Your country’s name is worth more than silver and gold. So, we have to make sure that we do whatever we need to do to be respectful, to be accommodating but yet to be forthright in saying that we must protect our name,” he added.
“You cannot tell us the whole house is bad because there might be one section that might need some work, the Premier argued. “The extension of the lawyer is not a matter of something for this government. We are trying to make sure we protect the name of the country.”
And according to Premier Fahie, no one knows and no one may ever know how much is spent on the other team’s side for the COI.
The governor advised that next steps about the COI’s report will be announced after the Easter holiday.
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This man singlehandedly blew over a billion dollars in 3 short years
And we haven’t even got a High School yet…What hope is there for “mine angry and defrauded young…”?
So the vision Andrew Fahie has for the Virgin Islands is continued corrupt criminals in our future governments? Well the people says NO. We will vigorously flush out you undesirables until we get it right. Your government has not been able to get government buildings including schools repaired almost 5 years following hurricanes Irma and Maria. Your most urgent interest is to provide funding for a law firm to defend your criminal enterprise now and in the future. You are so unforgivably pathetic. Anyway, you and the VIP government will soon be in the wind.
Basically, lol. Can’t make this sh!t up!
More taxpayers money wasted on indefensible corruption
This money was wasted defending the name of a man who has shown himself to be inept and corrupt. Unfortunately, it has not helped the reputation of the BVI, in fact it has had the opposite effect of tarring us all with the same brush. Total waste of money!!!!!!!!!
From what we heard in the COI, there are policies and procedures in place that were broken. Sounds like you don’t need to protect no one but yourselves. Leave our $1.2M alone we beg. We need it to add to what little funds that is available to fix the schools sewage and that incinerator down in Pockwood pond that is killing off people for starters.
Our premier hired bodyguards and spending more taxpayers money {millions} to defend himself============SOMETHING WRONG SOMEWHERE
… to the bone.
A senseless man! Where is the list of projects and associated costs that are of current priority to the country BEFORE we get to your so-called funds for corruption?
Please stop wasted our monies. No amount of money cannot save your administration..Ur just making lawyers richer ..
The real fund the MoF should be addressing is the missing/stolen US$63M dollars of the entire emergency fund. Reason why Gov. Gus lost it and was so angry was because when he went looking for that money after Hurricanes Irma and Maria it was nowhere to be found!
Why not spend $1.2M on education? Or on one of the many infrastructural projects you’ve started but not financed?
HE DID TO THE 3rd DISTRICT REP , YOU ALL ACTING LIKE YOU ALL SURPRISED ? LOOK AT THE KIND OF PEOPLE HE GOT AROUND HIM CSC , THE ESTEEMED WANNA B , TWO PROPAGANDA EXPERTS WHO IS SINGING LIKE CANARIES ?
When you are EVIL, you do and say $h!t.
I bet that $1.2M is for services already incurred. Wait for it……they/we will be pumping a lot more than the $1.2M into that law firm. That law firm is not going to write-off any hours.
This is so wrong! Withers stop defending known criminals, how can you walk amongst us. We haven’t heard what the bill is for Silk Legal as yet either. Our hard earned dollars slips easy into others pockets. Blood, sweat, tears and for far too many years!
I wish Andie would S T F U . He sounds so stupid every time he tries to defend what was done Re the COI. So what he saying is that future governments should do what they want and provision tax dollars for COIs. We in trouble buddy!