‘Abusive’ | Premier details former governor’s alleged animus
Premier Andrew Fahie has offered details of what he described as the abusive relationship between himself and former governor, Augustus Jaspert.
According to Premier Fahie, the relationship took a turn from the start after Jaspert chided the Premier on his first day in office for meeting with permanent secretaries without the governor’s permission.
Fahie told the Commission of Inquiry (COI), that he was shouted at and accused of having ‘crossed the line’ by the former governor.
Premier Fahie said he was also accused wrongfully of leaking the names of his ministers to the press before they were revealed to the governor.
The leader of government business said the underlying lack of trust between himself and Jaspert led to a situation where witnesses were at times required to be in the room to assist with having an accurate account of events that may have transpired in any meeting between them.
Abusive
Premier Fahie said he even called for a meeting between the two to address the impasse, extended the proverbial olive branch by offering an apology, and proposed that they seize the opportunity to move forward.
But the Premier said the former governor‘s response was unhelpful.
According to Premier Fahie, the former governor allegedly said, “It’s good to know that you finally understood that you were wrong.”
“His language to us has always been one in which it’s as if we can’t do anything right. It was an abusive relationship if you ask me; as if we couldn’t do anything correct and I wrote all around for help,” Premier Fahie stated.
Clash of personalities
COI attorney, Bilal Rawat described the circumstances as a clash between the personalities of the Premier and the former governor.
He suggested that the fact that there could be such a clash of personality is in itself a fundamental weakness in the constitution.
Premier Fahie told the Commission that whenever he wrote letters of complaint to the UK, they would write back and effectively say, ‘I hear everything that you said but we’re with Gus’.
He said this was more indicative of a problem within the partnership between the UK and the BVI, than it was a constitutional issue.
Public officers have also offered complaints of how they were spoken to by the former governor, Premier Fahie told the COI.
He drew a stark contrast between the behaviour of the previous governor and current governor John Rankin, who he suggested displayed much more maturity in their interactions.
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People were so frustrated by the NDP and their failure to lead effectively after Irma that they worshipped Jaspert as if he was the savior of the BVI when in fact he did the bare minimum. It was only magnified because we could not hear from NDP during the biggest disaster in our lifetime. The praise went to Jaspert’s head and he wanted to be more than a governor and tried to cross the line and step foot in the elected official’s arena. That’s where a more experienced and mature governor would have been needed.
Question, who ran and took information to the then governor
To gain his trust, overthrow the (then leader of the opposition) minister for the 3rd
And then overthrow the NDP?
The relationship was based on you scratch my butt I will scratch yours.
There is always a price to pay when making deals with the ……
You’re a silly one. Was there any query into the plane issue the Pier Park issue and many other matters under the NDP? Was it just Fahie questioning these or the entire territory? As for the gaining of leadership of the party did they not have an internal process? So what is all your railings about? If there’s an issue isn’t it the loyal oppositions duty to ask questions in the house and if not addressed adequately to have the governor look into it? Is it not the same thing Mr. Penn doing presently? So what is your issue? Can any of the ordinary citizen get government to answer any question? Isn’t the job of the opposition’s to get the answer for the citizens. So what is your issue?
Great pic showing contrasts
Behave yourself.
I am. The lighting contrast is quite start. Could have been a better picture.
Take a look at that photo. Now tell me who been in the cookie jar.
Good one!!!!
Both politically and realistically
Seeing that the governor ran the territory after the storms, I believe him more than Fahie. The government was absent after Irma for 10 days and ONLY the governor stepped up and got things done.
Yup. They were scared and shell shocked. They had no idea of what to do. People without leadership are sheep and we saw how they looted and stole.
Governor was the only authority.
Some how i dont believe a word this guy says for he l**s too much
I am in agreement with you 100%. My question is how was Dr. Smith able to maintain a civilized working relationship with the former governor but this one had problems with the governor from day one?
Seems a bit strange to me…. COI, please called Dr. Smith to bring a balance, please.
‘I hear everything that you said but we’re with Gus’ I rather be with Gus than the criminals….but, hey, that’s me.
Playing the victim. This man l**s so much it’s hard to even believe him now. Not saying the ex Gov’s hands are clean, but this man will say anything to save himself. Two weeks ago he brought his family into it. Besides, what goes around comes around. You asked for the COI, now deal with it.
The only person who believes what Andrew Fahie says is Andrew Fahie
The street which is the majority believes Fahie so stop blogging Gussy boy.
5 gun slinging boat man hauling drugs aint the majority
You can see r****t in Gus demeanor.
Gus needed someone to corner him to pull him up by himself. A little chit chat I may say.
I welcome you back to the BVI so we can have an acute discussion Mr. Gus.
I’ll be waiting cause you know who I am.
Making threats like a chile! Take a seat an grow up. Sayin he character racist is just foolishness. You just PROOVED you a racist by your words.
Gus better prove our government is a mafia, & if he can’t you all who support him & his r****t alleged accusations better run go with him
Wi**ed man. We are glad he’s gone.
he looked that way
After listening to Gus testimony at the coi it is clear that you cannot belive anything he was saying.
I always knew that the former Governor was a chip off of the old colinial slave Master block.
I need to hear from an independent witness to this relationship before I draw any conclusions. I hear what the Premier says, but imo, he has a certain way of saying and doing things that can rub some people the wrong way.
While I am not picking sides on this particular issue without independent collaboration, I can only reference the Premier’s past conduct towards the previous government and within his own party when conflicts for leadership arose between the more senior Mr. Frasier and him.
It’s noteworthy to say that I never heard the then governor made negative public statements about the Premier. Contrary, I only read and heard of such negative statements from the Premier’s side and his cohorts including calling the governor racist.
So, while I am taking no side on this without an independent account of this relationship, on it’s surface my gut tells me the Premiers’ way of doing and saying things sat everything in motion when it comes to this “abusive” relationship as per him.
Let’s face it, the Premier and his side kicks mindset was and is to this day that of anti-colonialism, so it would not surprise me if they acted in a way that asserted that independent thinking when they interacted with the governor ignoring constitutional norms.
I’ve said this before. If any leader of this territory wants to advance an independent cause, they have to create the vision, come up with a plan to do so, call a referendum on the question, and then negotiate with the U.K. that independent path.
Picking petty useless fights with the U.K. appointed governors is not the way to go.
We have a constitution which should be followed as an overseas British territory until we have an independent constitution in place outlining otherwise.
Being intransigent or bullying our way forward will not get us to independence. Hard work, a thoughtful process, and the support of the people will.
Look, while I would not wish to see any Premier from this territory being “abused” or disrespected by the governor, my gut tells me the disrespect probably started on the Premier’s side.
He successfully rustled the leadership and party head away from Frasier, won the election, became Premier, and came in with the mindset of “unconventional leadership” upending connotational norms thereby setting up this “abusive” relationship.
For all we know, Governor Jasper might be the one who felt abused and disrespected but we never knew this because he kept his feelings apparently private and has been professional about it.
Anyway, he gifted the Premier his wish, a COI. He asked for it; he needs to deal with it.
His entire tenure as Premier has been abusive to me and many others. My sympathy towards him on this even if he is right unfortunately is not there. I have none.
He has rubbed me the wrong way so many times long before he became Premier. He is too confrontational for me.
It’s difficult for me to be sympatric towards him because of how he conducts himself. He may have just met his match with Jaspert.
The governor’s group is blogging in full force today. Why does the Governor need a PR specialist with spin doctor credentials like the one they brought in a few weeks ago. BVI people is sitting ducks lined up for the British and don’t even know it. Y’all will wake up when they gone with your land.
He has thrown Ralph , Sylv stet under the bus . He would sink anyone to defend himself . He has no one to blame but his naughty self ..,
Can’t believe a word A.F says. Gus is honorable and decent and tried his best to root out the badness and he got shut down with every move.
Well now that the honorable governor has said his part to the Coi let’s see the Criminal aspect and take down the bvi mafia
I will never forget the picture of our Premier, who didn’t have any respect and dressed very inappropriately (IMO) when the Governor left the Island. I believe he was trying to make a statement, that backfired.
And the treasury.
is the name of your game , but he who think he knows all , knows not he knows nothing ? so keep on using different blondie
So the honourable Premier did not expect the COI!!
He indirectly asked for it. No one is saying lie down like a puppy but you disrespected the Gov and the UK.
You made your bed that way now lie in it. Hopefully something good for the BVI will come about after the COI. Let us all pray that fences will be mended and the country may move forward with dignity
WE ALL KNOW WHO THE REAL BULLY IS AND IT’S NOT JASPERT
THE POSTAL WORKERS ALLEGEDLY MADE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT GUN THREATS AT WORK YET NOTHING WAS DONE.
FAHIE DID NOTHING TO ADDRESS IT AS A MATTER OF FACT HE WILL NOT EVEN TAKE A CALL TO RECTIFY THAT UNFORTUNATE SITUATION
It’s so funny when their was a rumor going around stating that the now premier and governor were not see eye to eye /getting along. The now premier said IT’S FAKE NEWS. Now you breaking your Silence, hmmmm what Changed.