Auditor General had questionable conclusions — Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has suggested that Auditor General (AG) Sonia Webster has arrived at questionable conclusions in some of her audits.
The Premier gave that indication during a debate in the House of Assembly (HOA) yesterday on an audit report issued by Auditor General Sonia Webster concerning three public contracts issued to controversial consultant Claude Skelton Cline between 2019 and 2021.
Dr Wheatley argued that while an audit regarding the government’s engagement on those three contracts was ‘pretty straightforward’, the Auditor General’s conclusions are not without fault.
“I’ll have to say we have some other audits coming where the Auditor General comes to some conclusions that I disagree with, and that’s okay. Because the Auditor General herself is a human being, and you know, her, as a human being, her conclusions are not infallible,” Premier Wheatley said.
He continued: “She is capable of human error and her conclusions can be questioned. Her report is her report, but her conclusions can be questioned and in some other audits, she has some questionable conclusions in my view.”
Criticism of audit on EZ Shipping
Premier Wheatley subsequently criticised the Auditor General’s report on contracts for static marine platforms between the government and EZ Shipping.
According to the Premier, the AG relied on security experts — namely the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force — to arrive at some of her conclusions but appeared to have discounted the advice of officers in the territory’s Customs and Immigration Department which forms part of the Joint Task Force (JTF).
“She doesn’t reference what the other members of the Joint Task Force thought,” Premier Wheatley said.
He further argued that there were very strong presentations made as to the effectiveness of the barges. “So who is right and who is wrong? Are the police right? Are Customs and Immigration wrong?” Dr Wheatley asked.
The Premier told the HOA that he had the benefit of having an objective perspective from law enforcement agencies outside the BVI on the effectiveness of the barges used as radar platforms by EZ Shipping.
“These law enforcement agencies from this other country told me without hesitation that the barges were very effective,” the Premier said.
Dr Wheatley said the agencies were not prompted or prepared for the questions but they answered.
What the audit said
But the AG’s report on the marine platforms concluded that no evidence had been presented to support statements regarding the effectiveness of the barges used as radar platforms.
In fact, the audit noted that the continuance of illicit activities was evident in drug busts that occurred during the period the barges were in use. Webster related in her report that Customs staff reported a change in modus as persons engaged in avoidance tactics to circumvent the sphere of the platforms.
The audit concluded that statistics provided show that the greatest reduction of activity occurred during the period that the UK military ship Medway was patrolling territorial waters.
Webster said the JTF was compelled to adopt the floating platforms after receiving a directive from Cabinet to reconsider the barges that had previously been declined by the Police Commissioner.
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It is easy to come up with an object answer as to value. Call for quotations and include the DR, Trinidad and Panama.
This cl**n is now defending the indefensible.
Why? you might ask yourself.
He is clearly unfit to lead this country.
Is the auditor general only job is to find fault?
Is she madam perfectionist?
Does she find areas that were executed and benefits the territory also?
Surely he can’t be serious? He is listening to all the wrong people.
All of these issues underscore the need for the CoI and I hope to see some criminal charges follow.
How can these people involved in this stand for election again?
Given the fact that members of Customs and the veracity of their statements with questionable behaviour indicating the real possibility of fraud in the execution of their duties, Mr Wheatley how n’ why would you be quoting and relying on their claims?
The head of Customs is allegedly currently under arrest and detained in the US charged for fraud snd keeping watch on barges to safeguard the illegal import…Did you not get that memo or read/ heard the NEWS on the International Waves?
How and ehh voila you ber defending Customs again the Auditor’s findings…So far she has been above and beyond in her auditing and confirmed results.
Are you listening and mouthing from your consultant CSC. ??? Really, you can’t be that daft
Make this company pay back the taxpayers money!
So the Premier got the opinion of unnamed law enforcement agencies outside of the territory and attempts to peddle this opinion as an objective perspective. Mark you he said that they were not prepared for the question so how did they arrive at their answers.
This is a dissapointing response from our Premier, who has ‘irons in the fire’ while Ms Webster’s only apparent goal is integrity for the Territory.
To paraphrase Michael Corleone, every time I think our Premier may becomming a great leader, he bows to political gamesmanship.
And law enforcement from which other country? Venezuela?
Has the premier not heard the advice that if you’re in a hole it’s better to stop digging.
How more do the Brits have to hear to do something effective.
To the UK you have a boy as the premier of the BVI what are you doing with us, we have 2 government ministers condoning corruption that they themselves passed in the HOA. What is it going to take for you to say enough is enough and shut them down. To the governor you live in the BVI you see and hear for yourself what’s going you have the power to stop it put the ship on standby and take over we can’t be any worse than what we are going through now, you can save the BVI please do it.
You Sir are the one with the questionable conclusions. We with the Auditor on this one.
OMG he needs to GO. If he can’t tell the difference between right and wrong he should not be leading this country.
Making them pay back the money is not enough.
You do not catch bank robbers and then say, give us the money back and we will let you off.
These criminals need to be in jail.
@ my question.
er, yes, the function of an auditor is to check on financial transactions that have been carried out to ensure that that they were handled correctly and honestly.
He was always Fahies poodle.
Still is.
Truth comes out. So because she’s a women, she is wrong. He has no respect for women. Why didnt he challenge the commissioner on the findings of the COI. He just became the yes man. Steupes…
No is the answer.
The water problems are incompetence.
The contracts are theft.
This story aside, it’s a great question to ask, as it seems like only the bad gets highlighted. This gives the appearance that everyone in finance in government is incompetent. It certainly doesn’t benefit employee morale.
It would be good to hear stories about areas in accounting, policy, etc. that have done great jobs!
@Mrs Tubman be careful cause I am sure I just saw the head of Customs walking along the streets in Tortola. So definitely not arrested in US as of like 20 mins ago!!
It is a great thing that this lady was a local or you would not have heard the ends of it
People come into the county and want to discredit our own
Poor the island man or woman who would have had the integrity to stand up to these crooked bullies
Premier has his di**y little fingers in quite a few pies. Unity government formed to try to keep business as usual. Was playing suck up for a while and is now calling the Governor a lier, the Auditor General incompetent. What’s next? House of cards is crumbling.
Contracts for aiding drug trafficking. Use to be easy money which has made them all stupid with greed. Many people here benefit from the trade. Many more suffer.
These comments from the Premier demonstrate VERY poor judgment and raises serious questions as to his competence as well as commitment to accountability & good governance. The Premier’s criticism of the Auditor General of the country IN THIS WAY and at this time is UNACCEPTABLE & DISINGENUOUS since he has not taken the time to explain to the people through his comments in the HOA (deliberate? due to incompetence???) what the role of the Auditor General is and the fact that her role is a focused one and limited.
The Auditor General’s report is based on public accounting standards and best practice, as well as her duties under the Constitution. Her report is ONE PART of a continued process and must be viewed in the context of her role. It would now be necessary to determine the next steps including full investigations and asking the questions referred to by the Premier. Unless he can point to a specific issue with her methods and process given the confines and context of her role as Auditor General, the Premier has NO BASIS TO QUESTION HER CONCLUSIONS and should not be making these comments – VERY IRRESPONSIBLE and NOT HELPFUL AT ALL….Lack of Leadership and discretion which is needed now more than ever to repair and rebuild these Virgin Islands!