Bureaucrats will run circles around National Unity Gov’t
Opposition Leader Julian Fraser, who has been a legislator for the last 20 years, has highlighted the inexperience of members of the National Unity Government who he suggested are ill-equipped to govern or handle public service ‘bureaucrats’.
And as the territory continues to bemoan the state of public infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity facilities, Fraser indicated that the current government is not in a position to ensure these vital projects are delivered faster than previous governments.
Speaking on Da Morning Braff programme on Tola Radio this week, Fraser said successive BVI governments have had a problem with unspent money that was budgeted for vital capital projects. He said bureaucrats in government are often responsible but the situation isn’t likely to get better under the Government of National Unity which has inexperienced and unprepared leaders.
“What we have now for a government is because of an experiment that failed and it comprises people who were never prepared to be where they are and they’re all inexperienced. So the bureaucrats are going to run rings around them. They (bureaucrats) tried to do it to experienced people so they try to do it even more so to the inexperienced,” Fraser said.
The Third District Representative said that after the national budget is approved each year, unspent money can always be identified months later because it hasn’t been spent on the project it was meant for. Fraser said “this happens year after year.”
“You imagine, four months ago we were able to go into the 2022 budget and find $10 million to give to NHI? How did we appropriate this money in January for various government departments but yet you could go in there and find money for NHI? Somebody needs to answer why this money wasn’t spent. Why was this money just sitting there? Why wasn’t it spent in the first place?
Fraser said persons are never held accountable because the BVI has no Public Accounting and Appropriations Committee to hold bureaucrats and leaders accountable for government spending.
For a long time now, Fraser has been calling for a Public Accounting and Appropriations Committee in the BVI. This committee is a powerful body used in other jurisdictions to hold leaders and public servants accountable for government funds. The committee demands answers and also suggests ways to use public funds more efficiently.
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Well acknowledging the fact that our elected officials are senseless, it is time that we make plans to join the USVI, so that we can be rid of the nincompoops.
Fraser knows what he is saying
Bemoan? Such a cold, accusing term for the distressing situation the territory is in. Folks are grieving as their home takes a deep down turn. A simple computer and some accounting software could eliminate the stress, as you state in the bottom half of this article. Just get it done in any office, in this day and age. Get it done remotely.
Let’s not divert to some agency that doesn’t exist. And for what reason was it not necessary in the past? You know well, for what reason. This is so seemingly deceptive, immature, and slick (until trapped), yet you still point a finger at the territory (you mean the people), BEMOANING in public for the world to see? Is that embarrassment for you? Perhaps that’s exactly what’s necessary to uncover any truth.
Is this why you come out now, instead of 20 years ago like most governments in the world did, in order to account for the people’s money and run a Country properly? And the only blame is the people and the COI? Wow. The world must know that this travesty is about nothing but self interest. Who is pulling the wool over the eyes? Who saw great gain, for the self, to take advantage of a tiny island, far from the
Mother Country? The world is changing and nothing can stop what is coming. The political parties have, ALL, had their last deep sleep.