BVI not a corrupt place, Premier says
Despite last year’s scathing Commission of Inquiry (COI) report which concluded that good governance and the rule of law have been routinely ignored, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley does not appear to be convinced that the BVI is corrupt.
“I don’t buy into the concept that the BVI is this corrupt place that other persons promote,” Dr Wheatley said at a recent public service forum for leaders of the various political parties contesting the upcoming general elections.
But even as he held that position, Premier Wheatley advocated that the territory should continue to advance several reforms that it has already embarked on — a significant majority of which have emanated from that very COI report — which he said will help to strengthen the territory’s institutions.
During the forum, party leaders were asked, among other things, whether they believe that corruption exists in the public service, and if not, how they would describe what has been taking place within that sector concerning the territory’s finances and what some might deem as wastage of the public’s purse.
Although he acknowledged that there may have been some corrupt practices that have taken place in the past, Premier Wheatley argued that if he or anyone else should become aware of any instance of corruption, then there is a duty to report such practices to the relevant authority.
Dr Wheatley expressed that he was particularly proud of the fact that his Government of National Unity was able to implement some much-needed reforms during his tenure as the territory’s leader.
“Some persons behave as though there were no weak areas in government for us to reform,” the premier said. “But I believe embracing reform in our Virgin Islands and strengthening our institutions — not necessarily a governor to be able to police you, but strengthen the institutions so that we can be able to police ourselves, that’s really where we need to go in the Virgin Islands.”
Corruption from top to bottom
Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley’s opponent in the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), Ronnie Skelton, shared an entirely contrasting view about the BVI’s current state.
“There is no doubt in my mind. We had a COI investigation [which] has reported that there is corruption from the top to the bottom, that includes the public service,” Skelton said.
He argued that the systems that need to be put in place as a result of the corruption that was discovered need to be policed properly and called for transparency and for holding persons accountable to avoid such practices in future.
“All we’re doing with corrupt practices is hurting poor people, we’re not hurting rich people, we’re just destroying the resources that are necessary to get to the poorer population,” he contended.
Beef up accountability agencies
Eighth District candidate and Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Marlon Penn, for his part, said he agreed that leaders need to ensure that the BVI’s institutions, such as the Office of the Auditor General for instance, work as they are intended and said these agencies should be beefed up to accomplish this.
“I won’t be here pronouncing persons corrupt or not corrupt,” Penn said, “but let the systems work.”
Penn pointed to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) — an arm of the legislative body that helps to scrutinise the Auditor General’s reports — and said this should be allowed to help with rooting out the mismanagement of public funds.
“We have to ensure that these institutions get the necessary funding so they could perform their duties and find where there are these weak areas and corrupt practices,” Penn said, “and persons who are found guilty of these corrupt practices should be held accountable and brought to justice for their crimes against the people.”
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Here we go again
If the BVI is not a corrupt place how is it the government has had budgets amounting to billions of dollars since the 1980s and our infrastructure and public schooling is terrible?
We could have been like Singapore by now; instead we’re on the way to being like Haiti. The BVI has been thoroughly let down by its governments.
Is that the zombie in him talking!!
LOL ???????
Respectfully, you are co**upt and a l**r. You have no integrity at all. College students know.
Boy you are so slow, you just found out that the country is not corrupt. I give you a pass mark for that one. It is the politicians that corrupt. It is the leaders that corrupt. Marlon could never be premier, can’t take a stand. He is not saying anyone is corrupt. He staying neutral, hope he knows that neutral goes nowhere fast. Commend Skelton for calling a spade a spade but he really don’t care about poor people so should never be premier. The ndp will more likely be in the majority but the members should elect Picko, lorna or Myron to be their premier. I am really hoping Marlon loose in the 8th but I don’t believe that any Wheatley is deserving of a seat in the hoa. While I am at it no sheeps either.
Clearly this man did not read the COI report if he says the BVI isn’t corrupt.
Now I know you are not an honest man..I am done.You are so in denial to the point of been ignorant..The BVI is very corrupt and you know that Mr. Premier. 1/ The Grant that taken in your ministry name and you had no say in how its been spent..2/ It was abused and misused. Leave that there for now..
Giving the recent findings…..There’s a statement I would have avoided if I was running for re-election! Just because you say so doesn’t mean it’s so! Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt!
He can’t read with his eyes. He can only hear with his ears that apparently are not connected to his brain.
You lost me at Marlon losing in the 8th because Scooby Doo should win in the 8th compared with a person convicted of a crime of dishonesty re the government purse while holding the highest office of direct responsibility for the government purse. Your motive here has nothing to do with what’s best for the country so go find a seat and hush please.
Can someone please pass Showande the indictment on foy, Maynard and son for his reading pleasure. Apparently there are networks set up to show that bvi (or at least the portion of bvi connected to foy) is a corrupt place. Foy said that he was going to bribe government official 1 so that he don’t cause any problems. The fake sinaloa cartel was sent to foy on the recommendation of the Lebanese group hezbollah who seemed to have been well established in the bvi already when they met with the fake sinaloa cartel representative in the very island of tortola. Maynard confessed that foy is crooked. Hezbollah said that they own Maynard. The son said that he has police officers on his payroll. The son gave three coordinates as drop off points for the drugs. Foy said that he knows someone who pushes through the guns and cocaine in the country. Foy said he had people who could set up the shelf companies and get the licenses required to make the operation look legit. Maynard said they would also need to set up the shipping company and get the licenses for it. I can imagine the empty barges would be the assets of the shipping company. I can imagine the political advisor post was a cover up to explain why foy needed to hire someone whose only claim to fame has to do with post office and shipping related matters. It had to look legit. Who is the government official 1 that had many employers. Foy had contracts with someone who could transport money on a private plane direct from Miami to tortola. That someone was looking to set up more contracts directly with the fake sinaloa cartel. Foy said he would set up that meeting. Foy said he believed in witchcraft and had to pay off the Senegal man in st Martin. The son of Maynard said he had people at the ports who would turn a blind eye and allow things into the country. That is how the drugs and the guns getting in. It looks like foy was paying off the people in his district for votes based on the grants scheme report. So corruption gone from the head to the people. It looks like the greedy bill was to pay for the vip government’s silence so corruption gone from the head to the vip government. Showande even said that they hadnt worked in the last four years. They only started working after the acccident with foy so that is why they looking for 4 more. Marlon was one making the most noise on the opposition side. I remember it. I remember people asking if Marlon opposing just for the sake of opposing but no, he was defending the people and speaking for the people because he could see what we the people could not see and he could not be no one’s yes man. The bvi may not be a corrupt place but it is highly likely that anyone who was in business with foy, who formed part of his VIP government administration and who accepted bribe money in his district is corrupt. Showande is one of the last persons who should be saying that the bvi is not a corrupt place. We still do not know who the successor is. Is it the political advisor? Would showande eventually have been voted out as Chairman once foy say so. May we never find out because all of them need to be voted out on election day to get rid of the root of the corruption in the bvi.
Around here the Razorblades are invisible.
By continuing denying corruptions existence in the BVI in the face of all the evidence as Premier you yourself are promoting the continuance of it.
This dude is living la la land
Natali Wheatley the BVI is not corrupt but the government is.
The place ain’t corrupt. Its a beautiful place filled with good honest hardworking people.
Its the politicians that are corrupt. Hell yes. And if they are not corrupt they are incompetent beyond words.
Press like if you agree.
I agree with most of your script. Thank God we were able to get a COI in the Virgin Islands which should have happened decades ago. Of course the people who are a part of the corruption would never admit to it. That is why NO Members of the VIP Government should be Elected or Re-Elected. They cannot admit to the corruption. Marlon is just trying to be modest. Can’t blame him for that BUT people of the Virgin Islands need to have the Gonads like Ronnie to call out Wrong when its Wrong or we will never be able to move forward. A large percentage of VI people are a part of the corruption and they will NEVER see any wrong in it or will they admit to it. The BVI is in a sad state of affairs and they cannot Police themselves.
Let’s hurry up Vote Sowande Out! He’s a big dissapointment to his forefathers.
Premier you must be joking.
“The BVI is not a corrupt place…” Can and should that statement be taken seriously? Is the current government corrupt should be the question followed with truthful answers.
When an individual, during last election cycle, in a social media/convo./debate about corruption and appropriation of government funds was told to, “shut up, them before did it so i going in to do the same” and those same folk became elected officials, how does that affect the thinking of those individuals aware of that statement? How would it have affected their thinking?
How then can any voter beleive anything relative to that topic of corruption from elected officials here and now?
How can they garner any confidence. That that conversation was between two people on SM, but today, people have become even more skeptical given the kinds of legislation that have been enacted and the subjects who have benefitted therefrom?
More questions than answers. The public will vote. Let us how that the people, the civil servants active and retired, their lack of increments, the lack any care for the average folk who suffers under the burden of minimum wage, exorbitant medical fees, food, electric and transportation with no relief in site, while administrarors, in their last days have given themselves an excessive and unreasonable pay raise and retirement package will with hose issues firmly within their X. The people, and especially the civil servants active and other have been taken to pasture to eat dried dirt.
The country and it’s people are inherently corrupt. Gov’t officials and civil servants often “on the take”. Bribes are a norm. within the community. The problem stems from the larger majority where a systematic widespread belief that indiviuals need to supplement their income. Stemming from the days of piracy, the Virgin Islands was, and remains a pirates lair, where pirated goods were sold for profit without regulation or enforcement. Fast forward to the 21st century, secrecy remains a steadfast manner of doing business eg. Trust companies. This secrecy promotes corruption and rewards it at the very least. After 35 years in business doing business in the BVI, I can name a host of individuals past and present that “are on the take”. Until a new generation replaces the old, there needs to be a long period of time where enforcement is used to uphold law and order, then and only then will corruption be uprooted. The youth need to be held accountable. The prevailing thought is that lieing and cheating will reward. When honesty rewards, the BVI will win.
I agree with most of your post, but remember Hon. Skelton is the one who orchestrated the first $10,000 on payroll tax free, the free tuition at HLSCC for locals and belongers, NHI, which helps especially school-aged children and seniors and indigents, raised the Scholarship funding yearly payout amount, first built houses for those who had land but could not afford, etc.
Ronnie for Premier
@ Hmmmm
So Picko, Lorna and Myron care about poor people?
They don’t care about poor people anymore than Ronnie. If you said Myron cared about the students and education I would believe that.
The BVI has corruption but so does the UK. Time of reparations btw
… never mind. It’s not worth it .
Ronnie for Premier.
Of course BVI is not a corrupt place. It is you f**ing politicians who are Corrupt.
Every application I have made to government has gone unprocessed, presumably because the PS or the minister were waiting to be bribed. This place is inherently corrupt from the bottom to the top. Virgin Islanders should hang there collective heads in shame.
He is!….
I am patiently waiting for Head Coach’s july trial so I can find out who “government official 1” is.
Even though the whole of Tortola already has an idea…we need to know officially …tehehe
Remind me which country or territory is without corruption?
He’s correct. The BVI is not corrupt. It’s the BVI PEOPLE that are corrupt.
But those other countries have checks and balances to expose corruption in government. The BVI seems to delight in the practice of corruption.
I think he has to consult the dictionary again to find the meaning of corruption and then find the examples
What a man !!!!!
This man was alive when Andrew and the ports boss get hold for conspiracy to import illegal narcotics?
So says the corrupter in chief
NDP is a worry for the UK and Governor because after the COI their 6th District candidate was arrested and charged with corruption for the high school wall. What happens if Myron is elected and Marlon wants him to be a Minister? The UK will not tolerate a corrupt politician sitting in Cabinet. What instructions will the UK give the Governor to do about it? Why is the NDP not talking about this. By conveniently omitting Myron’s situation Marlon and the NDP seem dishonest when they talk about integrity. The NDP has stained itself with corruption because Myron is on their ticket. Too bad.
You are so right about the Horrible Premier. He is a good talker but lacks integrity. Talking shop close on April 24. Enjoy your last days . You are gone Mister.
Is America corrupt? Is English corrupt? Is Europe Corrupt? Is Russia corrupt? Point to a place on earth that corruption doesn’t take place? In the very homes of some who quick to talk there is corruption taking place. Quick to jump on the premier for points like he should have said to the world that the bvi is a corrupt place ? no government says that about it’s own County,even the most toxic ones,ask England and America.
@ Ananymous. Ronnie for what the ar$$e premier? He was the chairman for the RDA who was in charge of building the new ESHS senior school, who they say can crunch figures. He said the cost so far is 14.2 million dollars. There’s no cisterns whatsoever in that school and the grounds are a disaster waiting to happen.
I wonder what the UK government, who is concerned about the slow pace of reform in relation to the COI report, will make of our current Premier insisting that despite all of the carefully documented evidence, the country under his party’s leadership was “not really corrupt”.
Says the man who just lost himself the election
Not a corrupt place? Have you met Marlon Penn?
Though NHI had or perhaps has the potential to be a good thing, it’s Costing Tax-payers an average of 80 plus millions a year, making some providers, allegedly the health care provider on the hill on the middle of town very wealthy. The Dr D Olando hospital alkedly construction cost Over-run by 50 plus million. The one I like best was when Ronnie went on TV to announce he had Increased then head of Social Security salary to $150,Thosands annually and was Retriactive for the previous 6 months.
So says the Fox who is currently living in the hen house
So Why as the Minister of Finance he did not call Dr. Smith and the rest of the NDP party out on the wrong; let’s not forget the COI investigations were mainly about the NDP spending which Ronnie was a part of. Let’s be honest none of the politicians are fit to run the country.
And bears do not sh1t in the woods.
Old line! It doesn’t work. Try something different please!
Enjoy the pension!