Cabinet’s tender waivers depart from Finance Management Act — Governor
The Cabinet has been accused of waiving the tender process for multiple government contracts when the circumstances were not justifiable to do so.
This accusation came from Governor John Rankin who was invited last month to write to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) stating his position on what is ‘good governance’.
Among other things, the COI also asked that he list the strengths and weaknesses of the system; and that is when the governor made some damning revelations.
“There have been a number of occasions on which Cabinet has agreed to waive tenders in awarding contracts which, in my view, have not involved “exceptional circumstances” justifying departure from the general procedures under the Public Finance Management Act,” said Governor Rankin who chairs Cabinet meetings but does not have a vote.
He said that on other occasions, it was not clear that contracts had been awarded under “any proper procedure or with any cost-benefit analysis being done”.
As an example, he pointed to the EZ shipping radar contract which he said was, to the best of his knowledge, was not agreed to by either the Joint Task Force or by the National Security Council before the deal was signed.
The COI released these — the governor’s position statements about the inner workings of governance — on its official website on Monday, June 21. In his position statement, the governor prefaced his observations by stating that he is keenly aware that he took up his position as governor only four months ago.
Some Cabinet mechanisms not working well
One of the most critical areas of focus in the governor’s position statement was the issue of Cabinet and its mechanisms.
According to Governor Rankin, his experience of Cabinet in terms of proper decision-making is mixed.
The governor explained that in almost all Cabinet meetings he has chaired to date, a number of papers including on important issues such as the COVID-19 response, have been submitted late. This is, he said, is contrary to the Cabinet Handbook, papers should be presented at least two days in advance to give members of Cabinet adequate time to consider proposals on which they are asked to make decisions.
“It is clear that some ministers have not been able to fully read them in advance of Cabinet, meaning that decisions are taken other than on a fully informed basis,” the Governor stated.
Cabinet appointees unqualified for postings
Turning his attention to the issue of appointments made by Cabinet, Governor Rankin said he felt there were a number of occasions when, in his view, it was “doubtful whether the selected candidate has the requisite qualifications for the job and/or where the political connections of the individual lead to a concern that the individual may have been selected for inappropriate reasons”.
The governor also shared his insight into several other areas he felt needed to be addressed and be strengthened. In so doing, he said there are also a number of individuals who sit on several different public boards, with a risk of potential conflict.
He said all candidates for selection to boards and statutory bodies should be required to declare any potential conflict of interest as should those responsible for appointing them, including in instances where candidates are family members or business associates.
In stating his position surrounding standards of governance, law enforcement and justice, The governor had drawn on his experiences not only in the BVI but also in other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, the United States and his service as governor of Bermuda, a fellow British Overseas Territory.
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So now the BVI is the worst? well sah, what is next from these people?
These people will fix the mess created over the last 30 years in the interest of US, the BVIslanders..
Thank you. Let’s get this on.
We want to see a list of the contracts awarded without tenders.
You are upset because it’s a UK white man telling us what is wrong but instead we should be ASHAMED! We never held them accountable and here we are. Are you proud that each party spends over US$1Billion each term they’re in power but yet we have bad roads, rundown schools, 4th world internet, water issues, sewage issues, waste management issues and the list goes on. This is far beyond UK vs BVI, it’s more us vs ourselves and it’s not going to get better unless someone reigns us in. It’s not whether UK are morally or otherwise superior, it’s calling a spade a spade. You cannot as a local sit back and say you are pleased with the state of play. We can and should do better.
You sound like another entitled —— However this is where entitlement has led us. I hope some of these people are locked up. The UK is laughing at our own stupidity. They gave us a super long rope and hook: now that rope is being pulled in.
The BVI is not the worse but the direction it is heading it is not far from.
Yes you are the worst. You are descendants of the slaves that nobody wanted. Down islanders slaves were picked. BVI decedents we’re left overs. We can still see this today. The white man has to care for you daily. The financial sector created by whites to serve whites but the black man sucks off it. The tourism sector is nearly 100% white but the black man sucks off it. The black man is the same as a Remora fish. Look it up!! Perfectly describes the Belonger.
You really got something against the Belonger, man. I bet you want to be one. That’s what’s eating at you. Listen to the descriptive language used against us. Suppose some start to say some were birthed out of experiments that forgot to give them a colour. Suppose some start to say that man, fowl and beast were dwelling together in caves and everything was infected. God bless the Moores came and showed some how to separate themselves, bathe their skins daily, cook food from eating raw meats and how to sanitize their surroundings to survive the deadly disease that was plaguing them?
Suppose we say the slave from down island to date does not know him history and is still hating against his brother, other Caribbean slaves, the BVI slave your worst enemy?
Get wisdom,buddy. It is flying all in the streets. Happy is the man who can find it. Yoh ole picky-head self. Anybody see your face any place? Go hide it.
Finally, keep off the educated BVI people, please.
Some ah you need cow-eech between your legs.
“the financial sector created by entrepreneurs to serve the rich but the population of the BVI benefits from it.”
There you go, fixed your abhorrent, ignorant racism for you. I dont know who you racists are who like blog on here but I wish you would f*** off and go back to Trump-country or wherever you are from. I am ashamed to be white when people say this sh1t. I didnt move to these blessed Virgin Islands because I hate black people and I dont think I know anyone who did. There seems to be a lot of trolls on here.
Perhaps a good business to start is a shoe shine business. These lazy arses can’t even clean and shine their own shoes. These people reflect the people of the Territory. They are a disgrace. Maybe they can hire a down islander to shine for them. These r—– bastards would love that.
Too much BS has been going on and many closed their eyes because they were getting their payoff from their friends and family who are in office. Crooked politicians have been robbing us blind for YEARS. But, because the spotlight has finally been put on them, they are kicking up about England….LOL
They need to removed the 7% tax from the poor people them pocket Toooooooo
MR GOVERNOR
I see this as constructive criticism and we should use the opportunity now to fix some of these issues that have been passed on from Govt. to Govt. for many years.
These men are imposters. No real intelligence. Total pretenders. Just go around bad mouthing people who they see as a threat. The country has the worse leadership it has ever had. I recall them at the top of their voices calling down the last government and they are worse than 10 NDP’s put together. They have no regard for the truth and their incompetence was on show at the COI hearings. Can’t wait for to see them go. All of them!
And it have one who is very full of h¡mself..eating popcorn and posting BS on his page, but yet, when he appeared for the inquiry, we all saw how du_b he really is
For who to take their place?
Have you been paying attention? Everybody getting this cut tail.
The corruption around here stinks and harboring flies
TIME FOR CHANGE
Most of the comments written in responce to the article, cant be described as written from a position of being happy and proud of the condition we find ourselves. After all the talk about the white man coming to take over our country, after comparing the orruption in other countries, including the mother country herself, as if to justify Corruption in our “Beloved Christian nation” we are finally beginning to see as the scales begin falling from our eyes (in broad day-ight) seeing the junk hidden under the rug all these pile of years; (VIP in power 40 plus years of which they used to proudly brag about, but dont anymore, Ndp another 20). Finally after Hickenbotom been perfotming major eye surgery, gradually and methodically removing the Catheracts, asstigmitism eyes are beginning to during these short couple weeks are finally seeing and are finally seeing the COI as necessary, Imperative even imperative. Meanwhile prior to the COI, the call from the “Men of the Cloth”, some at the reins of power and perhaps some benefactors of the spoils of the table of Corruption, Nepotism and Cronyism had been calling for Independence and Self Determination, (Not that these forms of government are’not workable and can be good); but as if All will be well and dandy when we take the plunge. Perhaps when all is said and done, after all the Essays written about good governance, our beloved Bvi (all cleaned up, scrubbed-down and washed will rise to the level and model of “Government in the Sunshine”; coined by the NdP. Please dont tell me Im Dreaming!. #BviStrong #BviLove #GovernmentWorking4U
Most of the comments written in responce to the article, cant be described as written from a position of being happy and proud of the condition we find ourselves. After all the talk about the white man coming to take over our country, after comparing the orruption in other countries, including the mother country herself, as if to justify Corruption in our “Beloved Christian nation” we are finally beginning to see as the scales begin falling from our eyes (in broad day-ight) seeing the junk hidden under the rug all these pile of years; (VIP in power 40 plus years of which they used to proudly brag about, but dont anymore, Ndp another 20). Finally after Hickenbotom has been perfotming major eye surgery, gradually and methodically removing the Catheracts, astigmatism and Myopia, eyes are beginning to finally see the COI as necessary, even imperative. Meanwhile prior to the COI, the call from the “Men of the Cloth”, some at the reins of power and perhaps some benefactors of the spoils from the table of Corruption, Nepotism and Cronyism had been calling for Independence and Self Determination, (Not that these forms of government are’nt potential good); but as if All will be well and dandy when we take the Huge plunge into the Unknown. Perhaps when all is said and done, after the many seemingly PhD level good governance essays, (our beloved Bvi all cleaned-up, scrubbed down, and washed-will rise to the level and model of “Government in the Sunshine”, cooned by Ndp in their glory days. Please dont tell me Im Dreaming!. #BviStrong #BviLove #GovernmentWorking4U
Take the government nipples out your mouth Carvin.
No, I will *pause* do no such thing! *pause* I will suckle *pause* and eat pop corn
Well what a surprise, who would have thought? Contracts handed out to family and cronies and no other bidders allowed.
The Leader of the Pack and his Poodle in a wig will tell you this is all a plot for whitey to take over. This is to turn your your eyes away from what is really going on.
Don’t get fooled again.
Isn’t there a guy in long look who was up and down handing out government contracts too? The one working at the bank? The lil boy who trying to unseat the rep for the 7th. Corrupt trying to unseat Dolittle2.
This is a beautiful picture of the BVI Black Bad Boys.
To me the Governor is not be truthful.
I would like to know what the discussion is like in cabinet on granting status…Ive heard, it get nasty, with who like who and who dont like who. That is what I would have like to hear the governor expond on…
, it was “doubtful whether the selected candidate has the requisite qualifications for the job and/or where the political connections of the individual lead to a concern that the individual may have been selected for inappropriate reasons”.
The governor also shared his insight into several other areas he felt needed to be addressed and be strengthened. In so doing, he said there are also a number of individuals who sit on several different public boards, with a risk of potential conflict.