Call made for ‘hand-over’ policy to facilitate change in govts after an election

Amid occasional claims from the recently-elected VIP government that a number of critical public documents are ‘missing’, former Head of Human Relations at Rosewood Little Dix Bay Resort, Rosalia Gardener is calling for a handing-over period for new and outgoing administrations in the British Virgin Islands.

Speaking at the recent public discussion in Virgin Gorda on the UK’s multimillion-dollar loan guarantee, Gardener said: “I have been hearing ‘this cannot be found’ and ‘this is not supposed to be that way’. Why is it there is not a policy or something in place when there is a change of government that the incoming and the outgoing sit and sort things out?”

“I think we are all behind and we need to get in tune. Our young people are looking on, and things like that need to be in place.”

Resonding to the suggestion, Premier Andrew Fahie said government permanent secretaries are typically responsible for handing over ‘notes’ to a new, incoming minister.

He, however, said “there are many cases where the permanent secretaries might not be in the know so they can only hand over what they know. Is it good? No. Should it happen? No. But that’s the reality.”

Further addressing the for human relations boss, Premier Fahie added: “You are correct, there should be a full handover. Everything is supposed to be there so there is no need to be looking for anything because it’s like a handbook and you get it and start moving with it.”

Since becoming Premier of the Virgin Islands, Fahie has lamented that a number of crucial files such as documents relating to the controversial Tortola Pier Park project and the BVI Airways deal cannot be found.