COI recommends full audit of all major gov’t contracts in last 3 years
The Commission of Inquiry (COI) report has recommended that all major contracts exceeding $100,000 that were considered and approved by Cabinet over the last three years should be the subject of a full audit performed by the territory’s Auditor General.
The audit should also look at projects that were considered and approved by ministers of government on their own as well, the report stated.
The COI report said the audit should include major projects that have been the subject of contract splitting or sequential contracts.
During the course of the COI, it was discovered that 60 per cent of all major government contracts were being split into smaller ones by the then Andrew Fahie-led government.
With contract splitting, the tender process is usually waived by Cabinet and multiple contractors are selected to execute a project.
Meanwhile, in the COI report submitted to Governor John Rankin by Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom, it was recommended that the terms of that audit exercise should consider whether there has been any manipulation of a project to avoid open tender requirements.
In further explaining this, the report said the audit should look at whether contract splitting or the use of sequential or otherwise associated contracts for the same substantive project was employed.
The report further noted that the adequacy of any reasons for a waiver of the open tender process in existence should be looked into.
In the report, Sir Gary said how and by whom the contractors were selected — whether the projects were completed; and in cases where they were not –, the estimated cost and likelihood of completion and value for money should also be investigated.
The report further stated that the audit could also be conducted by another independent person or a body instructed by the Auditor General and added that a report on that audit should be presented to the governor afterwards.
The Commissioner added that unless the relevant BVI authorities consider otherwise, further steps including any criminal investigation and steps towards the recovery of public money can await the outcome of that audit.
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I had high hopes for you as a current educator and former colleague. I was expecting more. However, you were a huge letdown. It’s tough for me to say this but you are a shame and disgrace to the VI. You coined yourself the “Watchman” and proclaimed your love for the people of the VI. Yet, you watched as your leader raped our people of their resources, pride, and dignity. You watched in silence as your party raided our treasury and victimized our people. You waited until your puppet master couldn’t get away with his crimes using the diplomatic immunity argument before making a statement. You finally made a statement, and it is filled with euphemisms and equivocal language. You were only confused that he was caught and that you are complicit. You weren’t confused when you joined the bandwagon led by the people who benefited from the years of corruption that stripped these islands and people of their resources. You weren’t confused by focusing only on the POTENTIAL consequences of the COI and not the real issues of rampant corruption that brought the VI to this point. That image of you sitting in the road blocking traffic to protest something YOU have contributed to doesn’t make a hero; you are a COWARD who betrayed the people you were supposed to be the Watchman for. You are the biggest DISAPPOINTMENT of them all. You, too, are complicit!! Resign and plead with the voters who overwhelmingly supported you for forgiveness.
BVI has NO Saints!
We dont need saints! We need people who are at least honest. Keep making excuses for corruption and then cry when the UK threatens to take over. You all are delusional. She is culpable as the poster said! Dont like it, go take a shower!
Is the uk clean?
No. But the difference in the UK is that when politicians are caught they resign or are kicked out. Here they become leader of the opposition.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-10782107/Neil-Parish-formally-resigns-admitting-watching-pornography-Commons.html
Actually hell no – but they are not sending BoJo to clean up the bad men and women here.
No, they are not. But we are in no position to dictate anything to them. Parents do things and then punish their children for committing the same acts. The same can be said for bosses. Simply put, according to your position guard your actions. This “whataboutism” you are promoting will get this place nowhere.
Reparations? We can’t blame the British for our inability to manage ourselves. We need to understand how and why we failed so we can avoid making the same mistakes again. But let’s be clear, our failure was not due to the British, the down islanders, the up islanders, or anyone other than ourselves. We can do better.
Yes, COMPLICIT!!
Everyone in government is guilty as phuc
Not everybody knew how shady Fahie was. If you read the documents of the undercover sting you would see that Fahie made Maynard leave the room so that she don’t know all of his wrong doings. I’m sure Fahie kept his true nature from most members of government. There are those that were close to him that are surprised by his actions. There were always rumors of shadiness but mostly about backstabbing like him and Dancia and stuff like that never did most of them know he was in so deep. You would be a fool if you think Fahie kept someone like Sharie in the loop about criminal behavior.
Read the post again. The author made made mention of the COI report citing rampant corruption. She is complicit because she voted to support the foolishness. Stop cherry picking to support her incompetence.
BS.
I’m not even from Bvi and I knew he was dirty. If you didn’t then you were complicit and paid by him and his cronies or you have your head in the sand. Pull it out and breathe. It’s better for you
If Fahie is released and then returns to the BVI would the courts here extradite him? Why didn’t the courts extradite Hodge? Who is going to conduct all of these audits and review potential criminal issues that were outlined in the COI? We haven’t been able to do a normal audit in the last 10 years. We need a new Judicial System as well.
No
The DEA and US Marshals would come for him. Their reach is international
If that is so, why didn’t they come for Hodge?
Oh wow, i don,t understand how Sherrie is involved here, the head is doing illigal stuff, would he/she be doing it for everyone around them to see? I don’t think so, that discription of Sherrie is not right, a transaction of that magnitude, one would be so careful, come on people, stop blaming inocent people for what someone else did, no one does illigal transactions and do it in such a way that their colleges or their sorbordinates knows, so u all stop blaming the girl for what her boss did, that’s totally uncalled for, think people think, no one do illigal stuff to be caught, so every illigal transaction is done in secret.
I will say it again! Tortolians do not like Tortolians.
Please please please audit customs. My business has suffered major losses because of officers’ bad practices. I know a few Port and customs officers that does paperwork on the side to remove cargo off the docks without detection. I’ve spoken to a few of my colleagues about this practice but some of them stand to gain also and never said a thing. I’ve written to the head of the department along with the complaints commission to date nothing has been done. The place is small and people talk we know who they all are don’t pretend. I’ll leave that there but the CAPS officers along with a few container officers are very corrupt. If we are talking about clean up then let’s start with the head down to the tail. Don’t get me wrong there are a few good officers but the bad eggs make things look bad. I’ll like to see if the new Premier has the testicular fortitude to actually get rid of the big man. His COI presentation on where the money went was very poo, they should have had him on disciplinary action right away. As the public keeps saying we should have drained the entire swamp because they won’t be able to deal with getting rid of their own even when guilty. They’ll quickly throw some junior staff under the bus while the head of the ring stays to play another day.
Yes customs are crooks. They take and make deals. In fact, I had two instances submitted to the COI. Evidence of fact. They’ll be released to public soon
Government Official 1
The credit card machine at Jost Customs & Immigration, is always “broken” so boaters pay the fees in cash. Of course if the credit card machine is deliberately kept unplugged/battery dead then it will be “broken”. Very convenient for pocketing lots of made-up fees.
Good, now let’s start to drink the swamp
Yes. Immediately.
Some personnel at RDA are family member whether girlfriend/wife/daughter to persons who own Companies that are repeatedly awarded contracts and some of these same RDA workers are partners in the companies that are being awarded contracts.
These people positioned themselves to work in the RDA recently.
Investigate in case they try to remove themselves as partner in the Company.
Check the affiliations.
That is the problem having locals minding certain agencies. Community is too small where everybody is related poses a BIG problem. It is why is better to have expats appointed with locals behind for verification.
What is better is proper policies and procedures so that this corruption cannot operate. BVIslanders can police themselves.
“The Commission of Inquiry (COI) report has recommended that all major contracts exceeding $100,000 that were considered and approved by Cabinet over the last three years should be the subject of a full audit performed by the territory’s Auditor General.”
And what would you do with the results?
Does the Auditor General’s office have the resources and knowledge to audit these thousands of contracts and departments? We need Scotland Yard to come down here and clean things up.
The Auditors have their work cut out for the next several years. The extent of the corruption might end right back in a circle…wink wink. I do hope we get justice but that in itself might be a pipe dream. As for the RDA that was put in place,,,smdh. The same crap is happening in the RDA can you believe it. There is no end to the corruption and these people are in the church Saturday and Sunday just like the head coach and robbing the country blind. No shame!! I can assure you people are also to blame always in politicians’ ears, begging to support their nasty habits, Contractors with 5 and 6 women bragging under the tree. Bar hopping cronies milking the public purse. I know sometimes posting this stuff might shed a bad light but where else can you feel at ease. Police corrupt and the complaints commission powerless I won’t say useless. On another note, they won’t investigate another Club member, once they show that hand sign church is out. I’m not a happy camper with this new Government, with no confidence in them making any major change. Until I see the headlines with some serious shake-up then I stand to correct myself and Publicly apologize to now Unity Party.
Hey all
I tried to pull money out and do an external transfer at my bank. They told me I couldn’t as all outgoing transfers are now under COI and international scrutiny.
So I closed my account. My cashier’s check is being sent tomorrow via Cape Air to Puerto Rico to open a new account in a safe bank.
You might want to do the same
which bank is this
The bank of “I made this stupid nonsense up to try and panic people”, the world and these islands are just full of morons!
The COI doesn’t control the banking system, you fool. The recommendations haven’t even been implemented yet.
Belongers received through leg ups from ministers…while many before still wait..need to be revoked.
Thanks BVI News for reporting on 0.1% of the text in this chapter about contracts. Chapter 5 is the longest read(163 pages) in the entire CoI report so perhaps a few more explanative reports are needed soon!
Well, when KPMG audited the Pier Park project a few years back, their findings were that there was insufficient documentation to complete the audit. Should we expect anything different for other project? How many, do you think, have been busy at the paper shredder lately?
Why just the past 3 years during VIP rule. What happen to 8 years of NDP Rule? This is obviously targeted at destroying VIP administration, there will be so much dirt, they will have more than enough reasons to step in..
Ask to see all application files with people here more than 30yrs. Pls. Don’t allow them to trick you by sending what they want, that’s what they been doing to oppressed people. A present immigration officer said they been getting complains from people here over 40 yrs. And Been advising people to write to the Governor, because that Purcell street is bad and dirty street. I’ve taken the advise and going write to the Governor..
Like someone recently posted, Audits were done on a few of the projects and every one of them couldn’t be adequately completed because of incomplete information. Criminal investigations were done by the same police who the Governor failed to give their earned criticism and guess what not a single soul arrested must less jailed. The COI itself used power of the law to request information and documents relating to these projects and couldn’t get most because of various reasons, I highly doubt that CSC and Patsy etc will somehow have a memory boost during a criminal investigation or somehow documents will suddenly be found when the stakes are a lot more higher for them than the COI.
I need help to understand something. How can we, as BVIslanders, endorse a group or ‘leaders,’ most of whom sat and sanctioned all the wrongdoings of our disgraced Premier? How can the UK allow this farce to go on, and for how much longer?
How gullible are our people? Is it about love for country, or love for money to line certain pockets? Like the Pied Piper, our people are dancing to the music, but are they understanding the lyrics? Have they taken the time to properly digest the contents of the COI Report? It sums up abject dishonesty and corruption on the part of those we voted to represent us. And we come up with a rebranded ‘unity government’ consisting of the same people, this time with a different look. Leopards do not and cannot change their spots.
I am disappointed – big time, and I truly hope that our people are seeing what is taking place. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I hope we stop and take stock of what is happening all around us. Stop following the Pied Pipers, people. Think for yourselves. The dishonesty that has allowed the leaders to begin to represent us as humble individuals, and leave drinking big time with their cups overflowing must stop. This must also stop for their cronies who gladly lap up the saucers overflowing with taxpayers’ hard-earned money. And as for the District Representative(s) who abandon their constituents and districts, are glaringly missing from HOA meetings, and jump across party lines like grasshoppers, they make me want to puke. Who the cap(s) fit, so be it.
Sometimes it is painful to swallow a bitter pill. In the end it rids us of all our diseases. We need to get rid of the political garbage that is blocking our Territory’s progress and choking our growth and development. It is not business as usual. Honesty and integrity should be paramount. Even now the political harangue continues, and in the end, those whose main interests are power and authority don’t give a hoot about you and me.
We clearly saw the dishonesty, cronyism, nepotism, and all the other ills from our elected representatives for so many decades and grumbled among ourselves and did nothing. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT WE SPEAK UP, PEOPLE!! STOP DRINKING THE KOOK-ADE AND FALLING IN THE SAME TRAP!!
HYPOCRISY IS THEIR GAME / INTEGRITY IS ABSENT //\_ JAWS AIN’T GOT NOTHING ON THESE SET OF HYPOCRITES ( PERHAPS CSC AND THE BISHOP CAN SAVE THEIR SOULS OR THE SILENT PASTOR FROM CGB CAN BLESS THEM AND TAKE THEM TO HEAVEN ?
The CHURCH who is suppose to call sin by its right name gloss over the issue . Then who in the country do you expect to bring justice and investigate wrong doing ?
The cousins, the grandparents, the nieces, the nephews , the aunts and uncles . Justice would never be done .
No BVI individual would want to see a family head roll.
This call for investigation by neutral members of the UK with no family members to pressure them For too long the mentality of entitlement had blinded eyes to wrong doing .
Bring in the suspension of the HOA
Look at how quick a commitment of the public money was made to defend the leader of a nation who incriminate himself in wrong doing
Look how a letter was send with other the consent of …. A one woman show .
What does this say about the fabric of BVI society .
People do not change overnight . Lessons have to be learnt
Are you kidding. See what happened to the guy from the radio station who speak out. Even Labor Department threw him under the bus. BVI is rotten to the core and as the radio guy said ” hiding behind Jesus.” This is some sick s**t.
Dissolving boards to replace with six of one and half dozen of the next ?
Police force Investigating family members ?
It has never worked it is not going to work at this stage .
See how many of the talk show hosts are saying the Drew is not fit to lead this country because that or those are not the qualities of a leader to lead this territory
Instead they blaming the UK … setting up the Drew .
You cannot get set up if you do not take the bait .
Call out the man and his Cabinet ministers for casting a blind eye .
Silence give convent
They need to send an auditor from Scotland Yard to work along with our local auditors. Don’t you think files and computers are already been missing and tampered with? Local alone cannot fix the BVI. Scotland Yard has to work along .