Commission of Inquiry should investigate the NDP’s ‘Big 3’
With a Commission of Inquiry set to conduct investigations into his administration, Premier Andrew Fahie has hinted that the Commission should focus its investigations on three of the territory’s leading scandals that have already generated legitimate reports.
The Commission seeks to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power within the public service. But Fahie has suggested that the Commission’s focus needs to be shifted to scandals coming out of the previously governing National Democratic Party (NDP).
Following the governor’s bombshell announcement of the inquiry, Fahie said: “Starting in March 2019, weeks after taking office, this government administration under the leadership of Premier Andrew A. Fahie made and continues to make inquiries of Governor Augustus Jaspert concerning the steps to be taken in an effort to clear the names of accused persons in relation to any of the three major investigations that were conducted by the Public Accounts Committee, the Auditor General, and/or the Police, namely: the Pier Park Project, BVI Airways [and] the Elmore Stoutt High School Wall.”
Three project meets criteria
Premier Fahie said he believes the three aforementioned scandals — all of which have, or are being investigated by at least one of the territory’s institutions of accountability — all qualify, according to the Act that governs the Commission, to be escalated to a Commission of Inquiry.
He argued that a Commission ought not to be ordered until any government body being accused of wrongdoing was first probed by any of the territory’s institutions of accountability such as the Auditor General’s Office.
“It is only after these stages of the process are completed and investigations deemed inconclusive would the way be paved for a Commission of Inquiry. This has always been the process followed because it is the only process that allows for good governance to function in a manner that keeps the tenets of democracy sacred,” Fahie explained.
Scandals outlined
All three of the scandals which cost taxpayers millions of dollars all occurred under the former National Democratic Party (NDP) government.
The Pier Park Project caused the NDP government to be under heavy scrutiny after the then Works Minister Mark Vanterpool said the completed project cost $82.9 million — exceeding the estimated budget by $30 million.
And, in what can be described as improper conduct, the said government responded by appointing its own auditor to probe their conduct in relation to the project, therefore raising legitimacy concerns of the audit.
7.2 million BVI Airway
The BVI Airways project is another major scandal to rock the former NDP government. The NDP handed the airline 7.2 million of taxpayer dollars to commence direct flights between the BVI and Miami in the USA. However, the airline later laid off its staff; claiming that it needed more money to fly. To date, the funds have not been recouped.
Since taking office in 2019, Fahie’s VIP government took the attorney responsible for the deal Lester Hyman before the courts and won. Since then, details from the Auditor General’s report on the case found a number of discrepancies and malpractices by high level officials in public office.
A criminal investigation has since been launched into the matter.
ESHS Wall
Meanwhile, the investigations into the Elmore Stoutt High School wall, which is estimated to have cost taxpayers nearly $1 million, was completed by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force in June 2020 and handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further proceedings.
Investigations into the wall project were launched after the release of a special report from the Office of the Auditor General. The report concluded that the former Myron Walwyn-led Education Ministry did not comply with the government’s Public Finance Regulations — the laws that govern such projects.
Auditor General Sonia Webster also accused the said ministry of producing ‘false’ information to the government’s treasury department in relation to the project.
Walwyn refuted such claims and instead accused Webster of producing an unbalanced and lacking report.
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Vip ain’t the corruption is the last party in the NDP catch that
So the first thing that a guilty party does is deflect attention from himself to others. Dear Mr. Foy, you are looking more guilty each and everyday. Perhaps you should give your big mouth a rest. In other words, engage your brain before engaging your mouth. Second, you don’t have to worry. The very corrupt previous government will be investigated thoroughly. However they were clearly smarter than you Mr Foy. They kept their mouths shut, shared the spoils of their looting of the government coffers and rallied behind each other. You wanted everything for your self. Remember the saying, “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered”.
The governor already hinted that the COI will also investigate NDP (“in recent years). It’s an opportunity for us to see what’s going on in our territory. Stop letting politicians influence you so easily. If our people will wise up they will see that this is a chance to bring change through transparency. Do you really want to go independent under these conditions? Where our leader will be truly free to do what they want without anyone to monitor them? Decide.
The NDP issues raised by Fahie were already dealt with. The Governor at the time said Pier Park didn’t warrant a COI, bvi airways is currently in court and the wall is with the Police or DPP. What else are they going to do with those projects? The premier is grasping at straws here.
Gus is grasping at straws, he needs to go pick some UK straws back home. Good bye Gus!
The premier was born for a time like this…pick up your rock King David, and watch Goliath fall! They say our nation is corrupt, yet their nation invented the word! American fight them for their independence, but we will pray them away!
Hopefully they go back to 2007. He hoping and praying that they stop the Coi at 2011 but no sir! You going down too Af.
True Words of a GUILTY PERSON…done start to rat
I don’t even know what to say or think about our Premier anymore. To say that I am disappointed would be a severe understatement. The overall reputation of our country is at stake. Our financial services is at stake. Our half dead tourism product is at stake. Our standing in the international community is at stake. Now look at the statement that the leader of our country has made. He has no ability to look beyond local politics to understand what is happening to the country. Fact check Mr. Premier: your games of deflecting have caught up with you. People are up to you and they are disgusted. Don’t make it any worse for yourself. This COI was called two years into your administration. Not during the time of the NDP. It is primarily about allegations of your government’s mismanagement of funds. We all know that so stop your trumpishness. Take some responsibility for your actions. Act like a grown man. Your impulsive, disrespectful, egotistical, childish dealings with the UK has a big part to play in what has happened to our country. And you still don’t know when to shut up. Here you are running your mouth again to put yourself in more trouble. Fool!
So you are your blog name!
No, You will not change the narrative Andrew. Big deflector.
Typical Fahie playing smart. The wall is with the Police/DPP isn’t it? Pier Park was investigated and the governor at the time said no commission of inquiry. Fahie himself side the bvi airways issue is with the courts so cannot be discussed. What is he talking about really?
YOU CAN GO ON EVERY SITE AND RADIO STATION TRYING TO MAKE ALL THE EXCUSES YOU LIKE, NO ONE IS BUYING IT. YOUR CARDS WERE PEEPED AND YOU ARE GOING DOWN. DON’T FEEL SORRY FOR YA. YOU TRIED TO PLAY THE PEOPLE OF THE BVI. YOU COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE PEOPLE, YOU FEED OFF YOUR OWN PEOPLE TO GET WHAT YOU WANT AND ADVANCE YOURSELF. KEEP IT MOVING. YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS IS A BIG ZERO. PLEASE DO EVERYONE A BIG FAVOR AND STEP DOWN.
We, his voters, and loyal supporters, remain on his side, and if he goes on the radio, internet etc. or not. We are with him! You are in the minority believe that!
Premier sound like me when I was small. Ready to get a cut arse and try to convince mother why she should overlook what I did and punish my sister for something she did instead. Set me free from the licks.
Everytime these f***s open their mouth is NDP this and when we were in the opposition that. You are now in power. The campaign is over. Keep ayo hands clean, but no, greed and power is a h**l of a thing
The premier has no fear, this is all just an inconvenience for someone who has a country to run.
Now he wants to direct the commission of inquiry. What else is next with this man. Well since it’s your inquiry then you tell the judge what to do. This man is a l**ney toon.
Nobody ever told our Premier that when he is digging a hole for people that he must dig one for himself too? With these scandals that he is raising he was the instigator in all of them. he was the same one running down to government house as opposition leader causing mischief. He made allegations without proof to get political points and to get in the good favor of the governors. His mischief has gone nowhere and now here is a desperate attempt to bring them back up to distract people from his own alleged indiscretions. There will always be issues with projects and we have to continue to work to improve. To me the difference is whether there was any dishonesty because not every error equates to dishonesty. The Premier needs to be a leader and stop his childishness. While you dig three NDP holes you better dig 6 VIP ones. His poor management of the UK relationship is one of the main reasons why we are here now.
Check!
Hahaha
Is this man for real
This man behaving like them children play dolly house lol
The governor say investigate the government if I’m not wrong he meant the previous government right now
My god how much more f**lish can Andrew be
Look some of you bvi islanders need to speak sense in to this man head so he will stop embarrassing himself
Some of you still blind if you can’t see this man is all for his self not the ppl
It clearly show he got something to hide
What an …
Andrew Fahie are you going down ?
And you leaving a big hate with your ppl towards the down island ppl (expats) which is not nice
The US fighting black lives matters while the ppl of the bvi hate the down island (expats) black ppl
BRING THE HATE COMMENTS!!! Cause I don’t reply to fools
Pier Park was investigated dummy. Read the conclusion again and see if you implemented the recommendations?
You racist truly need to follow Gus back home instead of coming on these blogs talking crap. Anyway, your smiles will be short lived.
Andy is a real classic. Every dog has their day, he knows this. I think he should keep his mouth shut from hereon and go do some actual work!
Has the VIP accomplished anything in their Manifesto as yet?? Other than woefully spending taxpayer monies on his cronies?
Andrew make the dog sick and the cat vomit. Anything that is ill gotten will never stay with us. He won the election with alleged untruths and deceptions and now his own mischief will be his downfall.
Spending our hard earned tax paying dollars to garner votes and lining his cronies pockets.
Andrew, Can I draw your attention to the work done to the drainage at the police Marine Base, its a contract under your government and ive not seen a worse job in my life. There is planks of wood on the access to the marine base which ive never seen anywhere in the world. The hold dug in the road and carpark were just left and abandoned. This is the work you have signed off but work given to your friends.
The man hold covers never line up with the road surfaces.
You are accountable for these contracts, We should be improving the country piece by peice and making it the Jewel of the Caribbean but the shoddy work and lack of integrity in these projucts shines out every day we drive around the island.
Can you please look into the hold going into cane garden bay before we kill another scooter driver. You can not miss it. Its 4ft wide and 2ft long and about 6′ deep. Its 2nd year birthday is coming up.
Look at you! Look. At. You! You do and you do until you do to much and now it was someone else fault.
In my opinion corruption exist everywhere, in every country and in all Governments.
It is not like we did not know that you guys were on the ….Boss we knew, but we couldn’t do anything about it because we were powerless to take immediate action, but we were waiting and we waited and you did and you did and you do and you do and you still doing, everything in your power to ensure your own destruction.
Well here it comes.
Enjoy.
You all are still powerless, and always will be in the BVI. Gus knows it so he is throwing a fit. We support our government even to independence.
How about doing BOTH!
Who do the crime do the time case closed.