Conflict of interest costly to taxpayers – Dawson

Member of the Virgin Islands Party and former President of the H Lavity Stoutt Community College Dr Karl Dawson said he is still concerned about the issue of conflict of interest in the territory.

According to him, the practice is too costly for taxpayers.

“One of the biggest things that I am always concerned about is always conflict of interest. Conflict of interest, I always say, has a cost,” he asserted.

Dr Dawson further said: “If it is simply a matter to say two persons applying for a job to clean the streets and, if I do not take it on merit and I just hire my cousin to do it even though he is not the best person for the job, it means that it is costing the public because I am putting in a less efficient person, who may need more time or end up doing a very poor job.”

Dr Dawson reasoned that conflict of interest on multi-million dollar projects usually put far more burden on Government coffers.

“That cost will eventually come back to bear on the people of the Virgin Islands. It means they are gonna pay more money, or it means we are gonna get less quality [work],” Dr Dawson further said during the Speak Out BVI show on ZBVI Radio on Tuesday.