COVID Assistance Grants report finally to be shared in HOA
The government has received a report about how the House of Assembly distributed financial assistance grants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a post-meeting statement from Cabinet’s June 7 meeting, the report is now expected to be shared with members of the House of Assembly (HOA) during their next meeting as required by the Audit Act of 2023.
In a recent report on the implementation of Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations, Governor John Rankin commented that “the findings are deeply concerning” in relation to the audit conducted by the Auditor General’s Office on Assistance Grants by the government.
That audit included details of how COVID-19 Assistance Grants were distributed, some of which was seen in an unauthorised Cabinet leak of the document before the audit report was laid in the HOA.
Governor Rankin promised to make the report on COVID-19 Assistance Grants public once it is laid in the HOA in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Governor said he forwarded the audit on Assistance Grants to the Attorney General’s Office for the Attorney General to assess whether the government should pursue the recovery of funds.
Rankin said he also asked the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Police to assess if any offences were committed.
In his report, Governor Rankin noted that the statutory timelines for prosecution of previous obstruction of the Director of Internal Audit concerning the audits on COVID-19 Assistance Programmes has now passed.
He added: “I am, however, encouraged that I am no longer receiving reports of obstruction and that criminal recourse remains a tool for ensuring the Director of Internal Audit and Auditor General are free to do their jobs.”
Last year, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley expressed that his government was in full support of all the criminal investigations and audits that were being carried out.
The Premier argued at the time that the audits not only serve to hold persons accountable but also help to clear their name where there is an absence of any wrongdoing.
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Surely it is time to change the DPP and have somebody with better legal knowledge and better judgment look at this matter. There is no point in bringing proceedings that are dismissed at the end of the prosecution case (which is what seems to happen in every prosecution that the current DPP advises should be commenced).
I appreciate that the UK Government want somebody that does what they are told to do, but surely they would also want somebody who is competent.
So the COI came accuse the govt of corruption and now they back in power….Non ah this making sense..
Would be nice to see, but the truth is, favoritism will continue to plague our small community until good & honest people are put in charge.
The government knows damn well how the House of Assembly distributed financial assistance grants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The taxpayers who paid for this nepotism wants to know.
Blame Delilah for putting them back in power
The HOA will be relying on applying heavy political pressure on senior civil servants and the under funding and under staffing of both inexperienced junior & senior staff of the DPP office resulting in very few successful prosecutions . What are the expectations of recovering spent money from so many local farms and are apparently enormous fishing fleet!
The same ones did not win the election and are only in power because someone crossed over to give them a majority.
Hope some one or some people are held responsible.
The Corrupt Supporters way out-number the Honest
Supporters. Therefore, The Corrupt activities will NEVER cease. Not every Citizen of this territory is in favour of what has been and still is going on in the territory But, the same Citizens are against a thorough clean-up of the Territory. So the Territory of the BVI will continue to experience Corruption, Victimization, Drug Trade activities and Crimes. It is said that a Fish stinks from the Head!!!
The slow and anemic pace of reform is typical of a disinterested UK that is only concerned with the UK interest. Jobs for the boys- very frustrating indeed
We need persons with balls ? period!!! Not the wushu washy advice and pandering that we have so far. If malfeasance and misappropriations have been made – PROSECUTE!!!
The political class feel immune as there have been no substantial prosecutions up to now in 2023. Replace both as they’re ineffectual and just inefficient bench warmers…..hence why things are the way they are!
i saw the report much to do about nothing the ra**st Ranking pulling on straws
The governor asked the incompetent DPP to look at this. Of course she will seek to ensure that people are charged because she wants to please the UK. They will go to court and lose as usual. That’s it and that’s all.
The COI people could not vote or there would have been a change. The mere fact that the vip is I. Government says we like corruption because most of us benefit from it.
Here they are giving grants and a bvi national needs $50,000 to save his home from foreclosure and they fail to assist. Meanwhile they are still giving grants by building homes for others. They gave someone a Cheque for $150,000 a day before election and the person built a house for $50,000. Are they for real??? Government need to understand that they are to work for the benefit of all citizens and not for votes – sickening.