Finance Ministry ‘cooked up’ plan to take sewerage $$, not me — Penn
Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn (left) and Finance Minister, Premier Dr D Orlando Smith.
Marlon Penn, the representative of the Eighth Electoral District where East End is located, has exposed the Ministry of Finance as the agency behind the so-called unlawful move to divert $8 million from the East End/Long Look sewerage project to the Tortola Cruise Pier back in 2015.
He named the Premier Smith-led ministry as the culprit because of recent claims that he (Penn) had approved the controversial diversion of the funds.
While noting that those claims against him were “manufactured”, Penn said: “The reality is the [government’s] caucus had no clue about what happened with the sewerage money. In fact, it was Finance in their wisdom, without authority, that transferred the monies from the sewerage project to the Port and it was the Cabinet who made the decision to ratify it. That’s the fact. That’s what happened.”
“The finance department decided what they wanted to do with sewerage money of East End/Long Look — [they] cooked up something with the Port and whoever else, and the people had to suffer.”
When the now Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie shed light on the diversion of the funds more than two years ago, Works Minister Mark Vanterpool described his government’s actions as a mere ‘loan’ to the Ports Authority.
The so-called ‘loan’ was to be paid back years ago but, up to March of this year, Premier Dr D Orlando Smith said the BVI Ports Authority still owed $6 million.
Monies were made available for the sewerage project through House of Assembly-approved loan financing from CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank.
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Seriously! Mark Again! Marlon you know better, Yeah you have to defend your party because you trying for number two. This is the height of nonsense. Marlon humble and relax. Don’t join the ray ray on blaming. Finance will not do anything unless the Government request it if them. Mark already say it was a loan and now you saying this crap. The Caucus need to meet to get Proper Lies to Tell Us.
No surprises here exactly the reason the Premier (finance minister) continues to refuse to publish yearly audited finance reports! They just continue to bleed us dry and do whatever they want – no transparency, no honest accounts, no care for the people …
Marlon you have let us in the 8th District down. Now you want to come sell us foolishness.
You can’t be that ungrateful. More than 90% of the things that were done in that district was done under smurfs watch. So come with another story.
– Football stadium
– Sewage infrastructure
– Fisherman Dock
– Drainage in Parhamtown and Greenland
– Greenland Field
– Georgie Hill Road
Running sewage in the streets in Greenland was addressed for the first time under his watch. Why would he give away the sewage money and fighting for it every day. That make sense!
I have lost all respect for this guy.
Can this man please stop taking we in the eight district as fools.
Who is we? You V!P cronies with your spreading of misinformation through the district? It is you who believe that the people of D8 are idiots. The most that have happen with sewage or anything in our district have happened under smurfs watch. He followed through on all the projects that have talked about in our community. The evidence is there for all to see so, everyone is entitied to there own facts not there opinions.
How come only now that it is getting close to elections that you’re telling us this piddle.
Barry say u will hear
Mmmhmmm! As we draw closer to D-Day (Election Day) the chickens are coming home to roost. How is the D8 rep. throwing cold water on the civil servants whom work in the Finance ministry and only follow instructions from the minister(s)? But I was under the impression that the D4, D8 and MEoC were all bed-fellows in this corrupt soup they’ve concocted!! If the hurricanes hadn’t have exposed you guys proverbial fowl behinds as weak and disfunctional, the public would believe you guys over the blatant shenanigans that occur daily.
Premier has his hands full in his last days of ruling as the head of state as those to his left, right and below all are throwing shade at him as the power vacuum needs to be filled. What’s at stake people? These guys have tasted the high-life and don’t want to go back to their menial lives. The highway robbery of the public funds has reached an all time high with no end in sight. Marlon now asking about funds when he co-signed it. What about Georgie Hill road that needs investigating? Talk that!
Stating the plain facts about a situation isn’t throwing shade my friend. The facts are the facts. He shouldn’t continue to take responsibility for something he had no part of.
If there’s a issue with Georgie Hill road is should be investigated. What does that have to do with Smurf!? This a project that was done since 2012. This is how you VIPs plan to win the elections in the 8th?
We’ve seen smurfs work in the district what will your candidate so to make our lives in D8 better? You could fool some people some of time but you can’t fool all the people all of the time.
The Finance Minister done pooped on his people.
Did the HOA authorized and appropriated the $8M for the EE sewage project? If so how could the MoF just spend the money on something else, ie, TPP without going back to the HOA? When will the $8M be paid back if it were truly loan? Is not the rule that a) you cannot spend you don’t have and b) you must spend appropriated funds for their intended purpose? Did the Hon Penn publicly protest at the time or he silently agreed, going along to get along? Is the NDP in disarray? Is throwing each other under the bus now an NDP past time?
So why now?,you think this will win you votes? strupps!!!!!
So rumors are being dispelled what does this have to do about votes. When persons speak out and tell the truth their looking votes. The man have to dispell the rumors the VIP cronies spreading up and down on the street. At the end of the day he should not allow people to destroy his name with lies and misinformation.
THIS C———T GAVE — FAMILY ALL THE CONCESSIONS ON THE LONG BAY BEACH BEEF ISLAND…EXAMPLE, BEACH CHAIRS, BAR AND SOON TO COME JET-SKIS
That’s the best of you guys. Spread porpoganda and missinfotmation. Every one had a opportunity to establish concessions at Long Bay and didn’t.
Some started and stopped, I know because a committee was established for persons from both East End and Long Look. No one was prevented from operating. So stop spreading misinformation for the sake of politics.
Maaaan You Guys and Lady need to hold a caucus to organize the Lies you all feeding to us a lot better. I just hope Russia don’t mess with our voting machines come next year because we clean out the whole lot.
who to blame everybody looking somebody to blame.these so called leaders putting dem foot in their mouth creating confusion division and fear. who can you believe. every one trying to save themselves and taking no prisoners.
This is baffling. They need to shed more light on how taxpayers money is traveling from hand to hand and disappearing.Proper auditing is necessary.
Some politicians need jail time not airtime… Lots of folks know what going on in the 8th.
Week after week BVI reports on missing, moved ,over spent or failed projects. The one thing in common, never any accounts or never audit trail. Also in common is the bickering between the people of BVI along political / family lines generally fuelled by frustration that it’s not your turn to have your hand in the cookie jar.this is one big smoke screen of issue deflection to keep the people busy whilst the till gets robbed. And whilst the judisouryand Government of the BVI has third world African rules and attitudes towards corruption BVI is heading down a very sad decline . BVI needs a TCI style intervention it would be better now in the political classes of BVI formally request this from the UK and keep some respect and can have some pride and controlling and playing a part in reform rather than the anamosity that will come from being forced along the reform route. The only people who can not see sense in this are those waiting to have their turn at the Cooke jar
Be careful what you wish for is all I will say.
Blaming it on the Doc. Naughty naughty…
First off funds were reallocated without the knowledge of caucus and of cabinet and the Minister responsible for the port was unaware that this was done until it came forward to cabinet.
You all need to be asking questions as to why the former financial Secretary and former Port Director made the decision to do this.
Ayo need to keep off of D8 Rep, cause he has done nothing but good for the District even BEFORE he was an elected Rep for the distrcit. This man has always been there and look out for his people. The problem with BVIslanders is that no matter how much a person or Government provides assistance, it is never enough and people are never grateful..and they never admit to the assistance they received..It is a damn shame.
So what if a family member got all the concessions Beef? Perhaps they were the only person with the foresight at the time to apply for a trade licence for such. People always jealous other people and grudge others instead of tryign to help themselves and do for themselvs. Concessions wasn’t just given to them, they had to apply and go through the proper channels which they did and if they had all paper work in order then what’s to stop them from getting the concession when no one else was there? stupess #bullocks
You really know how to defend your Boy Friend. Wrong or Right you Defending. Make sure you console all of them when we fix this next year.
You sound like a jackass that you immediately think is a woman made the comment? The ignorance in this place thick!
I believe marlon but how howww the ministry of finance and ports move money without the ministry responsible for ports not knowing. For sure it is not ports and for sure finance must have had instructions. Will the True players speak up
Now the politicians are ratting each other out just like the drug runners. GREAT GOOD NEWS