Fraser denies conflict of interest in brothers’ role in SCB project
Third District Representative Julian Fraser has completely denied claims of any conflict of interest regarding his brothers’ involvement in a project in his Sea Cows Bay constituency while he was a serving government minister.
Fraser, the then Minister of Communication & Works under a previous Virgin Islands Party administration, was fielding questions from the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI).
The issue of a conflict arose from the Auditor General’s August 2014 report on the Sea Cows Bay Harbour Development Project in Fraser’s District.
The legislator’s brother — as a shareholder in Hannah Reclamation Limited — leased a Sea Cow’s Bay lot that would be a part of the project. According to the report, things were further compounded by the fact that two of Fraser’s brothers were among those who received petty contracts for the project.
Fraser said he didn’t see any of these to be a problem, stating that he had no dealings with contractors at the time.
“I saw no conflict of interest as far as I’m concerned on this project,” Fraser told COI attorney Bilal Rawat on Wednesday.
Frasers’ brothers paid for unfinished work
It was further reported that two of the district representative’s brothers – Earl and Kenneth Fraser – had received substantial payments for work that was never done.
The report said both brothers received a 10 percent deposit and neither completed the task.
Details from the report also revealed that all of the funds applied in 2011 – which amounted to a little more than $335,000 – were focused on bulkheading the West End of the Harbour, which included but was not limited to an area owned or leased by Earl Fraser of Hannah’s Reclamation.
Among other things, the report also highlighted several other discrepancies, including the fact that the cost of the project rose dramatically from an initial estimate of $1.4 million to more than $6.6 million.
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He l** so much he sticking to it
The wickedness of these politicians will never end because all they care about is fulling their pockets and taking care of their friends & families.
Sad thing is no one is surprised by any of these actions by any of these Ministers. It has become so normal, and so accepted in the form of their self perceived entitlement to do whatever they want with our tax monies without ramifications that we have all but become numb to the endless list of abuses against our people!
To add insult too injury, those same current and former Ministers look incredulously at any entity that levels accusations towards them or that anyone dare impeach their integrity or have the audacity to question them!
Not to worry. It’s clear that Sir Gary intends to make recommendations for prosecution as the Ministers attorney’s have argued for “notice” prior to the COI report being released. One could take it that they want to be prepared to defend themselves or one could take it that they will have notice to run. I’m assuming the later however these people are so ingrained with their power that they don’t think anything can be done to them. I think the prison will need to be expanded.
I don’t think anyone knows what a conflict of interest is.
How could they?
They do not even know who their immediate family is based on the responses to the COI.
I think that its only when others do it , it becomes interesting to them and then causes conflict .
Mr. Frazer l**d so much. He said that he called a meeting with the people and contractors and that was a ***. He gave those contracts to his cronies who work with him especially with political campaigns. Those contracts were not worth no 96K each. They were very inflated. And if that was not bad enough, he gave two contracts to his two brothers, and advanced payments to contractors who never started or completed the work and none of this money was recovered. All this happened in an election year so you could well imagine where the money went. What a shame!
So how come Fraiser seem to won all the seabed rights in Sea Cows Bay? That not a conflict? Seems like he get seabed then approve project… insider trading?
State of the BVI Address:
Politicians gave contracts worth millions to family and friends for jobs that were not finish. The BVI faces an economic downturn because of covid. Unlike the rest of the world, the BVI government continues to spend the taxpayers’ dollars unwisely. Just yesterday, the BVI News reported that $247,000.00 was allocated for furnishing the Ministry of Finance Office. It is important to note that the VIP has less than 2 years in this office. Again, that money can be better spend during this pandemic.
The hospital was over budgeted for $25,000,000.00. And today the BVI does not have enough staff to work at the hospital during this pandemic.
But the big problem is that everyone in the ministry says that this was Frasers personal project and he dealt with everything himself.
Either lots of people are lying or one is.
Frazer was under so much pressure..Couldnt believe thats the same plenty talks plenty words, plenty brains, plenty mouth Frazer..He foldef like wet Paper…So much dirt. Enough to bury him..
Keep the pressure on his a** he is a c**ck
Wow
Alarming,
In the BVI right is wrong and wrong is right. From the beginning Fraser as the Minister and District Rep was proven wrong. He is the one to authorized all projects. Yesterday, it urked me to hear Fraser trying to justify that the District Rep does not not approve projects. Failing to recognize that he was the Minister. This whole thing is so WRONG. The sad part is it has been allowed to go on for so long that now the behavior is the norm and is acceptable.
We can not continue like this as a country.
Please, for the love of Fraser’s hair, open up the barbers shops as a matter of utmost urgency
PLEASE , THE MAN IS JUST GETTING OVER THE NUMBER THAT WAS PLAYED ON HIM BY
THOSE ( TWO ) PEOPLE WHO HE THOUGHT WERE HIS BUDDIES / SO THE THAT WAS HIS GOING BACK TO AFRICA HAIR STYLE / WHERE IS THE SPEAR AND SHIELD AND WRAP AROUND GARMENT
Don’t forget it was this intellectual P**my that spent $750,000 on Traffic lights for the Roundabout!
That even the contractor paid to do it said was not necessary!
They had to be taken down – :-)))
It’s called corruption Fraser. This ain’t bout interest now.
And while Fraser was Minister of Works, Willock was his permanent secretary… What a team!!!
Frazer’s mouth looks like an exit ****, no surprise on the stuff coming out.
And people are still saying the this is an English agenda to crucify the BVI. After all they are hearing cominng out of this.