Gov’t used template for Register of Interest responses to COI
Members of the government have reportedly met and agreed to coordinate their responses to the Commission of Inquiry’s (COI) questions related to the House of Assembly’s (HOA) Register of Interests.
The disclosure was made during evidence given by first-term legislator, Sharie de Castro when she appeared before the COI on Monday, June 14.
Effectively, the Register of Interests is a record kept of the financial interests of legislators. Its purpose is to give them the mechanism to publicly declare any private interests which may conflict or may be perceived to conflict with their public duties.
COI attorney Bilal Rawat said the Commissioner, Sir Gary Hickinbottom, sent the same letters to other members of the HOA seeking information related to their interests and received replies which were “in very similar terms” to that of de Castro.
Asked why the text in the submissions from House members appeared to be very similar if not the same, de Castro said that government members did, indeed, sit to discuss a collective approach and came up with a template for members to personalise before submitting.
Sir Gary suggested that he had no problem with the government’s establishment of a template for a response to the COI, as long as all members could sign up to what the template required.
He reminded de Castro that her submission contained an error of fact in stating that each of her submissions relating to her interests was made on time to the Registrar. In actuality, he said, they were submitted outside of the required timeline twice and were once in breach of the relevant legislation.
Orientation process needed for new House Members
The junior minister explained to the COI that her submissions were late because she was a first-term legislator and therefore unfamiliar with some of the requirements of her role.
During her testimony, de Castro suggested that there needed to be greater emphasis placed on the orientation of new members to the HOA and what their responsibilities were. She said this needs to be done at the earliest opportunity.
“I believe that as new members, the House of Assembly itself, in terms of the staff, the office of the House of Assembly should give an orientation process to members [who are] newly elected so that they are fully aware of the processes involved,” de Castro said.
She suggested this may have allowed her to avoid some pitfalls, such as missed deadlines for submissions of her interests to the Registrar.
Premier Fahie is the only member of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government who previously held a seat in the House of Assembly.
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Did y all see how the other site went crazy over the “vote buying” question that Bilal asked Shari? LOL
I’m sorry, I only started to watch the inquiry today. But, today WAS LITTT!! The Communications & Works Minister got a new name Kye “S**w” Rhymer LOL LOL
Introduction for what and you a puppet to Andrew, you just got used and need to speak out on the stuff that’s going on or your political career dead right here!
She sound like a real stuck up _ _ _ €
They could run but cannot hide
I took some time to listen to yesterdays’ June 10th COI. Here are my observations and thoughts about that hearing and the COI overall thus far:
1. The Commissioner and the Counsel to the Commission were quite prepared. Of particular note, the Counsel to the Commission was very thorough and deliberate in his questioning.
He clearly has done his homework, and asked questions in a manner that walked a person thru to make a point in the end. Very clever.
2. The Attorney General was not as quick on her feet with answers as one would expect. There were painful long pauses and frequent requests to repeat the question.
I believe that probably had to do with her being very cautious with her answers and perhaps her newest to the role of Attorney General.
She may still be in that steep learning curve phase to the Attorney General position whereby she is still becoming familiar with all the parts and players. Nevertheless, she held her own and did what she went there to do.
3. Silk Law…Silk Law. What can I say about Silk Law? I was not impressed. I came away with the impression that counsel was schooled by the Commissioner and the Counsel to the Commission. He needs to be stronger in his representation imo.
4. Legislator, Sharie de Castro: It was interesting to see how the counsel to the Commission walked her thru line by line to make the point that she had erred not only once but twice in not reporting her register of interest timely.
Nevertheless, her explanations for not doing so I thought were reasonable.
5. The Speaker the Speaker (Shaking my head). I’ll await his appearance but I get the impression he may be a hostile witness.
6. I get the distinct impression overall based on the answers and tones of those being questioned that their mindset is that they are on trial.
The realty is they are not individually, rather, the governance of the country is.
The Commissioner clearly has stated multiple times that the inquiry is not a trial and that he is attempting to understand the process and how things works in the BVI. I think what they are exploring in this phase is the question of good governance or lack thereof.
Now, there may be a day someone may be on trial because of some wrong doing discovered during the inquiry, but we are not there yet.
Again, it is clear to me based on the manner and line of questioning by the counsel for the commission that at this phase of the inquiry they are exploring whether or not there is good governance or lack thereof.
The commission appears very very prepared, so those to follow might be best advised to be equally prepared and just state the facts as they know them, and keep it moving.
Now, one last point. This commission of inquiry should serve as a civic lesson to all. While the BVI has a local government, the U.K retains ultimate oversight, a fact that is lost on some.
Some have been misled to believe that that relationship was otherwise, but the British Virgin Islands has been and is an Oversees Dependent Territory of the U.K. constitutionally.
Until such time that relationship change, one can expect these kinds of oversight hearings potentially in the future.
Two wrongs dont make right. We often shout it from the housetops that we are a Christian and God fearing nation. And yet, while the COI job is rather simple and straight forward, (to comb through governnent’s operations in search of “Good Governance” or lack thereof, there appears to be some who because of Corruption elsewhere, including the mother country itself, Bvi-slanders should close their eyes or look the other way. “Two wrongs dont make it right. Every Action had a Corresponding Action or outcome. Here are some of the repercussions of corruption in government, waseful spending, bribery, nepotism, etc. Because of theses and other dishonest acts in government, Taxes may need to be raised to make up for shortfalls from waseful spending, contract overload, project mismangement etc. some may not have received stimulus assistance some needy persons may not receive the help they need because someone else might have gone back to the trough more than once. During hurricane Irma, some did not get the help they needed with Tarps, generators, a chainsaw, building materials etc. because others got Preferential Treatment; and the beat goes on. Rodney King, during his murderous beating in 1992 asked the question: “Can we all get along”?
Rodney King’s beating was not “murderous”. He is still alive.
He also didn’t ask any such thing during his beating. He did so in a press conference after the fact. I wish Mr. King well.
Rodney King is dead now.
all these people are vaccinated so why are they wearing masks
they can still catch and spread Covid
Then the vaccine(Gene therapy) is a waste of time and effort.
Vaccines give a much much better chance of survival if you catch COVID.
Oh dear!! do we really vote for these people. Rymer live now and he is a d****ace to this island. just doesn’t care for the rules!!
YOU SAID IT ALL / THE COI IS PENETRATING SO MAYBE ITS SIGNS OF AN IMPOPLOSION IN EFFECT ( OR ON ITS WAY ?
NOW WHAT YOU THINK YOU WERE GETTING YOURSELF INTO ? YOU HANGING WITH THE WRONG TEAM ( PLAYERS ) WATCH YOUR BACK
They are only making themselves look so guilty. Now they have templates of answers for COI questions. Andrew! I thought you said, “put up or shut up!”
As one blogger said a few days ago this is the biggest comedy for 2021. We will have to wait and see who is up for the grammy, I try not to miss a episode.