Integrity Commission, Contractor General posts to be filled in weeks

Premier Andrew Fahie has said posts within the Integrity Commission and the Office of the Contractor General are expected to be filled and operational within the next four weeks. 

Fahie gave that indication in a press conference last Friday.

Citing the Integrity in Public Life Act, the Premier said the Integrity Commission is to be comprised of a chairperson who shall be a retired judge or an attorney-at-law of at least 15 years. The person appointed must also be agreed upon by the Governor and the Premier. 

Fahie added that himself, the governor, the Opposition Leader and the Christian Council will each nominate a member to sit on the commission.

“Once all the respective nominations come in, the Commission will be appointed, which should be within the next three weeks. We hope to have the Commission functional within about one month,” the Premier said. 

“We also expect to have the Contractor General post filled within one month. This position was advertised and the selection, again, is being done in an independent manner with full adherence to good governance,” Fahie said.  

“Numerous persons have applied, and we thank them for offering their services. We hope to have the selection and all the other processes completed within one month,” the Premier continued. 

Trade Commission Board 

Fahie also announced that the government will be moving forward with appointing the board of commissioners for the Virgin Islands Trade Commission. 

“The selection of the persons to serve on the Trade Commission was done through an independent process. There was no involvement in the selection process by any elected official. There was no hand-picking by any elected official” Fahie stated. 

“Persons would recall that advertisements were published inviting persons interested in serving to apply. The shortlisting was done by a committee in accordance with the criteria stipulated in the Act, and no elected official was involved in this process. Additionally, the governor had his input at the appropriate stage in Cabinet, for which we thank him,” he added. 

The board of commissioners will comprise of seven members. They are Melissa Farara, Hakim Creque, Wendell Gaskin, Lavina Liburd, the Trade Commissioner as Ex-officio, Deputy Chairman Sasha Hodge and Michael Fay as Chairman.

“We congratulate those who have been successful in being selected. We also thank the other persons who applied but were not successful, and we encourage them to apply for other positions when applications are invited in areas where they are qualified,” Fahie stated.