Many other security bids, but Neville Smith had one of the lowest
Premier Andrew Fahie has largely dismissed any controversy and concern surrounding Deputy Speaker Neville Smith’s exemption from vacating his political seat after Smith received a government contract which he’s quietly had for the last eight months.
According to Section 67 of the Virgin Islands Constitution, House of Assembly (HOA) members are expected to vacate their seat in the HOA if they or their firm are party to a contract with the government. However, a clause in the same law allows for an exemption if the member disclose the nature of the contract and their interest “before becoming a party to a contract, or before or as soon as practicable after becoming interested” in the contract with the government.
Defending the controversial contract, Fahie said based on his review, Smith’s contract through his company Caribbean Security for the installation of access control, video surveillance and burglar alarm was not only above board, but was one of many other bids presented.
This was despite there being no need for what he called an open tender, since the contract was below $100,000.
According to the Premier, Smith’s bid for the project was one of the lowest among these bids and covered all the bases required for the contract.
Smith’s exemption was ultimately approved by HOA members during the most recent sitting of the House.
Politicians businesses should not go asunder
In the meantime, Premier Fahie expressed that he is not an advocate of business owners who become politicians having to suffer as a result of serving the people.
“Persons say that when you come into politics you need to drop everything else,” Fahie said.
But the Premier said it is difficult for business owners who have been in business for decades – such as Fourth District Representative and OneMart owner, Mark Vanterpool – to just let their business “go asunder”, simply because they are in politics.
Instead, he said systems need to be in place to ensure that these business owners do not use their position to obtain any contracts.
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King L**r
If Honourable Smith was a wee bit honourable,he would have voluntarily offered to step down and with an apology.
Instead he put his colleagues in a position that was difficult because they themselves are dishonorable cowards and a farce to good Governance.
A good day though for the VI as we the people were fully made aware with certainty of the hypocrisy and the hypocrites within our elected body.
Every day some new malfeasance by members of the government. Every day some new excuse from Fahie.
We need the COI to drain the swamp, clear out the stables and sweep away the dirt.
The ViP elected reps are competing way too much with local businesses. The minister of health had to be exempted from almost 10 contracts with government. Now Hon. Smith, after telling the COI that he had no contracts with government, had to be exempted from two contracts one of which is 9 months old and he has not be sacrificed by the House. Not toe mention the no bid contract with festival and fairs committee. We are on very shaky ground and we continue to poke the bear. If our Premier was any kind of leader he would not have condoned and encouraged what Hon. Smith did. It goes against the constitution. And here they are looking more constitutional power while clearly absuing the bit that they have. We cannot be serious people. Hon. Smith should have been made to vacate his seat. Plain and simple.
Can you imagine Fahie if NDP Ministers did this while he was leader of opposition? These guys are so shameless it almost feels like a bad dream and not reality.
I keep thinking somebody had to obeah them.All of them…jeez. we do not stand a chance.
Things worse than we could ever imagine and getting worse day by day.
Tis festival time and to escape the reminder of how much the character with our unique saleable identity has been degraded or lost, me with family would ordinarily vacation off and away. No.. can’t safely do it this year or last year.
I weep.
It’s the same thing with the police force the chief security of our country. Civilians are competing with police officers for security jobs at all levels.
From security for clubs to the installation of cameras and security systems. And they have an edge they have guns that they could use on their jobs and they have insider info and access for certain things that their clients can get addressed. The BVI is in an unfair state.
And it’s him the prophet say will get a clean slate. That prophet need to go back to see if it was God or some other spirit talking to him. Everyday we wake up we see more and more abuse by this leader and a prophet telling us nonsense. They are all part of the same clan. It’s such a disappointment to see where some of these so called religious leaders has brought the church to. Vote him out!
So you’re saying it didn’t need to go out to tender but there were also many other bids? Show us the other bids. We don’t believe a word of what you are saying.
Wasn’t your justification for increasing the outgoing payment for ministers that they dedicate their time to their position and their businesses suffer as they can’t enter into contracts with the government? Now you’re saying they should be free to win government contracts because their businesses should not suffer? Which one is it?
Whether it’s lower or not they would not have given it to no one else. Lining them own pocket
The Premier is completely missing the point, which was not whether the bid was competitive, cost effective or above board. It would be nice, however, to see if there actually were other bids, but that is not the issue. The point is very simple; Smith had to ask for an exemption in a timely manner, (which, if the contract was above board would not have been an awkward thing to do) and he did not. It was not an option, it was the law, according to the Constitution. Worse, he said he didn’t have such contracts, when he clearly knew he did. The Premier is diverting attention from the real issue….not much news there, however.
Isnt there systems in place such as the constitution, bidding on contracts, tendering, etc?
Politicians will use their power or privileges to bypass these systems.
If the Commission of Inquiry doesn’t bring change to the BVI then that would mean we the people are not in the UK best interest because the COI has turned enough wrong doings by the pass and present goverements. Please take us over for few years so we can get back on our feet and stay there. This VIP has started this thing about slavery and the UK,for your information Abolitionism in the United Kingdom was the movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to end the practice of slavery, whether formal or informal, in the United Kingdom, the British Empire and the world, including ending the Atlantic slave trade. It was part of a wider abolitionism movement in Western Europe and the Americas, this goverment is teaching our young people not to like White people I grew up in a BVI where it didnt matter.Things has changed so much in the last 2 years its not good for small place like this. None of the races in this world can live without the other. Bottom this goverment has to be removed.
@Anonymous
“None of the races in this world can live without the other”
I don’t know if that is true. But from history we do know that “none of the races can live without the black race – to exploit and profit from”. This is coming to a head, and we are beginning to see some big changes.
It’s a public process, so make the bids public. Show us all. Or should we wait until the first company comes forward to say they bid lower?
Anyone else just not believe Fahie?
The key words in this article are “one of”. Honorable Smith was not the lowest bidder. Therefore the criteria for winning the contract was not solely on the lowest bid but on some other factor can the Premier tell us what that factor was?
When professionals need to consider conflicts of interest and ethical considerations, they are generally obliged to consider not just actual conflicts, but the perception of a conflict. The perception of a conflict can be as damaging to integrity as an actual conflict. Of course Honorable Smith will be extremely well aware of that nuanced approach being himself a qualified attorney. This type of nuanced approach is enshrined in many pieces of legislation in BVI and applies to many persons working in financial services in BVI.
This government must assume that everyone in the BVI is stupid. Either this government themselves are stupid or they’re crooks or both. Let’s hope they’re just stupid but having seen the fairy tales being spouted before the COI my guess is both.
Just imagine if someone on the NDP side had did the same thing fahie would of been talking about it every damn day, just remember the COI is coming back MR.Smith you will pay for that big l** u tell to the COI
The low bid is not the issue, its the dishonesty and wilful igoring the Law..
You look at it closely, Smith is not at fault. The senior people are at fault. They all know better. Whoever requested the job. Whoever approved it and Whoever was to approve the exemption timely. It’s only because of COI that Government officials are beginning to understand the importance of following proper procedures. It’s a BVI thing for years, not doing things correctly. Now they trying to fix it. Just sad. Do what’s right then there will be nothing to fix! Hopefully, this is the last of this nonsense,
He is at fault! He knew that he had an interest in the project so he should have pushed to ensure that the matter was taken to the house immediately. Instead, he chose to hide it for 8 months. I was very disappointed in the members of government who chose to stand up and defend him. The business of the country should not be based on mere party politics and friends rubbing each other’s shoulders. This constant breaking of the laws then using known loopholes to justify actions is unconscionable!
VIP get your acts together! We are on the countdown and you guys keep doing nonsense instead of stepping up to the plate.
Our higher ups will do anything to be allowed to carry on with their old corrupt and dodgy ways. They have never been for the people and it seems that they never will be. How does the VI move from the grip of this old guard and find a better way. For now we need them away from the control of anything.
He should not be allowed to bid period as there’s an obvious conflict of interest.
Sooo at no time did this Neville character being an elected official didn’t have INSIDE info on all the bids then bid the lowest by maybe 1k then got the contract? Nothing new here same corruption.