Minister declines to comment on 2022 probe into Trade Department
Trade Minister Lorna Smith yesterday refused to give an update on the report from a 2022 investigation that looked into alleged corruption within the Department of Trade, which was headed by then-Director of Trade Karia Christopher. Christopher currently works in the Premier’s Office as the Acting Director of Communications.
After the Commission of Inquiry released its report in 2022, an investigation was launched into the operations of the Trade Department amid allegations that Christopher engaged in unethical practices, including adjusting records and approving trade licenses without due process.
At a press conference on June 12, media owner and talk show host Cindy Rosan asked Trade Minister Smith whether she was willing to release the report to the media.
Minister Smith paused, smiled and looked at Christopher who was hosting the press conference.
An awkward exchange of words, pauses and chuckles followed and then Minister Smith said: “This was before my time. Cindy, I can’t respond to that right now.”
Rosan pressed: “You’re not sure if you can release it to the media or [do] you need time to review?”
Minister Smith responded: “I will need to review it but it’s not a priority for me right now… No, I don’t have any comments since it was before my time.”
After the exchange between Rosan and Minister Smith, Christopher chimed in and continued with the proceedings of the press conference.
Back in 2022, it was another local media outlet that broke the story about the allegations against Christopher, saying it had received information from highly placed sources.
Christopher later denied the allegations, saying the claims were an attempt to destroy her reputation.
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LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD , THE PEOPLE HAS A RUGHT TO KNOW / GOVERNOR DON’T LEAVE ANDMY STONE UNTURNED ( COI ) NEEDED
If there is any value in her media ownership, then the Court will be confiscating it in order to pay the Pier Parks costs order against Cindy!
It wasn’t against. She filed, withdrew, so has to pay the court costs. That’s all.
I suspect that “before my time” will become a convenient get out clause for many happenings over the last 40 years.
There’s a lot that has been swept under the carpet.
WE WANT ANSWERS
I love that girl Cindy for that
is this modern colonialism? is this british colonialism? i thought the british virgin islands and the united kingdom has a coalition government where both sides would not take part in human rights abuse and violation. excuse my ignorance. i always thought to myself that the uk parliament was a better form of government. pardon my ignorance.
I will always be grateful to the department for allowing me to live a Majestic Life.
So in other words we turning a blind eye to wrongdoing because of who it is per usual! Got it!
So Lorna is proud to report that the COI has managed to in fact change absolutely nothing. 7th Quarter report will have to say that the Order in Council is being brought in to effect. There is not will to change amongst our leaders. They want things as they were before the COI and and are trying very hard to make that so.
When they think they going to just stay quiet and ignore something until people forget about it Cindy right there to keep the pressure on. Cindy essential; more so than the opposition these days.
The BVI in trouble with out Rosan
FIRST – Let correct my mistakes / LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD , IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE BVI TO KNOW WHAT IS REALLY GOING WRONG IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY , AND WHO THE PERPETRATORS ARE / AND ITS THE GOVERNOR’S DUTY TO EXPOSE WHOEVER THEY ARE AND CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY AMONGST OUR SELECTED LEADERS ~ AS IN THE DAYS OF ( MR LAVITY STOUTT ) THESE SET OF WANNABE GENIUSES ARE USING THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND EXPLOIT THOSE BELOW THEM / SO THE GOVERNOR SHOULD NOT LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED IN ERADICATING THOSE WHO IS DOING IT TO THEIR OWN PEOPLE , AND POINTING THEIR DIRTY FINGERS ELSEWHERE , SOME IS USING RACISM AS A DISTRACTION OR FRONT TO HIDE THEIR CLANDISTINE OPERATIONS / WE NEED ANOTHER COI , THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER , THE PEOPLE ARE HOLLERING OUT FOR HELP
We definitely need another COI and the Probe must be much deeper this time around. The UK right now is busy with their upcoming Elections But I hope someone is taking Notes. Simply speaking NOTHING has changed since the COI. Corruption in Government has remained the same and yet the people of the Territory are not aware of half of the wrong doings especially among some of the Leadership. It is high time a Lesson be taught that Business cannot remain the same. Another COI to determine whether a UK take over is necessary for at least Two Years to put thing in perspective. It is needed for good Governance in these Virgin Islands. Enough is Enough. The BVI is unstable and needs regularizing.
We definitely need another COI and the Probe must be much deeper this time around. The UK right now is busy with their upcoming Elections But I hope someone is taking Notes. Simply speaking NOTHING has changed since the COI. Corruption in Government has remained the same and yet the people of the Territory are not aware of half of the wrong doings especially among some of the Leadership. It is high time a Lesson be taught that Business cannot remain the same. Another COI to determine whether a UK take over is necessary for at least Two Years to put things in perspective. It is needed for good Governance in these Virgin Islands. Enough is Enough. The BVI is unstable and needs regularizing.
Why is she still in the Premier’s Office in a different post without the previous position been internally investigated for anomalies and mistrust etc.? She is very brazzen!