Premier confirms that gov’t is suing its former lawyer who is a BVI Airways director
Premier Andrew Fahie has confirmed reports that the British Virgin Islands government is suing its former attorney Lester Hyman, who is or was a director of the defunct airline, BVI Airways.
“I would say that the matter is in court in the United States of America, and we have been told to refrain from commenting. But, I would just like to say that there is no secret that the BVI has a strong interest in retrieving its $7.2 million,” Premier Fahie said.
Fahie, who is also the Finance Minister, made that statement while was responding to questions about the lawsuit from BVI News on Wednesday.
When asked to state the premise on which government is suing and how much the territory was suing for, Premier only responded by saying, “We have interest in getting back out $7.2 million”.
Breach of trust and fraud?
The matter was first reported by investigative financial news publisher, Offshore Alerts media.
According to Offshore Alerts, what is known as a ‘discovery application’ was filed before the District Court of Columbia in relation to the aforementioned sum that was paid into the now-defunct airline.
The report said government is accusing Hyman — who reportedly served as a legal representative for the territory between 1987 to July 2017 — of “fraud at equity, breach of fiduciary care (trust) and loyalty, and negligence” in relation to the ‘failed airline venture’.
Attorney General is reported to have filed the lawsuit against Hyman — who is based in the United States — last month.
The airline scandal
BVI Airways received a total sum of $7.2 million from the former NDP government to commence direct flights between the BVI and Miami in the USA.
However, the airline later laid off its staff; claiming that it needed more money to fly. The funds have not been recouped.
The botched airline deal has been perceived to be the single greatest scandal to hit the former Smith administration.
ALSO READ: Former Premier Dr D Orlando Smith lists Hyman among BVI Airways management
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
The United States of America Courts is going to go hard on that Lawyer. Will not be surprise if they start going after the ones in the BVI that was involved and had knowledge.Don’t play with Uncle Sam.
The title of the story is miss leading because in the article fahie has not confirmed what the title of the story is saying. However we need back our $7.2mill.
“I would say that the matter is in court in the United States of America” You can say something many ways without saying it directly.
The title is absolutely correct…. The Government is suing the former lawyer.
If it is one time I agree with fahie is now. Let them fly back in our seven million dollars.
It’s about time, and LONG overdue. I believe NDP was hiding some shady stuff with the BVI Airway deal why they never went after them. Hopefully this lawsuit will shed light on this entire deal and let us know what really happened with the 7.2 mil.
A lot of light is going to be shed. This is not BVI courts where maybe people can slide, the United States Of America Courts is a total diffrent ball game,they are going to get to the bottom of every thing. I also agree, I will not be surprise if supeanors is handed out to everyone in the BVI who was involved and had knowledge of what was going on.
The premier is the perfect person to deal with this because he is already familiar with offshore alert
How give Bvi. Air. ways the money .Let them go and get it . It’s time .We have a lot of thing to fixed. In the bvi.
Are we this blind that we can’t see through all these lies? Who started the legal proceedings against this lawyer? I don’t think that such a complicated case could have been put together in just 6 months and already filed. That’s the first thing.
The second thing is, wasn’t this same Premier Fahie who said that all the files about the plane went missing? Well if they went missing how is it we can be suing people? Because according to the Premier we have no files. What we suing to say when the files missing with the details?
Such a liar!
Oh wowww, yeah for real. I hope the Premier is not embleshing things. How are you going to sue without evidence and who filed the legal papers.
Well sah!! You got a point. The files were reported as disappeared yes. This premier is something else.
set of comics looking the center of attraction.i am glad when one can repeat their lies for them
I personally will not feel for none of them NDP supporters like Harrigan and even the former leader. All of them needs to go to jail, as u can see all of them was hush mouth about it and there was no urgency to go after the money which to me
says a lot.
Ppl so dumb who really think flies good missing in 2019 cant b recoverd especially when it involves 7 mill plus . No backup files ?
Somebody have copies to cover them ass
the 50 mil from the pier park next. funny how documents, files and servers gone missing. Like this is Bermuda or the BVI?