Premier defends gov’t against corruption claims
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has pushed back against suggestions of corruption in his administration, insisting that major steps have been taken to increase transparency and accountability in the Virgin Islands.
Responding to a caller during a live broadcast of Virgin Islands Voice, the Premier said the government had acted swiftly following the Commission of Inquiry (COI) to establish key oversight bodies.
“I find that in certain sectors of the government… we still have corruption, that’s still going on,” the caller said. “I would like to see a young fellow like you stamp out corruption in every way.”
In response, Dr Wheatley highlighted steps already taken to improve accountability. “As a part of the Commission of Inquiry process, we set up a number of institutions. One of those institutions was the Integrity Commission,” Dr Wheatley stated.
He explained that the Integrity Commission had already held its inaugural meeting, chaired by Dancia Penn OBE, KC. Other members include Reynell Frazer, Gene Creque, Rev Sandra Walters Malone, and Dr Robert Mactavious, all appointed to monitor standards in public life.
The Premier urged the public to highlight instances of corruption within the government and statutory boards.
“If persons know of any level of corruption taking place in government, among the executive branch, among the statutory boards, they can report that,” he said. “They have the legislative authority to be able to [report] those instances of perceived corruption to the Integrity Commission.”
He pointed out that the government continues to progress in other areas as part of its efforts towards transparency. “We are establishing the institutions of government which will allow us to mature and give our people the confidence that we can manage ourselves in a manner that instils confidence in them,” he said.
The exchange occurred as part of a broader discussion on the government’s efforts to enhance public trust. The Premier noted that reform was ongoing and urged residents to support the process.
Dr Wheatley’s administration has faced scrutiny in recent months as public expectations remain high for lasting change following the COI, which uncovered serious governance issues in 2022. His government has continued working under the guidance of a UK-implemented framework to ensure compliance with reform benchmarks.
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But it is corruption to give Vybz Kartel quarter million USD juxtaposition to the farmer water reservoir and now the dedicated oxygen room for the hospital, one costing the hospital $180k USD but Vybz Kartel eat that and the farmers reservoir costing $250k USD but Vybz Kartel eat that, and am not talking about non stop party yet.
Now you going appease Lorna with a trip to India about trade, a continent with over a billion people, BVI barely have 30000 people, we don’t have no agriculture or nothing to trade, we don’t even have trawler boat to fish to supply them, and if we could that population size will deplete our fish stock in 2 trade exchange, oh I forget, we want to permeate our crookedness of hiding ill gotten funds as we are doing now, and when the UK demand transparency we dupe the people into thinking sovereignty is under attack. When it’s the criminal pay some of you elected officials to fight to protect their ill gotten gains.
Maybe they going with the begging bowl for funds to build the airport that only a couple of people want.
Hmmm, hard to do what S!0wW@nde say he trying to do when he has Head Coach picture hanging over his head on HoA. Somebody need to explain that to S!0wW@nde.
Ha ha. He never lies. A major step. Yes. BACKWARDS.
Where are our financial reports?
Where is the report on the concert money?
Where is the $20Million?
How much you going to spend going to India?
When do we get to see the reports KPMG that say why we should not build an airport?
Where is the $100,000 that is not being spent on our roads?
Where are the Northam workers?
Why did the road by the Governors pad not ever get finished?
Why does nothing get maintained?
Why after 8 years is the Admin complex not open?
Why do we keep paying high rents to buddies?
Why have we not fixed the high rates we paying the private health providers to the NHI in that buddies get rich quick scheme?
Why we even attempting to give poor people a living wage?
Why does it still take months to get work permits?
Whey are we still gloryfying @drew?
Why do you keep defending the indefensible instead of trying to make things better?
WE don’t want done the old corrupt way anymore. We don’t want Independence so you can advance corruption even further, and we want tint off car windows, scooters obeying the law and guns out of peoples hands.
We don’t want this nations children’s children paying for the $Billions of dollars of debt that you will share out amongst buddies whilst you pretend to build an airport we will never get and we do not need.
We just need a functioning infrastructure with a functioniing bureaucracy that encourages and enables investment and buisness and Government needs to get out of the way with it’s mountains of paperwork and months and years of delays.
P487 does not lie we are making a huge step. But, BACKWARDS. Major, major steps BACKWARDS.
It’s difficult to recognize corruption when YOU are facilitating corruption in all departments and agencies of the BVI government.
No corruption in our government??
You gotta be living on another planet try to defend what can not be defended
Attempting to defend the defenseless….YUCK!
when the HM Immigration Dept. officers process persons for deportation and YOU the Premier can call said officers and tell them to stop and desist from executing their duties lawfully!
What do you call that Mr. Premier???
You guys do not even know what corruption is. The Premier said if you have evidence of corruption report it. What is so hard in that? Giving $250k to Vybes Kartel is no different to him giving that same money to a Regatta or other function, except for opinions on which one is worth the investment. You can say you don’t agree with it or that it’s not priority, but there is nothing corrupt about the Premier giving money for a concert. Stupid? Yes, corrupt? NO! We need to grow up around here and demand better as it relates to the simple things like water, roads, education, healthcare and overall infrastructure. We seem to be more involved in political nonsense than anything else. The irony is that the way things are stacking right now it paves the way in gold for the Premier and his government to be elected for another 4 years.
LOLOLOLOL I think we do.
It is not having audited reports, it is defending known criminals, it is not delivering concert finance details when promised, it is not telling the truth, it is not releasing reports on the airport, it is saying the public have a choice at the same time as saying it is going to happen it is a done deal, it is having contracts with Northam and no work done in 3 weeks, it is not knowing or caring where the $20,000,000 went, it is not being informed why we keep haing a project for Prospet Reef and then we don’t it, it is paying $280,000 dollars for a disfuctional Welcome Centre, it is not insuring Government buildings, it is not maintaining Govenrment properties, it giving contracts to cronies and gettting nothing back from C.O.S-C., it is paying contractors when contracts are not finished, it is having people in crafts alive that don’t pay rent, it is having cars issued licences that have bladked out windows, it is allowing gun toting scooter riders to terrorise our dirt tracks and donkey runs, it is telling us one thing and doing another, it is pretending you are complying with the COI when you are doing everything to resist it. It is keeping Audit office and DPP understaffed so they find it harder to find the dirty deals and dealers. There is so much more but LOL you make us all LOL you are the only one that can’t see it. Is your name Natalio Wheatley?
How about a certified audit made public so we can decide ?