Premier denies hiding behind audits in Bank of Asia debacle
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has defended the government’s decision to launch an internal audit into the controversial $5 million government deposit at the Bank of Asia, following public criticism and media questions about transparency and responsibility.
Speaking during a live press conference this week, Dr Wheatley rejected claims that the audit was a way to avoid accountability.
“I don’t think audits are anything that you hide behind, in my view. Audits are things which are extremely detailed and designed to provide the necessary information,” Dr Wheatley stated. “The results will be shared with the public and with our stakeholders to improve the situation if we find that there are things which needed to be done better.”
He explained that the Internal Audit Department was asked to urgently review the government’s handling of the deposit to determine whether established procedures were followed.
“This audit does not reflect wrongdoing, but demonstrates my government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and due diligence,” he argued.
The Premier said the audit would clarify the circumstances surrounding the $5 million deposit into the Bank of Asia, which recently entered provisional liquidation. He denied allegations that he or Financial Services Junior Minister Lorna Smith directed the deposit.
“One false claim was that an account was created in 2025,” Premier Wheatley said. “There’s also another claim that Honourable Lorna Smith directed a payment of five million dollars. That’s completely false, and that’s actually quite slanderous,” he added.
Dr Wheatley confirmed that he had no prior knowledge of the deposit being made.
“No, I did not know about the deposit before it was made,” he stated when pressed by a journalist. “All the relevant details… will be outlined in that report, and I will share the results of the report,” he added.
Still, Premier Wheatley insisted that conducting an internal audit was the responsible step. “I’m saying that I’m being responsible in terms of making sure that persons have all the information necessary so we all can come to proper conclusions,” he said.
The deposit reportedly occurred earlier this year, though an exact date was not provided.
The Premier also reaffirmed the independence of the internal auditors. “They call it as they see it, without fear or favour, and that’s their function — to be able to recommend to government any improvements which we need to make to the system,” he stated.
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Man’o’man, you just keep digging that hole deeper for yourself! Either you are complicit, or that family cartel associated with the Bank has something much more serious on you, but what you are doing and what you are saying makes no sense whatsoever!
Coming to think about it, I am guessing you are both complicit ad the ‘family’ has a tone of bones in the proverbial closet regarding you and your cronies.
At day’s end, I suppose rather than being honest and transparent, you’re hoping you’ll skate free like you usually do, or you are just going to let the whole thing burn to the ground around you.
In all honesty, that may well be the best thing for the BVI at this time. Clean slate, start again, and get this dark cloud that has blanketed our country for the last 20 plus years, behind us!
Time for these family cartels to be gone!!!!!!!
“The results will be shared with the public and with our stakeholders to improve the situation if we find that there are things which needed to be done better.”
Yeah, sure. Just like the vaunted “Business Case” that was to be a condition of the Beef Island Airport expansion project….
Over and over natalio Wheatley don’t realize he is talking the truth as the media suggest and the alliance, that an internal audit is a management tool to see how differently things could have done, it’s not a a disciplinary tool for actions, the $5 million USD will be just moaned over and say let us move on, because the tax payers can pay that again.over and over sowandie is saying the audit will look at it and see how differently it can be done because this is a lost,and he is throwing the civil servants the different monetary watchdog under the bus, he is suggesting that these organization sneak into his office and used his ministerial stamps and signature and move $5 million USD from under his watch as finance minister without his knowledge, we the BVI people must be moomoo.
Independence them say
Remember the Chanters who were saying Let’s attach to a section of the 2027 Ballot a Check-Box for Independence? or there is No need for a referendum?
There is a lot more stuff to be exposed in this one.
The call for an Internal Audit is to sweep it again under the Rug like the 20Mil unaccounted for with the Salary review. Has the Public ever been told about that error? I Bet NO. They are trying it again. I think it is time for the HOA to be dissolved and get those Crooks out our Faces. And it still have those who would say “We don’t need No One to help Us as We can take care of ourselves. WE ARE A BUNCH OF BVI THIEVES!!!!
We need another COI ASAP!!!!!
It is no SECRET he hiding Behind SECRETS all the time.
I bet he got tint on he window too.
When He was giving away the peoples’ 250K to Vybz
Kartel at least two Ministers spoke out against it.
My Question: Where are they now? Why none of his Colleagues are saying “P” about our 5Mil? Isn’t that suspicious? Do they All know about it? Is Party Politics got their Mouths closed? That is why Party Politics killing the BVI. ALL CR**KS? But we know that from the Stimulus Monies according to the Auditor General’s Report.
Remember when the Hon Lady was advocating that BVI
school children being taught Mandarin !