Public servants must declare interests, says former Speaker
Former House of Assembly Speaker Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe has reignited the debate surrounding the territory’s Register of Interests (ROI) Act.
During a recent constitutional reform forum at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), Moses-Scatliffe insisted the law should extend beyond elected officials in the House of Assembly to include high-ranking public servants.
The ROI Act is a critical piece of legislation designed to promote transparency and accountability within the government. However, the law’s proposed scope has been a heated subject of contention, with some arguing that it doesn’t go far enough.
Moses-Scatliffe pointed to the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) Report as justification for expanding the ROI. She asserted that the potential for conflicts of interest extends to senior public officers, including permanent secretaries and heads of departments, due to their significant decision-making influence within the government.
“It looks like our heads are hard. We have to learn the lessons. The COI was not a nice exercise,” Moses-Scatliffe stressed. “Where we are now in this territory, we don’t have a choice. We put ourselves in this mess, so the only way we’re going to get out of it is, we have to take strong measures.”
The issue of civil servants being included in the ROI Act is not new. Prior attempts to change the law have highlighted concerns from public servants who feel the requirement to declare their interests is overly invasive. Moses-Scatliffe acknowledged this sentiment but emphasised that the territory’s history dictates the need for greater safeguards.
“If you have nothing to hide, if you’re operating above board, there’s nothing that says you can’t have an interest in anything,” she explained. “It’s just that there’s a process we need to go through to make sure that we’re all educated and aware of what it is we’re doing.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
… if the Act comes into force, it might help reduce the ridiculous size of our public service as some of them resign – especially those that spend more time running their own side hustles from their Govt desks.
I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. What is the current size of the public service? Comparatively speaking is it really large or is this the usual emotional knee jerk reaction from people who just running their mouths without informed substantive information.
Secondly, this speaker should know since she was one of the highest leaders in government , that public service are already required to declare their interests. The issue is not the declaration it is the monitoring and enforcing of the rules and laws properly.
The BVI public service is enormous compared to other parts of the world – including other parts of the Caribbean where much better quality of service is provided!
More knee jerk emotion. If you state data to back up your emotional assertions your opinion will have credibility. People just want to beat down public servants because of jealousy and envy and coveteousness.
Let’s start with some of them at dmv. Have multiple businesses..
Someone has been paying attention
LOOKING SWEET AS EVER
Shut up Amory!
This is absolute NONENSE! With a small Territory there is no way all Civil Servants should be made to register their interests. The Senior Civil Servants that would be directly involved in matters of issuing contracts etc. should be the ones declaring their interests as and when needed. Just having a blanket declaration for all Civil Servants is reckless and bullshit. Just because I am a Government worker I should disclose everything that I own? For f**king what? You guys have lost your f**king minds!
You need to reread line 4 and 5. Mrs. Moses Scatliffe said, high ranking public officers should be included. She did not say all civil servants. If you are not a high ranking public officer like a head of a department etc you won’t be included.
when she was speaker did she declared all of her conflict of interests with her business partner?
Mr. W**cock
what lovely name to describe yourself , ignorant , would of worked too , it only show yhat you hor something to hide and it’s not going to be smooth sailing anymore , (aka) YO speed cut