Register of Interests Act is flawed and toothless
Education Minister and Deputy Premier, Dr Natalio Wheatley, has described the Register of Interests Act as flawed and toothless.
Effectively, the Register of Interests is a record kept of the financial interests of legislators. Its purpose is to give them the mechanism to publicly declare any private interests which may conflict or may be perceived to conflict with their public duties.
While contributing to the debate on the Integrity and Public Life Act in the House of Assembly recently, Dr Wheatley said the Register of Interests Act has been flawed from inception.
The Register of Interests Act came in for some scrutiny during the Commission of Inquiry after it was revealed that most legislators did not comply with the provisions of the Act upon entering public office.
“The public register was flawed from the beginning and that is part of why we got into a problem with that, it was flawed. Because when it was passed it was toothless,” Dr Wheatley stated.
The Deputy Premier argued that any similar occurrence should be avoided by suitably establishing and empowering the Integrity Commission through the Integrity in Public Life Act.
“If you don’t give the Commission powers it will be toothless, and we have passed enough pieces of toothless legislation in here, just to say that we passed it,” Dr Wheatley said.
He also pointed to statements made by former Foreign Secretary in the UK, Dominic Raab, about corrupt officials in the BVI.
He said the statements were made on the basis of no evidence being presented. Dr Wheatley said the claims were damaging to the territory’s reputation, financial services sector, tourism sector as well as that of the officials in public office.
He added that the institution of an Integrity Commission sends the right signal to potential investors, residents, visitors and persons who do business with the BVI.
“It sends the right signal to them that we’re serious about preventing acts of corruption and investigating acts of corruption and prosecuting acts of corruption,” the minister said.
UK should’ve helped BVI with its ‘stillborn’ Register of Interests
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Natalio Wheatley, The government of the BVI is corrupt and if you think the COI hasn’t found any corruption you will find out soon. You said that statements were made on the basis of no evidence being presented, the COI has the evidence, you also said the statements were damaging to the tourism sector, that’s a joke because your government has done more damage to the tourism sector than anything else. You need to find a corner and just sit down and shut up.
Thanks to the many politicians who continuously ignore the registrar and in so doing render her office ineffective.
If members of the HOA fail to declare their interests, per the law, simply because enforcement is weak, does that make them honest?
If you know you have to report something and you don’t. That is a lack of integrity and it is not a reach for people to believe corruption.
Do we really need an Integrity Commission cant we just laws and policies with charges and fines attached to them?
We also need to make sure our reporters have access to public documents without hinderance. And they need to step up their game……
You are in Government now Natalio. If you believe the Register of Interest is toothless, why don’t you give it teeth? You love it just the way it is so you can use toothless as an excuse for your ignorance and for breaking the law!
Well you put some teeth in it because it is your job, not mine’s!
So what you call the drug bust … Biggest in BVI History and a high official in the force was involved …. “Team Work of Collaboration “”
2. Money paid out to EZ Shipping through contracts and Premier not aware ….
3.Members went to jail for handling govt money on Board
4. Neighborhood Watch Contracts … no work for money
5. Stimulus package given to people who never fished or farmed …:
6. AC for the sporting complex over priced by thousands …
What you call this ??? Good management !!’
7. Candidates who went up for elections had charges of Ra…
To their name in sush sush corner
Tip of many iceberg What you call dat Mr Whealtley