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There is nobody for a gov’t minister to complain to — Fraser

Fraser

Veteran legislator Julian Fraser has said government ministers have no one they can complain to if they have a disagreement with their Premier.

Giving evidence before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recently, Fraser made it clear that he was not suggesting premiers abuse their ministers.

Rather, he was making the point that sometimes a government minister is given a directive from their Premier and he/she has no choice but to comply or demit office.

Fraser — a former Works Minister in a previous Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government that was in office a decade ago — said this was effectively the case when his brothers were awarded a contract under his ministry. They bypassed his authority and went directly to his Premier at the time, Ralph T O’Neal, for work.

“I don’t know what the public perception would be, but they know that they didn’t get any work through me or from me,” Fraser said.

The legislator told the COI at that because his brothers knew that he was not going to offer them a government contract under his ministry, someone else advised them to seek assistance from Premier O’Neal.

“In my own ministry, there were times when other things happened because people went to the Premier,” Fraser said.

Asked to give examples of instances where this might have happened, Fraser responded, “No, no I’m not going there.”

“The Premier in any administration is basically omnipotent,” Fraser stated. It was against this backdrop that the legislator said there is no one constitutionally in place for ministers to submit a complaint against their boss, the Premier.

“When it comes to a Minister and a Premier, you are literally at his or her mercy,” Fraser said.

On the other hand, he said a Permanent Secretary can always complain to the Deputy Governor about a minister.

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12 Comments

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  1. L Ipton says:

    How was it then that the current Premier whilst in opposition made his way to the Governor with complaints on the former Premier and his ministers?

    It clearly shows then that ministers are merely puppets of the Premier

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  2. Earl says:

    Haha … bringing up the subject of works done by brothers as if nothing to hide and then making excuses for it beforehand….

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  3. SMH says:

    Time for Ministers to grow strong backbones and speak out against what may be deemed unnecessary and unfit for the Territory. Remember it was the Electors decision to elect the Government. Youll selected amongst you’ll self the Premier. Be bold enough and represent the Voters in letting the Premier knows when he is Out of Bound.

  4. True Boss says:

    Ummm.. complain to the governor, he represents the one really in charge here…

  5. Hmmm Sad says:

    There is nobody for the public to complain to either. If a magistrate does wrong, to whom does one file a complaint?

  6. Guest says:

    The Lord….but then again some politicians might be too scared of them……..

  7. WELL says:

    looks like the 3rd getting bhis groove back , or is it another episode of (what neX ) or the third striking forward ?

  8. Rubber Duck says:

    Who do we complain to when a minister spends $1.4 million of our money on a bulkhead or a wall and the money allegedly goes to his family or cronies and we don’t have either a bulkhead or a wall.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1

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