‘Untold corruption’, ‘drug-pushing officials’ not reflected in COI report
The level of corruption among public officials in the BVI that was expected to be found once the Commission of Inquiry (COI) was completed did not materialise in any way.
This was the suggestion offered by Territorial At-Large Representative Carvin Malone when he appeared in the House of Assembly (HOA) recently.
“What was said in that Commission of Inquiry — what it led to; it said that basically, we have corruption untold,” Malone stated. “Public officials were taking money, giving it to the family, giving it to the friends, and distributing it willy nilly. That’s what was purported.”
He said the affidavit that prompted the COI needed to be seen to determine whether the allegations of corruption indeed had true merit.
Malone said some House members have argued that UK MPs don’t have a clue what is taking place in the BVI, yet they have alleged that BVI legislators “are in here taking the stuff”.
“I don’t know of any other member, but I did not use any of it and the records will have to bear it out,” Malone said.
“[They] said we were drug pushing officials. None of the records shows it,” he further contended.
Fahie’s arrest had more to do with COI’s release
Malone suggested that contrary to what was said publicly by the governor, the arrest of former Premier Andrew Fahie on charges of drug smuggling and money laundering had much to do with the earlier-than-expected release of the COI report.
“They said that the arrest will have nothing to do with this Commission of Inquiry. I would beg to differ. We’ll have to see exactly where the proof lies out,” Malone stated.
“An affidavit had to be filed because while everyone here in the Virgin Islands was saying that the arrest on the 28th of April had nothing to do with the early release of the report,” Malone said, “when you look at the reports coming out of the UK, it was a different story.
He added: “The story was the arrest shows and justifies why the Commission of Inquiry needed to take place. So there is a disconnect there as far as I am concerned.”
The first-term legislator further argued that the UK-sanctioned Commission of Inquiry began as the territory was under lockdown during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that instead of receiving millions of dollars in aid, the BVI was gifted with a Commission of Inquiry.
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Better to remain silent and thought a fool, than to speak and…
And go do what you do BEST..eat popcorn!
EITHER YOU GUYS WAS GOOD AT COVERING YOUR TRACKS ,OR THE BRITS MAKING SURE THAT NO STONE IS LEFT UNTURNED ? SO KEEP ON SINGING
is everything in politics. The quiet non-marching law abiding majority of BVI residents enjoyed the clever sequence of political events in the last 3 days of April 2022.
The COI was done by an experienced judge and lawyers. Why do these ministers continue to focus on what the COI said or did not say; instead, focus on the recommendations.
The first of grief is denial. We will never grow as a society until we reach the level of acceptance.
No, the COI was part 1, the FEDS was part 2 with a big bang. Why don’t you go and reprimand them.
Carvin, think about what you are saying. The COI did not find evidence of corruption among public officials in the way you describe because that was outside the the Commissioner’s terms of reference. It would require a criminal investigation conducted by police officers using criminal investigation powers. Think about it: public officers who are corrupt do not leave a paper trail of evidence that can be produced to the COI.
@Talking Truth Just look at the Pier Park. There wasn’t even enough documentation to do an audit!
I like Carvin. I think he should open a chicken bus and leave the thinking to those better equipped.
do you really think that those stunts you you all used with the mastermind of the yellow site is going to work again in the next election ?
BEGGED FOR BY THE DUDE IN MIAMI ❓ ? ❓
Just so much babble from all the legislators. All talk with nothing being produced.. At least Sheep and Carvin (although meaningless babbling) got a slot in the news today instead of the “I” man, who can’t answer a question when asked.. Just “I”, “I”, “I”. They all need to go away.
Your Government is the most corrupt some of us have experienced in the Caribbean.
You push your people to work in jobs that they hate because they are so lazy. They expect to come to work get paid for doing nothing and can’t even be respectful to their employers. It is a shame that you have BVI business owned by locals who treat their own people worse than the expat business and this is allowed by the Labour Department.
Both vip and ndp corrupt. Some contesting against because their ego was crushed.