Untrue! Gov’t dismisses accusations made in relation to BVIEC board
By Kamal Haynes, BVI News Staff
Minister with responsibility for the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Kye Rymer has denounced claims made in the House of Assembly that he ‘unceremoniously’ dismissed the corporation’s former board.
The dismissal claims had been put forward by the former portfolio minister and current Opposition legislator, Mark Vanterpool. Vanterpool levelled those assertions ahead of the official appointment of the BVIEC’s new chairwoman Rosemary Flax, who gained full approval from both government and opposition members.
“Hearing that the previous board — of which I had much respect for — were dismissed ‘unceremoniously’, I think that claim is untruthful and the member that mentioned it needs to correct what he said because it is not in me to be unceremonious in the tasks that I carry out,” Minister Rymer stated.
Formal meeting done out of respect
He further said that the decision to dissolve the former BVIEC’s board was made at a Cabinet meeting. Rymer said he subsequently opted to deliver the news to the board members in person; which he said was a gesture of respect.
“With the respect that I had for the board and their members and the work that they carried out, I thought it was fitting for me as the minister to then meet with the board and let them know without hearing it on the street or just receiving a letter that they were dismissed,” the minister explained.
“I took it upon myself to meet with the board and show my appreciation and my gratitude for the work that they had done pre and post-hurricane and the agenda that they had taken as the previous administration had laid out for them,” he further said,
Untrue accusations made to tarnish gov’t, says Premier
Premier Andrew Fahie described the claims against his administration as an attempt by some members of the parliamentary Opposition to tarnish the reputation of his government with untrue accusations.
He said: “I’m not going to sit here and let anybody throw a set of mud on the wall and hope that it sticks on this government with things that are not factual. The Opposition has a right to get up and defend who come to them but not with so many allegations and accusations and insinuations by going after people’s reputation. No. That is wrong.”
Evidence prove allegation is false
One of the so-called allegations the Premier singled out was a claim that a specific board member from the BVIEC was sacked.
“I come here today to hear how we took off [from the board] Ms Pearl Smith and how bad we treat Ms Pearl Smith. But Ms Pearl Smith is on the board, you know,” Premier Fahie stated.
“They didn’t stop to read the document. Ms Pearl Smith is one of the members who are back on the board. So, if I don’t say these things now, it would go out there that we throw Ms Pearl Smith on the side and she gone,” the Premier added.
Fahie further disclosed that other members from the BVIEC’s former board were also retained under the new one to allow for continuity.
The Premier then defended his administration’s decision to disband the former board.
“Our government is a firm believer that the term of any board should be within the term of a sitting government because the history of boards is that they are serving at the pleasure of the minister and the Cabinet when he makes a decision to carry out the mandate of government.”
Board selections will always have its critics
Premier Fahie said he has been trying to find the perfect balance in the forming of new boards. He said he believes there will be persons who criticise regardless of the final outcome.
“I got one side of the people of the party that I am with telling me that I’m putting people on boards who aren’t with us (politically), and you have the Opposition telling me I’m putting everybody who with us on boards. I’m confused. You ‘do’ [and] you’re in trouble. [And if] you don’t do, you’re in trouble.”
“It is the first time that I have been in politics and recognised that a government gone in and several persons expect that everything be done right away, and no selection for any board is good unless the same status quo who mashed it up tell you that it is good,” the Premier said.
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Fahie was on fire yesterday. I made some similar comments listing a lot of the former members of government, NDP or family that we’re given contracts or hired by NDP to be on various boards. Stuff that you can find immediately by doing a simple google search but it appears that my comment wasn’t posted.
Boards should be carrying out the mandate of the TERRITORY not the mandate of any government and that is why we are in the situation we find ourselves in now…utter rubbish
Different boards might have different visions on how to achieve their goals or different agendas. The boards have to have or share similar visions to the current government. For example imagine a board selected by a republican and currently serving in a democratic government. The republicans typically don’t believe in climate change so they would not pursue anything based on going green and they would approve all kind of manufacturing plants that spew harmful stuff in the air. VIP and NDP have different agendas as well based on their manifestos.
what the h**l you know about the republicans? you are obviously stupid, but you shouldn’t have to show it.
Allow me to offer you just a small tip J@ck@$$.You should always begin your sentence with capital letters. On that note I will not respond to your question as it is obvious that you did not complete primary school and I have little time for fools.
The best board BVIEC had was when AO Shirley was the chairman. The opposition member need to go siddown, when he nephew was running for election he mek them pay he a turn load ah money, what his backside did not deserve. the P***er boy was a weakling mark had he doing thing without the manager knowing.
Smh
So you saying he shouldn’t have gotten pay for his years of service?? But anyways I guess you’re blind to what the VIP is doing…. K.f, P.L, O.M, C., Z.w-M, L.H, C.S-C, all of whom are VIP contingent have already been place in high post to benefit from all in less than a year but Fahie think we not noticing…. up to now we have yet to hear of a figure for the cost of the stage from festival which,plus the many waived tender projects that was awarded to their colleagues…. it’s only a matter of time before K.D. would be back in the country to take up a big post within the government also the M****e family, l**e family already milking the government… 8years of NDP is way Better the 1year of the VIP yes I said so…
These boards are made up of all types of people, excons, money launderers etc etc
Under the NDP them Boards robbed us blind so what the hell if they get change up now because they can’t do any worse.
Don’t put back none who was there before because we want a change.
Why I can’t get on a board? I spend all my life defending VIP. Like only certain people have sense in this country. I got both commom and capital sense too. Cha man! Share and share alike. Everybody should eat. SMH.
@Ah sah
We are in the same predicament and I believe we have much more company. I have been a Vip supporter for as long as I can remember; perhaps to, as intensely as if I was on the ticket. I consider myself skilled, educated, traveled, (around the Caribbean, South America, Europe and the US) and could fit in in different areas. My work history includes tourism, promoted bvi tourism in the US market, attended CTA Tourism conferences in Puerto Rico and Venezuela; worked in insurance, auto sales, real estate and the restaurant business. This past election in particular, I worked my A**s off online, in the homes, FB, motorcades, blogs etc towards a Vip victory. What do I have to show? Not a darn thing. Not that I support a political party in order to get on government’s Gravy Train. Heck no!. I simply like the idea of government under which “all boats float when the tide rises”. I believe we are one people with a common history; all deserving and desiring to prosper during this brief lifetime.
Here’s a story to prove my point of my connection to Vip. Some years ago; during festival celebration on Tortola I was at a booth in the village having a few drinks with some other guys. At some point I asked a supporter of another party why he wouldn’t try to win me over. His response was that I was to far gone (with Vip) he had given up hope on me as being redeemable. Just this past election another party candidate branded me as having drank the Green Cool aid. So here I am. No matter the party in power pr the color of the Cool aid, I’m still “up creek without a paddle”