BVI News

Vanterpool didn’t file any interest declarations for roughly six years

Mark Vanterpool, who was appointed to head the committee responsible to police Register of Interest, hadn’t made a single declaration into the register for more than five years.

Fourth District Representative and former minister in the previous NDP administration, Mark Vanterpool did not file any declarations of interest for up to six years during a period while he was in government.

All member of the House of Assembly (HOA) are required annually to declare their private business, properties, and relevant assets into the Register of Interests, which is essentially a record kept of any private interests that may conflict or may be perceived to conflict with their public duties.

Vanterpool confirmed his more than half-decade-long delinquency to make declarations when he appeared before the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI) last Friday.

The legislator who served in the House of Assembly (HOA) at the time the Register of Interest Act came into force in 2008, also served previously as the first head of the Standing Select Committee (SSC) responsible for oversight of the register of interests in HOA in 2016.

The committee reportedly only met once in 2017 after its establishment and during Vanterpool’s tenure as the head.

Vanterpool acknowledged that a conflict of interest could be seen in his chairmanship of the SSC and his habitual non-compliance with his obligations regarding the Register of Interests Act.

A section at the end of a report that former Registrar, Victoreen Romney-Varlack prepared for the former Governor, Augustus Jaspert, said: “The Honourable Mark Vanterpool did not file a single declaration for the period 2011-2018.

Vanterpool corrected the record to show that he did indeed file a declaration for 2017 and the legislator was only late in making declarations after 2016. Further to this, he volunteered to tell the COI he inadvertently neglected to declare two of the businesses he owned during the times he actually made declarations.

The legislator also confirmed that he received reminder letters from the former Registrar to file his declarations on time.

Curiously unanswered questions

Leading up to his hearing on Friday, the COI had asked Vanterpool through a questionnaire whether he ever failed at any time to comply with his obligations in making declarations of interest. The document also asked for a full explanation of why he did not make a declaration if that was the case.

However, it was brought to his attention on Friday that those questions went entirely unanswered in the document with the responses he submitted to the COI.

Vanterpool instead chose to enclose copies of previous submissions he filed with the Registrar as his response to the questions.

“Why didn’t you disclose that for six years, you had not even filed a single declaration?” COI attorney Bilal Rawat asked the Opposition legislator.

Vanterpool, in response said: “Commissioner, I would not try to defend anything or try to make an excuse. It was not done. It was negligent on my part and I have learnt my lesson from that and that something of such importance, I would suggest — especially for the purpose of the future, persons involved — that it need not be negligent on important matters like this and I don’t have any specific reasons I can give you to make an excuse to that.”

After confirming that the filing of declarations was an important task, Vanterpool was asked why he found it to be such an onerous obligation.

He declined to accept that characterisation and instead stuck to his earlier statement that he was simply negligent and offered that he would not add or subtract from that description.

“That is the best explanation I can give,” Vanterpool stated.

Follow BVI New’s coverage of the 2021 Commission of Inquiry on Instagram @BVINewsOnline #TrackingTransparency at www.bvinews.com.

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46 Comments

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  1. Missing in Action says:

    It appears the “Action Man” was missing in action for an entire 6 years when it came to declaring his interest with the registrar. That pretty much covers a significant period of his tenure in government.

    He said he was “negligent”. I agree. Shame on him.

    Now, saying one is negligent is just a cop out to close down discussion. But not so fast Mark. Why did you not file your interest in those 6 years?

    Like 58
    Dislike 2
    • Beach Boy Minister says:

      We all have our POPCORN and will be watching cause beach boy always have urine to post on his facebook page

      Like 24
      Dislike 1
      • Boi O Boi says:

        Cancel the constitution and let’s start all over again with closer supervision, more transparency and a plan to improve our education, eliminate the drug cartels, create more sustainable industries.

        Like 10
        Dislike 1
      • LMAO POP CORNNN says:

        Commissioner: “is there any other statement you want to make today?”

        Beach Boy: “no”

        Commissioner: “Um,GOOD!”

        LOL LOL LOL

    • SMH says:

      What a damn shame on these Legislatures. Clearly this demonstrates their lack of being transpatent much less honest. No Integrity No Moral Scupples, Just Greed!

      Like 51
      • Rubber Duck says:

        If you never write anything down no one can accuse you of lying.

        If you never have the committee that is supposed to enforce the reporting , you cant get into trouble for not doing it.

        Makes life simple for the corrupt.

        Like 19
      • Too much movies says:

        LMFAOO….Ronnie just said kidnapping and being held for ransom LOL LOL …..on a small island like this bro???? I can’t believe the things I’ve heard since this inquiry started.

    • Jiffy Pop says:

      Carvin always have time to sit on the beach and making Facebook posts, but dude ain’t got time to file his papers and blaming it on Covid…..and like the commissioner pointed out, Covid didnt prevent the Registrar from doing he job. LOL

      Like 11
    • The real issue says:

      The worst thing about the whole COI is those paintings behind the witnesses. Why on earth are they not symmetrical? It looks terrible. How can we claim to be a mature democracy with such poor interior design?

      Like 10
      • To The real issue says:

        LOL I found the paintings a bit distracting especially the oddly placed one at the corner (right)

  2. OHHH SIR! says:

    EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, YOUR TITLE AS STATESMAN HAS ENDED FOR ME.

    Like 39
    Dislike 1
  3. heckler says:

    This man only functions when he is in government. When he is opposition he is useless

    Like 22
  4. seekabay says:

    This culprit is far worst than the esteemed one but ayo only hating on the good speaker

    Like 4
    Dislike 42
  5. Mestizo says:

    Now I see why it is so important the BVI to become independent.

    Like 8
    Dislike 34
  6. QUESTION says:

    How many hours does it take to fill out the form of Register of Interest.?

    Like 15
  7. Windy says:

    Love to know how much he made from the government during to shut down, food distribution debacle.

    Like 40
    • Imagine says:

      So much money that he now owns Pussers and is opening another One Mart in the East.

      • @Imagine says:

        Let’s not forget the property in Free Bottom and the one he now have Pockwood Pond. Look out for the next kmarks to go up down there.

  8. my suggestion says:

    Make them declare before nomination day and if they don’t then it will be grounds for forfeiture

    Like 40
    Dislike 1
    • @ My Suggestion..I will say before swearing in.. says:

      The Governor should be presented with their declaration of interest before swearing them in….That need to be the policy going foeward..The Governor can make that policy..

      Like 10
  9. Ahem... says:

    JAIL! NEXTTTTTTTT!

    Like 10
  10. Ports worker says:

    And all the container Tax and Customs duty in those super market containers that left PP without stopping or Seals ???

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  11. Mr.Pause says:

    I thought he would have been given the entire DAY seeing of how many times this dud€ does pause when talking LOL LOL (munching on pop corn and enjoying this inquiry)

    • Hotel as Prison... says:

      Think of the amount of official break the law commit with intent, wilful..It seems like we will have to Use Lambert beat Resort as a Prison for these officials..

  12. Thing to talk says:

    I just listened to the testimony of former Speaker Mrs. Moses-Scatliffe and I gave her an A+. She was calm, dignified and answered respectfully. What a drastic contrast from the current Speaker who acted like a der***ed lu***ic. His actions have done more harm to this country than good. He and his supporters can continue to think they can make rules for the masses while disobeying the rules that are supposed to govern them. I expect this CoI to go on for years.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
    • yup says:

      A man sat in front of a commission of inquiry board for an inquiry that has a predetermined out come and not only defended himself but also defended the BVI as a whole.

      And you want to talk nonsense about such a man? Sounds to me like the only person who is deranged is you my friend wake up

      Like 1
      Dislike 13
  13. Ting To Talk ( Part 2 ) says:

    # ( 1 ) Deh Dawg In Deh House. # ( 5 ) Ting To Talk # ( 8 ) Shake Up Shake Up This is the VOTERS HOUSE, “HOW SWEET IT IS “

  14. Judith says:

    He just take over pusser a month now and allegedly cant pay his staff

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
    • To Judith says:

      Ohhh my. I hope that’s not true cause I prefer the staff their than the staff at The P_b…have one ugly h@g does act like she own the place. Pussers is my place to go,round of applause for their great customer service skills.

  15. He was in and out quickly says:

    He didnt show up to fight, or to make excuses, or to create hurdles, he man up in a respectful way, apologize and he was out of there….Yep..The way to go.

  16. @ My Suggestion..I will say before swearing in.. says:

    The Governor should be presented with their declaration of interest before swearing them in….That need to be the policy going foeward..The Governor can make that policy..

  17. 1EYE says:

    Makes me wonder what the former governor was doing. He seems to have been onesided with his Government preference as to what’s an important issue or not. Gross years of negligence by the NDP Administration yet he engaged in public feuding with VIP administration.

    Like 1
    Dislike 10
  18. Haha says:

    This is the man that fought to get into the HOA because he wanted to show Willock who had the bigger b@ll$. Funny thing is he is still absent a lot so it was just a waste of time and money. He should have just resume his resignation and let someone with the passion and time for politics to take over.

  19. SMFH says:

    Watching the final verdict on the Register of interest I am ashamed how NDP brought shame to the VI. They made a law, broke the law and then failed to enforce the law. The Registrar complained to the Governor, to Dr.Smith, to Mark who was supposed to be the person who would deal with the people who were in breach. Mark was the like the rat that was put in charge of the cheese. He like Marlon rarely held meetings and they were the biggest breaches.

    • @SMFH says:

      exactly; then once the comittee was developed, appointed himself chair of the comittee?

      We let this happen!

      • Anonymous says:

        The COI shouldn’t take all the credit for exposing the lapses though because this was reported years ago but nobody cared enough due to politics at the time. NDP had everybody wrapped around their fingers to the point they were screwing everything up while pretending to be our knights in shining armor. You can forgive most of the current members for their ignorance except the Premier, Marlon,Mitch, Mark and Fraser.

  20. I got 3 words for you... says:

    BVI Investment Club. Ask him about that!?
    That whole deal is a crime against the whole country. All them legislators dipping into the cookie jar on that one. They also mess up Virgin Gorda for ever (even before Irma hit)

  21. Windy says:

    Wonder what his status is with social security & NHI payments for his employees ?

  22. rastarite says:

    How can this legislator do his job if he is so busy running a supermarket and now restaurants. And then FAILING to report these outside interests. The whole debacle stinks

  23. ReX FeRaL says:

    Wrong is wrong= to is wrong.

  24. HMMM says:

    THESE GREEDY MO**ERF**KING POLITICIANS DOES ONLY CARE BOUT THEMSELVES WEN THEM GET IN AND THEY TAKE IT SO HARD JUST TO GIVE WE THE PEOPLE SOME CHANGE TO HELP PEOPLE OUT. THEM ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING BROKES AND THEY THE SAME ONE ROBBING THE MONEY DOING S**T

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