We didn’t have any time to put out bid for $750K PR contract — Fahie
The government’s decision to issue a marketing and public relations contract for which the tender process was waived, has been staunchly defended by Premier Andrew Fahie.
Premier Fahie suggested at a recent press briefing that his government had insufficient time to hire the firm, to Maitland Consultancy, that was issued a $750,000 contract to provide “integrated communications support” to rebuild and promote the brand image of the BVI.
With the Commission of Inquiry (COI) now complete and its report pending, the Premier said the country was forced to do damage control to protect its image and its tourism product.
“We trade on our name. Our name is all that we have,” the Premier maintained. “And when persons go after our name internationally like that without waiting for the results, they’re saying that you’re already guilty before the report was done and that those things, sometimes you never come back from them.”
He added: “So with that, I say that we have to make sure the that we continue to recognise those areas of concern that would have destroyed our name and make sure that we employ right away — we didn’t have any time employ right away — not only the public relation part of it, but also the legal part to make sure that we have legal representation.”
Gangsters not running the country
In further defending the tender waiver for the contract, the Premier reflected on allegations put forward by former Governor Augustus Jaspert at the COI that the government was in league with drug dealers.
“He went really deep, and while I respect governors, I thought that that was uncalled for because you are preempting the findings of the report by saying those things,” the Premier argued.
He continued: “And at the end of the day the country had to look about its image, because we have financial services, we have a tourism product and persons internationally hearing these kinds of things would think that there’s a set of gangsters running the country.”
The territory’s leader also reinforced his argument by suggesting that there was no tender process involved as the former governor selected the members of the UK-funded Commission of Inquiry.
“If there’s a specific area that you are looking into, allow it to take this course because, remember, under the law, the governor is the one that selects the Commissioner of Inquiry and there was no tender process that was done there, as far as I know,” the Premier said.
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The COI report cannot come soon enough. The delay is giving these cr**ks more time to steel from us the people. Governor please don’t leave this until June, we will be bankrupt!
BVI is nature’s dirty little secret
But you do not even know what the COI has to say yet. How can you attempt to do damage control if you are yet to know what damage there is?
Unless of course, this happens to be rhetorical in nature and you already have a very good idea of what damage is to come.
Which is it?
We saw the COI live on YouTube – we know what sort of skullduggery has been taking place.
Your “image” wouldn’t be in need of repair if you spent this money on the high school. Your image would not be in need of repair if you STOPPED waiving the tender process
At least the company concerned is a well established PR company based in London with no obvious local connections.
The BVI has needed a better image around the world after years of unrelenting, tax haven type negative publicity.
Far more concerning is the actual damage this administration is doing to our tourist product.
Rousting tourists with Guns and dogs, draconian enforcement of rules with no regard to the damage caused, Covid protocols behind rest of world, it’s man is out of touch.
He is indeed out of touch.
“We trade on our (VIP) name. Our (VIP) name is all that we have,” the Premier maintained. “And when persons go after our (VIP) name internationally like that without waiting for the results, they’re saying that you’re already guilty before the report was done and that those things, sometimes you never come back from them.”
He added: “So with that, I say that we have to make sure the that we continue to recognise those areas of concern that would have destroyed our (VIP) name and make sure that we employ right away — we didn’t have any time employ right away — not only the public relation part of it, but also the legal part to make sure that we have legal representation.”
The consultancy of Maitland is only to control the damage to Andrew Fahie and his party for political lobbying.
Andie, you ain’t disputing Jaspers when 4 million appear from an anonymous source to fix the high school. If any regular person show up at a bank with 4 mil that he/ she can’t give a transparent account of how and from who we get it, we’d be in jail because it look like we in league with drug dealers. What an idiot government we have.
that’s a bit ridiculous anyone can give a gift. Even if they dropped it off in a suitcase how could anyone who is in need turn that down to fix a school. If you were bit by a shark but knew the ambulance was funded by shady deals would you turn it down?
Reminds of the times when black men would get pulled over for driving nice cars. In addition you dont know the race of the donor but you’ve already assumed they shouldnt be able to afford the donation.
Total b.s, hurry and arrest this guy please u.k
These man know how to raid the treasury for fuc*$rey.
It is not the BVI accused of these things, it is A Fahie and other politicians.
He is defending the name of himself not the BVI – and using our money to do so.
Like his personal bank!
All I gonna say is if yall vote for them again next election take what ayo get eh… You cant say you didn’t know better
This is pretty much 100% the reason there is a COI in the first place. Spending money on things that are only good for the people in power – and not useful to the general population.
Stealing money is one thing, but being too busy to at least try to conceal it is just STUPID.
Like Forest Gump said, ‘You can’t fix Stupid’
But after the hurricane when the NDP was trying to fix back the place you were going down to the governor telling him that they are waiving the tender process for doing building repairs that were necessary for our recovery and hear you are doing far worse than what you went to governor about. You make me sick Andrew Fahie. Can’t wait to get rid of you.
You didn’t have time to follow the correct procedures before you spend three-quarters of a million dollars???
Wow – This is fiscal mismanagement at the highest level. This is corruption at the highest level.
Andrew Fahie, The people of the BVI don’t have a bad name, you and your Government are the ones with the bad names. What you have done to the BVI is going to take more than $750,000.00 to fix it and as far as the tourist goes a lot of them won’t be back until you are out of office.What you and customs have done to the Marine tourist industry will take a while to come back because you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
You think we can make it on cruise ships but you are wrong. You have destroyed these Islands, now you want to use our money to try and fix it. The UK will fix all of you.
The relevant aphorism is proper planning prevents poor performance.
Everytime this guy opens his mouth, demonstrates how corrupt, silly and uneghical he is. Andrew Fahie keep your mouth shut. You did not have time to put this contract out to tender? Wtf you wanted your end back in haste so you void the tender process? You really need locking up.
LET THE BIG GUT SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS ? CONFESSION B IS GOOD FOR HIS SOUL , I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR CSC AND MISTER ARROGANCE SPILL THEIR SKILLS
So now we know how much of our money this venal political class will go for a pre-emptive whitewash job.
How can you hire a PR company to do damage control when you don’t even know of any damage? The report has not been published. So you’re paying 750k for a company to standby? What difference will it make if they are hired now or later? The investigation and its results will still come out in the same way. Are they going to stop the news from being published?
Is this needed to counter the effects of the tactless policies and financial bullying from HM Customs? That will need A LOT of work!
Or maybe this is for mending the fences of “As Premier I should have seen this coming but I was so focused on grabbing the money that I wasn’t seeing straight.”
Damage Control is not what we want in a leadership role.
I guess based on the Premier’s arrest on money laundering & drug running that the former Governor was correct!!!
Time to clean house.