Webster signals at new stimulus audit gov’t might not want seen
Auditor General (AG), Sonia Webster, has suggested that more audit reports are likely to be forthcoming on the government’s COVID-19 stimulus grant spending which started last year.
Webster gave that indication after being recalled before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) to be questioned by Sir Geoffrey Cox, QC, the lead attorney from of Withers LLP representing ministers of government in the Inquiry.
Sir Geoffrey told the Auditor General that back in June, Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Premier’s Office, Dr Carolyn O’Neal Morton, had requested an extension of one week to submit a response to Webster’s draft audit report, but the request was declined.
Sir Geoffrey said Webster knew on June 10 that she would be required to give evidence before the Commission on June 28. He suggested that if the PS was given one more week to complete her response, then the AG would not have had enough time to finalise her reports for her first appearance before the COI.
Delay tactics?
But Webster sought to correct the record and stated that the Premier’s Office was given almost a month to address the draft report; much more time than is usually given to other ministries and departments when these drafts are issued, she said.
“That was more than sufficient time,“ the Auditor General stated. “I’m sorry they did not send us anything else, we’d been asking and asking, they sent us nothing for 11 months. Are we to assume that within a week they are going to send us something?”
“What I would say to you is that not getting a response from the Premier‘s Office and having them ask me for an extension to that date, it did occur in my mind that they were actually trying to prevent the reports from being finalised,“ Webster added.
She continued: “There might be some information in there that the Premier’s Office does not want us to see and we did some specific searches that brought up some interesting details that are not in this particular report and probably will be in the other report.”
“That was one of the things that was in our minds.”
Webster further denied that her office was at any stage attempting to facilitate any processes in preparing the final audit reports.
The AG said the intention was simply to complete as many audits as possible before moving on to assessing the issue of outstanding annual financial statements, whenever these were received.
“We were faced with a situation where the Premier’s Office was not facilitating our requests and at that stage, we still needed to go ahead and complete our audits,” she added.
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She did well. She handled herself very well… Jeffery out of place with his questions. way to go Sonia. Don’t let them walk over you.
Webster put Jeff QC in his place more than once. She frustrated him in that she wouldn’t say what he wanted. Good for her. She did great and if there were many more people in Government like Ms Webster there wouldn’t be a COI. Jeff QC is having a difficult time defending the guilty. Time to move to the criminal phase. This COI is over. Poor, corrupt and criminal governance. Remove them all and let’s get down the road.
Sonia would be a good choice for the next Premier!
we are a community so accustom of mediocre to the point of when someone actually talk sense youall think they should go into politics. The rest of the world is actually accustom to intelligence
The rest of the world is run by a bunch of equally mediocre people of questionable morals. Only the numbers are bigger. Here they are (allegedly) stealing millions – BoJo, Joe and all the rest have upped the game to billions.
I like this lady because she seems no nonsense and not intimidated by the high powered lawyer hired by the VIP
We want to see the small business stimulus packages list including its recipients
You might have a heart attack.
Why fahie trying to hide this? It is the public’s money, not his own personal.
please Auditor General run at large next election because I believe now that you can handle the affairs of this country better than all that has been there and those that still there. even there lawyer probably still shock to know you have another report to come out soon.you are not telling any lies on these people not a single lie.
No – do not run for next premier. It’s people like you who are needed to fearlessly address corruption.
Permanent Secretaries and Senior Senior Administration Officers should be able to answer these questions.
No land to till
Rocks in the sea still
Rich pirates returned
Gold for your land
Which soon went fallow
From surviving
To thriving
Was never enough
Too many eyes
On too many jewels
Made once proud sailors
Into greedy fools
If Sonia Webster ran for election now she could win. Unfortunately people like her won’t mix themselves up with the dirty low level politics we like to play here. I hope everyone understands clearly that the shred of dignity this country is holding on to right now is thanks to the likes of Mrs. Webster, the Internal Auditor, Mrs. Corea, Mrs. Varlack, Dawn Smith, etc. and gentlemen like Mr. Smith the Permanent Secretary from Natural Resources I believe. Thank God the Civil Service has some decent, honest, intelligent people clinging to the sides of this country.
Ms. Webster needs to continue in the Auditor General post or perhaps transition to Financial Secretary. She doesn’t need to run for elected office, she needs to be a watchdog ensuring that no matter who is in power order shall be kept. She made me proud how she handled that condescending lawyer representing the Attorney General.
@Agree, I understand that AG was or is married to a lawyer and she is also a lawyer, I love she handled Geoffrey Cox
nuff respect to you miss ? you have set an example of integrity that those HYPOCRITES needs to get aQuainted with ,or their offspring might be tainted with their sins / and hopefully the youths won’t follow in their footsteps
Ms. Webster was impressive from the beginning. I ache for what the wasted money numerous government parties have paid out, at their whim. The BVI. Pulse have had the best Schools, roads, water plants, sewerage, energy,, etc. All any sane & intelligent person just has to do is look around. Who owns the big houses, who owns the buildings (that are then rented to government) ….. wake up people. We deserve so MUCH better. I, personally, still want to know where all the money went that individuals (friends, family & tourists) sent to the BVI after the destruction of hurricane IRMA,to aid with the rebuilding ??
Where was government after Irma at the outer islands. We never saw a face of any minister or Premier or the D9 rep for more than two weeks if not longer. It was Vincent Wheatley, Sharon Flax Mars & private citizens on VG who held the island and its people together. Where did all the money go that was sent for the rebuilding of VG ? We still want to know.
“Where did all the money go that was sent for the rebuilding of VG ? We still want to know”
Ask the same Vincent & Shereen about that money. Vincent never one day gave an account for all the donated monies. Ask him please!!!
Where did Post Office GENERATORS go after IRMA I
did not get one nor did I sign for one. Still asking