BVI News

Where’s the rest? Omitting last 10 months of Cabinet decisions a major concern

Penn

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has said he believes the government’s recent decision to resume the publication of Cabinet’s post-meeting statements but excluding those made in the last 10 months of 2020, raises many major concerns.

Just weeks after the publication of a BVI News article about the absence of decisions made by Cabinet, the government announced the resumption of post-meeting publications from February 11, 2021; only backdating to January 7, 2021.

Speaking to our news centre following Cabinet’s first publication in roughly a year, Penn urged the government to put measures in place to ensure the missing 10 months of Cabinet decisions from February 2020 are also made available to the public for full transparency.

“This decision concerns me because we will have almost 10 months of decisions made by Cabinet not known to the media and the general public. At a time when the Cabinet met more frequently,” Penn stated.

“This is a slap in the face of transparency and good governance, which this process — a process started under the last administration — provides for; and considering this administration campaigned so heavily about the issue of transparency and accountability,” he added.

Executive information to important to be omitted

While stating he believes the BVI News article caused the government to address the issue, Penn said the excuse given by the Fahie administration was not enough.

According to government, twice as many Cabinet meetings were held in 2020 when compared to 42 in 2019. However, the Fahie administration claims the COVID-19 crisis was the reason the publishing of the statements were halted.

“I agree it might have been a reason but the work of the executive is too important to the territory for the Premier not to provide the necessary resources to the Cabinet’s Office to execute this very important exercise of being transparent and accountable,” Penn stated.

He added: “So I hold the executive totally responsible for the 10-month delay in publishing decisions and those decisions need to be published so that the public can know what was done on their behalf by the executive.”

Penn also vouched for the persons working in Cabinet, labelling them as hard-working people behind the scene.

He said he believes these persons are not to be blamed for the halt in the publications and said the government should have provided the department with additional resources to assist with managing the increased workload.

 

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38 Comments

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  1. Gadget says:

    Typical Marlon Penn. I was waiting for the stinka to jump on these brownie points. You are a poor leader. You too kept your mouth shut for 10 months. You are an e**l b***side waiting to get in the government purse so you could divert money just like the alleged sewage money. Myron makes a better leader of business than your nasty b***side although he is a moron too. You score s**t today just like the s**t you are.

    Like 7
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    • Bitter Much says:

      Lets keep our conversation civil and constructive. I see that this is difficult for some of you because you’re fighting for your Supper. Your apparent personal attack at Hon. Penn doesn’t change the fact that decisions have been absent for almost a year and the Government refuses to publish them. Why wouldn’t they for the sake of transparency? Do they have something to hide? If not just publish the old decision and be done with it. That is all we the people of this territory care about. Not your petty, juvenile rant.

      Like 30
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      • @Bitter says:

        Don’t mind them! They think that people scared of them but they will learn. All the Premier had to say is that at the time there were limited resources but they are currently working on getting the backlog decisions documented and published, simple! But no, that’s too easy, they have to flex muscle and behave like f**king jackasses. Then we wonder why there’s a COI barely 2 years into this administration?

        Like 11
      • @bitter much says:

        Juvenile you mudda. Wha the diference with the sewage money he let he government move and he shut he mouth. wha he whining for. Smruf only want run he mouth when it conveniant. Get from here

        Like 4
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        • @@bitter much says:

          You’re a real simpleton and not worthy of a response. This is the 4th time I’ve seen something about this issue in the media. The situation with the sewage Happened in 2015 and we’re in 2021 and he spoke many times about it. Typical VIP lies. This Government had been their 2 years what have they done about the sewage!? I will wait On a response. Keep your simple self out of grown people conversations.

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    • Junior says:

      why only now he talking up. people tired these lame politics. them only get them voice to bring down one another.

      Like 6
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      • @junior says:

        Please stop with the lies, this issue was in the media since august of last year. Why is this about bringing down verses holding this government accountable? Members of this government and they supporters feel that no one should challenge them on anything they do. BVI is a democracy not a dictatorship! Hon. Penn please continue to do your job and not be deterred.

  2. Popeye says:

    Where is the whistleblower law that we were promised?

    Like 18
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    • To Popeye says:

      If you wasn’t so busy trying to be negative you would have heard that the government stated publicly that it went to Cabinet and is on its way to the House of Assembly.

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  3. Smith says:

    Good job Marlon, keep on them. The Cabinet office did not need any extra resources to get this done, that is pure nonsense. The issue here is that the Government thought that during the height of the COVID lockdowns etc. that it was an opportune time to push through certain things hoping that the populace will be busy being scared to notice. Now that they have been called out on fooling the people, they rush out with some half-baked nonsense story. You would think with a COI currently in progress we could get more honest and detailed answers from these guys but no, they continue to play games with the future of this Territory. Publish the Cabinet meetings NOW!

    Like 29
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    • @Smith says:

      Your post is quite nieve and misleading. Covid-19 has not been an easy time for all governments worldwide. It is clear that the significant increased Cabinet meetings played a major role in the delayed publishing of all decisions but they are all being released weekly as of late so what is this guy’s issue other than trying to be Premier when he can’t even run an Opposition.

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      • Obvious Issue says:

        The issue as I read it Andy Foy is quite obvious, an entire year of cabinet decisions is missing. So we must give the Government a gold star for doing what they should have been doing? And just ignore that they refuse to publish and entire year of decisions that were made?

        This is not about Hon. Penn he has a job to do and quite frankly he’s doing it. It is about what is your government trying to hide. That is the million dollar question.

        Like 25
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      • @@Smith says:

        They were not delayed, they are MISSING! They simply continued from January onwards, where are the others? If they stated they’re being worked on and released later, no problem. But hey have simply skipped over 10 months, say sorry and we will resume now. It doesn’t work like that, now who is being naive?

        Like 18
    • @Smith says:

      Prime example of pot calling the kettle black. Yea mehson keep on them strrrrrrppss. Get Cindy on it now. $5 for this.

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  4. Wonder says:

    And you all wonder why a COI has been called for by the Brits. Now the Foy is going to try and mend his c***ked ways after the fact. The reality is that the entire government stinks and is co***pt from top to bottom including … The only resolution is to have those that are guilty of corruption, theft and treason past and present be incarcerated for a long time to set an example for future politicians. In the meantime an interim government led by the Govenor needs to be set in place to straighten out the entire system, weed out those that are collecting salaries within the government for doing nothing, place knowledgeable people as heads of departments not because the are family, cronies or owed a favor, do away with consultancies and file criminal charges against consultants that took money and failed to do their job. There is not a single segment of the government that doesn’t need overhauling and straightening out. Last, and most vital is to dismiss all of the racial hatred within the government. All Lives Matter!!

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    • Dream Big or Go Home says:

      So you plan to arrest those who in their graves also cause as far as I remember a few was taken to court and found guilty and what came out of it? NOTHING!

      All lives matter and the dead too

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  5. YOUTH says:

    But this shouldn’t be an issue because this is being dealt with and the decisions are coming out now.

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    • @youth says:

      Did you read? The issue isn’t what is coming out now it is what is missing. 10 months missing and no one has a issue with that!?

      Like 11
  6. WOW says:

    Marlon never made sure his government followed any rules and laws but now all of a sudden since he is in the opposition he is an integrity police. What a hypocrite.

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    • @wow says:

      hypocrite police no no integrity He think all we stupid. With all due respect honorable hippo what you practiced is short of anything with integrity. youuuuuu left my district walking in sewage water becasue youuuuuu didnt think we need money to clean up the sewage. hypocrite

      Like 2
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      • Simpletons says:

        You set of simpletons who support the vip that come on these sites posing. With this constant recitation about missing sewage money. The money has been restored what has administration done in 2 years? Try get of the people them website with your petty nonsense and go look work to do from wait on stimulus checks.

  7. Hmmm. says:

    If Marlon and his NDP had published when they give away our $7million dollars for planes we never revieved then we would be better financially.

    Like 7
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    • ? says:

      We want to know about the $40 SSB money?

      Like 17
    • @hmm says:

      You hear talking about a 7 million dollars for a plan that is in the courts. What about the 40m from SSB yet to be accounted for? Or maybe you are one of those fishermen that don’t fish that got a 20k check? Carry on then.

      Like 14
    • Don't get It! says:

      The NDP was voted out for a reason, we’re tired of hearing look what they did! They’re the Government now, what have they done? Since you don’t know, let me tell you.

      – 40 million from SSB as a grant(never to be returned) and unaccounted for
      – Destroyed our marine industry and is blaming Covid
      – Destroyed our Tourism industry and persons out of work and still can’t get our stimulus.
      – Taxed the expatriate community to death
      – Brought shame to country with a Commission of Inquiry in less than 2yrs in office.

      But all this administration could do is blame the NDP they’re a disgrace and must go.

      Like 7
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  8. Clearly says:

    Clearly Marlon is about power and not people. He does not ever intend to be truthful but rather deceitful. All of us have been seeing the cabinet decisions coming out as of late but now he is here trying to make it seem as if it is because of him it is happening. This is deceitful but that is who he is.

    Like 3
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    • Misleader! says:

      What have we been seeing? For the first time reports were published last month. Over 10 months of decisions missing why won’t they publish them? What do they have to hide? So who is deceiving who? Hon. Penn is absolutely correct.

      People of the BVI don’t let these people come on here pulling wool over eyes. What is our government hiding? We need to demand this information.

      Like 16
  9. East End Man says:

    I will never vote for this deceiver again.

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    • @east end man says:

      Try go siddung, you never voted for him in the first place. Smurf keep doing your job and don’t study these set of j^€k ^$$.

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      • myron says:

        The dumbest of the pack and the moron writing all the dumbest statements.

        • OH PLEASE says:

          YOU CAN’T STEP IN MYRON’S SHOES. YOU CAN’T EVEN SIT AND WRITE A PROPER SENTENCE EVEN IF THE TEACHER WAS CRACKING A RULER ACROSS YOUR KNUCKLES. YOU: TEACHER I DON’T KNOW HOW TO FORM A SENTENCE. TEACHER: ONE CRACK ACROSS THE KNUCKLES WITH THE RULER, FIGURE IT OUT DUMMY OR GO SIT IN THE DUNCE CORNER UNTIL YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE A COMMON SENTENCE.

          Like 2
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    • @East End Man says:

      Amen. that makes both of us.

  10. BuzzBvi says:

    Marlon only just noticed the missing Cabinet decisions?

  11. Major Concern says:

    Major Concern indeed. It’s probably the period within which they passed the 21 bills without any public input.

  12. Gadietz says:

    Anybody who don’t see this john crow deceit need a beating.

  13. eadt end says:

    marlon shut up you are putting tou and the ndp in deeper trouble there are secret keepers out there so shut your ghut up NDP has a lot to hide so keep your mouth from talking a host of l*** and other wise you might get a long lpng bill to pay talk about the ndp and what they have dine you might soon have to hold the papers for them shut your mouth up because you might have to stand up and answer for all of them THE COMMISSION SOON COMMING INTERNAL PEOPLE KNOW STUFF TOO

  14. What a ting says:

    Talking about the issue at hand does not make Marlon a foolish person .Not talking about it make us a dictatorship country . The COI will expose past and present misdeeds in both party . Everyone is free to expose fraudulent issues of any party . Marlon you go ,,,,,,

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