Alarming? $92,500.00 brand new Cadillac Escalade purchased for Premier!
The Premier and Minister of Finance has approved the purchase for himself a brand new 2016 Cadillac Escalade at the cost of Ninety Two Thousand, Five Hundred Dollars ($92,500.00).
This information was made public following a question in the House of Assembly on February 4, 2016 posed by senior Opposition Member Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honorable D. Orlando Smith. They were at the time in the Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly.
When our newsroom called some Government Department Heads about this and while they could not speak on record, many of them were caught by surprise. One Department Head told our newsroom that for two years he has been requesting new vehicles for his Department to carry out the mandate of the Department but he was told by his Permanent Secretary and the Ministry of Finance that “no money there.”
The Senior Officer said just last December he had to rent a vehicle to carry out an end of year project and now to hear this is unfortunate. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Department Head said “that money could have brought two or three vehicles for my Department.”
Poor Judgement by Premier
Others said while they are in agreement that the Premier may have needed a new vehicle, they were outraged with the cost as it shows “poor judgment” and “lack of caring about the reality on the ground.” While over five hundred people have been laid off on Virgin Gorda, others on Tortola, including vendors who provided services for Government, cannot get paid, and Ministries, Departments and schools can’t get basic items to run their day-to-day operations, to learn of this is “sickening to say the least,” one said.
‘Totally irresponsible’
Meanwhile, radio talk show host and public activist, Mr Edmund G. Maduro labeled the purchase as “totally irresponsible” of Government.
“It’s financially irresponsible now or any time. Why does the Premier need an Escallade?” Mr Maduro told Virgin Islands News Online.
He further said a Land Rover would have been a cheaper and better purchase for the Premier if he so urgently needed a vehicle.
Meanwhile, attempts to get a response on the approved purchase from Dr Smith, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Premier Mr Broderick Penn and Financial Secretary Mr Neil M. Smith were futile.
.png)
.png)
.png)
Follow Us On
145 Responses to “Alarming? $92,500.00 brand new Cadillac Escalade purchased for Premier!”
That is no money for a vehicle for the head of your country.
The are just rinky dink local yo calls running the most corrupt government of our times. What we need to do is make all of them wait on the side of the road for a ride to work. There's truly nothing special about any of them. And us treating them like they are any more than what they are only contributes to thier arrogance.
Your comment sound very racist!
About 15 people right now on Tola car cost more than this!
The people in the BVI need to stand together in UNITY this shouldnt be look at what is going on in our small territory look at the serioius situation in VG with the layoffs what is this government doing to assist any of these individuals when jobs are so scarce already in the BVI where will these people find jobs some of them are nealy of age who is going to want to hire them??? yet they can take up $92,500 of OUR MONEY to purchase a vehicle for 1 man to drive..... rubbish
our education system is the pits every minute the school is sending home letters i wouldnt even say asking but BEGGING us as parents to donate such things as paper, napkins, hand sanitizer, pencils etc yes as parents we are going to contribute because its for the betterment of our kids but my question is WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING ABOUT THIS??? WHERE ARE THE RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS??? when asked the response is always the same..... oh they say theres no money in the budget?? Really now so whos budget did this money come out of?? i coulda swear is all 1 Government!!
TO THE POLITRICIANS AND THE PREMEIR.........STOP ROBBING THE PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN POWER TO REPRESENT US AS A PEOPLE!!
Raise land tax and house tax to reality..have police out giving tickets left and right for Allyo a bunch of everlasting disgruntled dissatisfied lot of naive peasants..sik ning and overbearing complainersdoubters and trouble makers.
This escalade, from where I sit on the bus,looks like a solid well built fortress and a good investment for rough terrain and harsh weather. No always in the shop kinda vehicle. Money well spent for longevity and durability.
Now,if it was up to me ,Premier would be fitted with nothing less than a BENTLEY..yessss now that is a car for our Premier. We should now get him the BENTLEY for Town and the caddy would suffice to visit the outlining districts to Fahie and SCB. I think I have seen him zipping around his lill cute sports car which suits his personality.
Jose Mujica, 77 and President of Uraguay was elected in 2009, but he has no interest in taking on the grand presidential lifestyle. According to the BBC, Mujica donates 90 percent of his salary to charity and lives in a farmhouse off a dirt road where he and his wife work the land themselves.
Be More like Jose Mujica.
Humble yourself.
Given the chance ,all of Uraguay will sail away and leave Mujica for a quality of life in a country with a promising future.
. Luis Luis loose yo mule but he wouldn't, so no mule to transport the Premier.
Settled for a solidly well built sturdy automobile with longevity and possibly little maintenance.
Quality seems to be characteristic of NDP.
Personally,I enjoy the aisle seats on a crowded and tardy bus in and out of.town
No fuss and I am privy to the juiciest of gossips. Luv me sum gossip!
This car is not Orlando's
It belongs to WeThEPeoplke to be used now and for the future Premiers such as Shaina,
Myron,Pickering,Vanterpool ,ONeal and others but not necessarily in that order.
HMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!! HMMMMMMMMMM! GOOD!
This sh*t hv to be bullet proof
This is an SOS from the SS BVI
Location off the coast USVI
SOS! SOS! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
Help! Help!
Captain this ship is sinking
Captain these seas are rough, oh yes
We gas tank almost empty
No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
Shall we abandon ship
Or shall we stay on it and perish slow
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do
infested,poorly maintained jacked up pathways we call roads.
Anyhow with the type of suspension in the Lac he should barely feel the bumps