Debate on controversial Cruise Pier Project continues today in HoA
While many residents are just getting over the 2014 Emancipation celebration where the people celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Festival, now it’s back to business in the Territory.
The Virgin Islands Parliament will resume today, Monday as the debate continues on the controversial Cruise Pier Development Project that is around the neck of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Two reports, one authored by the Territory’s Auditor General Ms. Sonia M. Webster and the other by the HoA’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chaired by Opposition Leader Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE both came to the same conclusions.
Both reports found conflict of interest, corruption, lack of transparency, and no one looking out for the interest of the tax payers.
As for his part Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has dismissed both reports and claimed that he has done nothing wrong. He has even lashed out against the media and blamed one online news site for reporting the scandal, saying that they have no editors or reporters and their manager is dead.
The Minister who has been at the centre of the two reports told the House of Assembly that the Opposition Virgin Islands Party is just trying to stop the project.
According to Hon. Vanterpool, the final report on the project does not show that there was any illegality nor does it show that anyone was trying to steal tax payers' money.
He said the report is “filled with pure nonsense”…. “Tell us if you think somebody thieving; come straight," he said during the debate, which saw him raising his voice and shouting in the HoA. “Nothing from the ports is for my personal pockets. If they want to search me they could come,” the Communications and Works Minister shouted in the Parliament.
The mover of the motion which is being debated Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) went through a colourful presentation providing the HoA with facts and figures and compelling evidence on the matter.
Hon. Fahie raised the issue of PriceWaterHouseCoopers, a Trinidad-based accounting firm that was paid over $1M on the Ports Development Project.
It was also told by Hon Fahie, one of five PAC members, that public servants cried before the committee because they knew the process was going wrong, but they were ignored.
There are also some heavy hitters left to speak on the motion including Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resource and Labour Dr. the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7), Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) and Leader of the Opposition Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE (R9).
The controversial Minister for Education and Cultural Hon. Myron V. Walwyn spoke but all he said was that witnesses were not contacted to sign their witness statement. He came to the HoA with letters from some persons who did not see the final copy of their testimonies.
Many in the intellectual class have dismissed Hon. Walwyn’s argument and said in a real court of law he could have been cited for witnesses tampering.
All eyes are on Hon. Fahie the mover of the motion for his closing to address the propaganda sales pitch of the ruling NDP on the PAC report.
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