Governor allegedly imposed $135K per year consultant on Ministry of Finance
Earlier this year when the UK Labour Party’s Opposition Leader Honourable Jeremy B. Corbyn called for direct rule on the Overseas Territories following the so called ‘Panama Papers’, the Virgin Islands (VI) Governor Duncan, who represents the UK monarch, was one of the first to jumped before the camera claiming that was not the position of the ruling Conservative Party or his own.
Duncan interfering in Premier’s Finance Portfolio
However, he continues to write the Premier and Minister of Finance of the VI, Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, complaining about many financial matters that he and the UK are displeased with, including the Treasury and the management of the annual fiscal budget.
Under the constitution, the Minister of Finance is in charge of all VIs finances. The governor has interfered in one letter dated February 11, 2016 detailing his displeasure about each year why vendors have to wait to get paid because of the shutdown of the Government Accounting system.
In his letter he stated, “I understand that the Financial Secretary declined the offer of technical assistance from the UK to help with the better cash management and financial control mechanisms.”
So in putting pressure on the Government to bring in a UK consultant he stated, “Consequently it will be important that the BVIG avoids any repeat of last year’s shutdown.”
However, the government of Dr Smith and the Financial Secretary Neil M. Smith assured the Governor that they are addressing the matters raised in his letter.
High paid consultant from TCI in!
Less than a month after, a consultant was imposed on the VI Government in the person of Arnold J. Ainsely who lives in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a place where the UK had a few years ago imposed direct rule.
The Cabinet expedited the process with the backing of Governor Duncan by suddenly waiving the Tender Process and awarding Mr Ainsley a contract for two years effective May 31, 2016 to May 31, 2018.
Big money in a time when we are broke
The consultant, Mr Ainsley, is assigned to the Treasury Department “on the basic of the urgency of acquiring his demonstrated experience and expertise” according to the Cabinet Secretary’s letter to the Financial Secretary dated April 13, 2016, read to us via telephone by a senior National Democratic Party (NDP) source.
He is being paid ninety-five thousand dollars ($95,000.00) a year plus another forty thousand dollars ($40,000) per year in allowances and at the end of his contract will earn a five percent gratuity.
His Allowances include Cellular phone, Housing, and Travel Allowances and even a relocation payment.
All this is being paid from taxpayers through the Ministry of Finance Subhead.
The matter became so urgent that there was a request for the decision to be acted upon before the confirmation of the Minutes.
Some have said that Mr Ainsley’s duties at the Treasury Department are almost equivalent to that of the Accountant General.
Others have also said that this is yet another attempt by the Governor and the UK to control the VI Finances- a portfolio of the current Premier- while saying something else publicly.
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39 Responses to “Governor allegedly imposed $135K per year consultant on Ministry of Finance”
The government just needs to decide on its priorities as it is obvious that they can't do everything that they would like to do. Once that is done, the scarce resources can then be channeled to those priorities.
Then the PS and FS would not have to juggle so many balls while crossing over a cliff on a tight rope that is at breaking point; with a raging river full of crocodiles and waterfall below, and trying to avoid the arrows being shot at them from both sides and nightfall quickly setting in.
Too much wastage in this country and i have no desire to see this beautiful country suffer the same faith as some of caribbean neighbors.
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The end is near
Prepare yourselves my people
His ego is now costing BVI $270k plus he has embarrassed the NDP. I think he is on the way out, and will be replaced by his new deputy who is also an IT expert.