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Governor Duncan should be whistle-blower for the people – E.G. Maduro

- maintains that Governor John S. Duncan OBE should be recalled
Local talk show host and retired civil servant Edmund G. Maduro (right) believes Governor of the Virgin Islands His Excellency John S. Duncan OBE is being hypocritical with his announcement that he wishes to see a Whistle-blower Act in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO/File
Governor John S. Duncan OBE addressing the media on August 19, 2016 at Governor's Residence. Photo: VINO/File
Governor John S. Duncan OBE addressing the media on August 19, 2016 at Governor's Residence. Photo: VINO/File
Governor John S. Duncan OBE refused to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Ports Development Project despite some five reports, one from a former Auditor General, the House Of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, former Ports Developer Hugh E. Darley and representation made from the former BVI Ports Authority Chairman on alleged corruption in the over $100M project. Photo: VINO/File
Governor John S. Duncan OBE refused to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Ports Development Project despite some five reports, one from a former Auditor General, the House Of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, former Ports Developer Hugh E. Darley and representation made from the former BVI Ports Authority Chairman on alleged corruption in the over $100M project. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Local talk show host and retired civil servant Edmund G. Maduro believes Governor of the Virgin Islands His Excellency John S. Duncan OBE is being hypocritical with his announcement that he wishes to see a Whistle-blower Act in the Virgin Islands.

Speaking to reporters at Governor’s Residence on August 19, 2016, Governor Duncan said a Whistle-blower Act in the territory could be crucial “to establishing the checks and balances that the territory needs.”

This is the same Governor, according to Mr Maduro, that refused to establish a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Ports Development Project despite some five reports, one from a former Auditor General, the House Of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, former Ports Developer Hugh E. Darley and representation made from the former BVI Ports Authority Chairman on alleged corruption in the over $100M project.

“He is making himself look like a person with no integrity,” said Mr Maduro during an exclusive interview with this news site.

With no Freedom of Information Act and the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government refusing to disclose information on various projects and policies to the media and public, even in the House of Assembly, reporters are forced to rely on Whistle-blowers, who often speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

The NDP government, whom Governor Duncan met in power, has a history of being hostile to press freedom and has passed a censorship Bill called the Cyber Act to put journalists in jail for reporting on some items, a Bill that has been condemned by the International Community. Governor Duncan was in Cabinet when the Bill was passed.

Added to that, Governor Duncan himself wants the press to be censored. At the same press conference on August 19, 2016 he told the local media that he is having discussions with Leader of Government Business Premier and Minister of Information Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith and the United Kingdom officials about “instituting measures that would help check and balance the press”.

“And then he (Governor Duncan) talking about whistle-blowers, he is embarrassing his own self when he talks about whistle-blowers because he supposed to be the whistle-blower and whatever information he wants, once he thinks something is being done wrong all he has to do is ask for it, examine it and blow the whistle to the people,” said Mr Maduro.

‘I would fire him’

Governor Duncan has defended his decision to not call a CoI because he believed the allegations of corruption were mere rumours.

“Rumour is one thing, evidence is another. You cannot conduct business on the basis of no evidence. People can make all sorts of allegations but no evidence was found after four separate investigations,” Governor Duncan had stated.

However, Mr Maduro shares a different view.

“If I was the queen I would fire him. The people are the power. When you say that the queen has the executive authority, things are in the hands of the queen, it is there just like you running a business, he is the executive director and if something is going wrong he definitely would correct it so I really don’t understand what stupidity the Governor does be coming with,” Maduro concluded.

The talk show host Maduro has in the past called for Governor Duncan to be recalled by the United Kingdom.

9 Responses to “Governor Duncan should be whistle-blower for the people – E.G. Maduro”

  • maddo (02/09/2016, 11:01) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wid Maduro on dis
  • Scary Mary (02/09/2016, 11:44) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    With all due respect Mr. Maduro, it is NOT the Governor's job to be a whistle blower. Read his job outline.

    It is OUR job (the people) to be whistle blowers!
    • wize up (02/09/2016, 14:37) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ scary mary: point well taken BUT i am not a police officer but i have an obligation to report crime....the gentleman is smart; because he knows if he spits in the sky it will fall back in his face....you and i will certainly get victimized for tell tales out of school BUT who f*cks with the governor(he is the right man to talk the ting!!!)
    • dog (02/09/2016, 15:10) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      the point is that the governor seems to support a whistle-blower act, so doing so should be easier and taken more seriously. But also, if he is to be even-handed, if nothing was wrong with the pier park COI, then we should find out once and for all. He shut down the opportunity for transparency. That is the inconsistency.
  • One Page (02/09/2016, 11:57) Like (22) Dislike (0) Reply
    needs to be taken out of the corruption case against Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin who is now serving a 10-year sentence for corruption committed during the years when he was mayor of that city. The public accused him of corruption based on what they were witnessing and experiencing. Rumours and Allegations, No Evidences at the time. Their cries became so strong that an investigative taskforce was established to look into those allegations. When the forensic audit was undertaken, they found inconsistencies and other inappropriate practices as they follow the money trails. That is, they found evidences to warrant those same claims. So Gov, you tell us how evidence is discovered? Where is Ray Nagin today?

    Power to The People.
  • wize up (02/09/2016, 12:09) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    The upholder is just as guilty as the thief(can the blind lead the blind)
  • take a page from (02/09/2016, 13:14) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for bribery, money laundering and other corruption charges. Investigation that came about on the basis of rumours and allegations expressed by The People of Louisiana.
  • wow (02/09/2016, 22:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    This governor is a disgrace. Investigations into drug cases, murder cases & many other cases start with rumours & allegations that leads to evidence that leads to arrest. So why is this not so for the NDP's boldface corruption?
  • NiggerCharley (03/09/2016, 06:14) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The governor is a farce. He needs the Cudmore treatment.


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