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'Govt called early elections to escape HOA scrutiny' – Hon Fahie

-called cruise pier opening ceremony lavish & unnecessary
Senior member of the Virgin Islands Party and Representative for the First District Honourable Andrew A. Fahie said over budgeting and unaccountability regarding the cruise pier development project are but some of the reasons why the Government has opted for early elections. Photo: VINO
Part of the audience in attendance. Photo: VINO
Part of the audience in attendance. Photo: VINO
Another section of the audience at the meeting. Photo: VINO
Another section of the audience at the meeting. Photo: VINO
Hon Fahie listens to a concern of a resident. Photo: VINO
Hon Fahie listens to a concern of a resident. Photo: VINO
CARROT BAY, Tortola, VI – Senior member of the Virgin Islands Party and Representative for the First District Honourable Andrew A. Fahie said over-budgeting and unaccountability regarding the Cruise Pier Development Project are but some of the reasons Government has opted for early elections.

“If you listen to the marketing of the cruise pier dock, while it is needed and I applaud it, you would have the notion that it was just built and this was the first time ships were coming in,” he said during a community meeting in Carrot Bay yesterday May 3, 2015.

He noted that the VIP is the party in Government that first built the pier, then widened it and strengthened it and was going to do some more work on it when the party was voted out of office in the 2011 elections.

“I agree with the fact that the dock is good for the country and for tourism. What our concerns are is that no matter how many times you ask about this project in the House of Assembly where we are under oath and where we are supposed to tell the truth, we either don’t get the questions submitted or allowed to be on the Order Paper and when they were they refused to answer about the project. So up to now we don’t know officially the true cost of that project but what we do know is that the project is $20 million over and somebody has to be more accountable when you have a project that is $20 million already with committed bills and contracts and you only have $41 million,” he said.

He said Government has called quick elections so that the truth does not come out to the people. “They will be campaigning. It will be short and before you know it you will not know how many of their projects are either over, unaccounted for or how much money [has been spent], he said.

“They have closed down the House of Assembly without accounting for $100 of over-expenditure from 2012 to 2014. They have not accounted for it in the House of Assembly…the reason that they did not want to bring them to the table. You will be shocked to know what some of your money has gone towards,” he said.

Lavish ceremony

Hon Fahie criticised Government for the lavish ceremony held for the opening of the cruise pier last Wednesday April 29, 2015.

“I personally thought the celebrations were a little too lavish but because the House of Assembly has been shut down we have no way now of going and asking them under oath how much money was spent on the celebration. We are hearing figures from $50,000 to $75,000 and up. I don’t know. But I know that with that kind of lavish spending what they are trying to tell the people that you left them broke is a paradox,” he said.

Relax in the park with your Rep

Fahie also said there will be a new series of meetings in the First District called 'Relax in the Park with your Rep' and the next edition will be on Sunday May 17, 2015. “It is a little meeting for you in the District, Carrot Bay and the rest of the District to come out and listen and also hear some of what your representative is doing,” he said.

29 Responses to “'Govt called early elections to escape HOA scrutiny' – Hon Fahie”

  • liberal (04/05/2015, 08:06) Like (30) Dislike (24) Reply
    The Premier advised to dissolve the HOA due to not having to remove the speaker and the education minister. This administration really trying to shine with all the work going on now and all that are unfinish but people of my beloved country don't be fool cause the glamor is infront and the hidden crap is right but some of people don't know or not seeing. But the NDP must go!!!!
    • Vacancy (04/05/2015, 08:24) Like (10) Dislike (11) Reply
      I approve this message. Vote them ALL OUT!!!
    • haahaa (04/05/2015, 08:39) Like (13) Dislike (9) Reply
      You mean the NDP going back as the Third Assembly of the Virgin Islands? Don't be fooled by all the winers after NDP delivery for the past three years.
    • Hmm (04/05/2015, 08:49) Like (36) Dislike (6) Reply
      Have no fear we are not fooled. Snap now or wait then they must go!
  • xxxxxxxx (04/05/2015, 08:17) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    fahie they not going get you out this time...maybe next time
  • agreed (04/05/2015, 08:18) Like (14) Dislike (7) Reply
    The NDP trying to cover up too much corruption.
  • Realist (04/05/2015, 08:19) Like (15) Dislike (6) Reply
    Hon. Fahie, you hit the nail on the head. My thing is who has a ceremony for an unfinished project and with fireworks too?! The NDP does. Something fishy is up.
  • enough (04/05/2015, 08:24) Like (14) Dislike (6) Reply
    I am so disgusted with how our monies are being handled by this NDP gang and have the heart to come to the public and paint a rosy picture from their part.
  • My My (04/05/2015, 08:28) Like (17) Dislike (5) Reply
    The NDP put so many persons to work and the majority of persons can't get paid. Now the NDP telling them that if you want to be paid put them back into office. This is a sad state of Affairs.
    • No Man (04/05/2015, 19:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You serious? Them still have a few more days so what is the hold up?
  • tretretrete (04/05/2015, 08:30) Like (26) Dislike (12) Reply
    Fahie what you are saying is so true but the BVI doesn't care what is wrong or right anymore. Once they can see a good show and get money no matter how it comes, they are okay which is now the style that the NDP is running this country.
  • wow (04/05/2015, 08:54) Like (18) Dislike (9) Reply
    they trying to fool people into putting them back in when they have done nothing to deserve it just a string of broken promises
  • Don Quijote (04/05/2015, 09:10) Like (17) Dislike (6) Reply
    Unsustainable Entitlement Growth
    On entitlements, spending and payments, the Virgin Islands political elites—NDP, VIP et al.—is leading us to the brink of national bankruptcy. The ongoing political war for the upcoming political battle, the cronies bailouts, and the cruise pier, Sea Cows Bay project et al. are all consequences of an environment in which OUR leaders know they’ll never be held to account for the debts they incur in OUR names. This represents a very serious long-term threat to the Virgin Islands economic sustainability and stability.
    • pete (04/05/2015, 12:24) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      It's called "institutional corruption". Not that members are bad, but the system has morphed into a business as usual mode disregarding the good for the people vs look of impropriety. Early election also keeps other candidates off balance and hurried.
  • Young Man (04/05/2015, 09:50) Like (43) Dislike (3) Reply
    I have to agree with this one, I too thought the opening was too lavish for an incomplete cruise pier. Why not wait till the completion of the entire project before the whole fireworks bid. I took a drive around the island on Sunday and it amazed me that amount of work being carried out that is unfinished. 3.5 years later, a bunch of unfinished projects and the slogan of the ruling party now being " Let Us Finished What We Started." Really? No Proper Management of Public Funds, No Accountability, No Transparency and had the audacity to brag about the 100+ million spent outside what was budgeted for at the ceremony for the new electricity generators like that's a good thing. It's time we start to hold ALL Governments accountable for their actions.
  • lmao (04/05/2015, 10:01) Like (50) Dislike (6) Reply
    I was saying the same thing about the pier. People celebrated like we never had a cruise before. It was a something good but we grossly overreacted. If we never had a pier then the celebrations would have been validated. Imagine when the airport is extended we might have a national holiday.
  • Amazed (04/05/2015, 10:20) Like (13) Dislike (36) Reply
    All I am hearing is a set of preschool tell-tales. What are your plans for the country? Geeeeeez.
  • nbc (04/05/2015, 11:15) Like (68) Dislike (3) Reply
    Get ready, Get ready. $75,000,00 for fire works; Cast a narrow slab of concrete in front of the tents which will be taken up shortly $6,000.00; Run sewage lines from project to sewage mains by craft alive $3.5 million. And the spending goes on. This is a train out of control and must be abandoned.
  • ooooo (04/05/2015, 12:09) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    we are still going to expose the dutyness
  • just asking (04/05/2015, 13:14) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    Has everyone gotten there conputers from the last election?
  • turtle (04/05/2015, 13:21) Like (5) Dislike (19) Reply
    Too bad for VIP most of these bloggers cant vote--If they could-- Dog would eat NDP Bone--They can`t so Rat will eat up all of VIP cheese.
  • qqqq (04/05/2015, 13:30) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    you on to something andrew
  • trrefdrfds (04/05/2015, 16:05) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Gloria you can do do it. Do not listen to the negative comments. I will personally come home to vote for you. We need strong people in the HOA.
  • Andrew's (04/05/2015, 17:32) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Why they called the expected Snap Election is for them to know and for you to continue your whining.
    When VIP called a SnapElection and without warning NDP was ready. It is called responsible behaviour_and leadership potential.
    What we need to know is when /if you guys will be ready for what was predicted and expected for the last three years.
  • TRUTH PLAYER (04/05/2015, 18:00) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Keep blinders on the people.

    We should ask if we are still enslaved. Has the plantation system changed or is it still alive and well?

    Shame on you NDP -AND, IF THE VIP WAS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY AND DID THE SAME WE SHOULD SAY SHAME, SHAME! Beware, one day the bad things you do will bite you where the sun don’t shine! Stop treating your people like mindless children

    Interesting that so many of us call ourselves Christians but fail to follow the principles Mind you, even if this TRICKOOGY help you to be back in office, there could be a hell of a lot of unanticipated consequences. Recall the line from the poem you learnt back in the good ole days when we were simple, humble folks, when we did not have much in the way of material things! YOU CAN FOOL SOME PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL THEM ALL THE TIME. Beware when the sleeper emerges from his deep sleep. Remember the history of the BVI. Even slaves exercised individual power. Our parents, the old folks used to say, DON't PLAY THE FOOL TILL THE FOOL PLAY YOU! So what all this have to do with that poem which some people either forgot, ignore or are overlooking? I tell you in the poem, KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBERRY, there is a line which goes something like this EVEN A FOOL MAY LEARN A WISE MAN'S WITS, One of these fine days, when you are so comfortable and so pleased with what you have brought about, people, the ordinary man or woman is going to see through the BS and do exactly what should be done.

    That the government is elected to serve the people, in this country, seems not to be a common idea.

    And, shame on the elected who seem to profit from taking advantage of people some of who may be uninformed, naive, apathetic, or some who just don’t care so long as they feel they are benefiting from the gravy train.
  • Phoenix (04/05/2015, 19:37) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    So, I am sure that that people, except those working behind the curtain drawn by NDP, expected that the upcoming election would be held around the first week in November

    While some of us might have reason to condemn the NDP and specific individuals, the problem, the real evil, is in the system allowing the government of the day to act in such a fashion. Is the government concerned with the residents of the Virgin Islands or with sneaking an upper-cut to the VIP? Remember that at the end of the day, it is the ordinary person, the duped one, who is going to be at the S...ty end of the stick you wield.

    I don't know, but people should get up and protest against such a move. There is a lot of things people here in this place should protest against. For heaven’s sake are we still back in the early or mid-1800s. Is this why at the college which is supposed to be an institution of higher learning, not one course in political science is taught?


  • Integrity (04/05/2015, 22:10) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    With all said people, who do I/we want in power? Or even better yet, who do I/we want as the Premier? Smith or Fraser??? I/we NEED someone who's not gonna embarrass the country. This person/party needs to have our country as his or her top priority. COUNTRY FIRST!!!
    • True That (05/05/2015, 09:06) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      WE need someone who will not embarrass the country. Someone who has an international head on and will fight diligently and professionally for our country. We also need a full government that will not victimize, send scare tactics and spend the money like its theirs etc etc etc. and fatten their own bank books. COUNTRY FIRST!!!!


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