'I will vote for the Territory & people'- Hon Andrew A. Fahie
In a recent public statement, the Leader of the Opposition and First District Representative, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie gave his answer. “I will vote for what is best for the people and the territory at this time,” he emphatically stated.
The statement captioned Honourable ‘Andrew A. Fahie On The VI Recovery And Development Agency Act 2018’ was delivered yesterday March 21, 2018, and was addressed to the people of the Virgin Islands.
Can there be amendments?
It is the Opposition Leader’s intention to “try to strip the proposed legislation of those sections that will seek to restrict our autonomy and … to maximise the inclusion of our local involvement at all levels,” before the vote is made.
The Leader of the Opposition also maintains that “If this proposed legislation is a mandate of the UK that has been agreed by the Premier and cannot be amended, then it is the responsibility of the Governor and the Premier to inform the people of the Virgin Islands exactly what has been agreed. If and when approved the next government must be given some flexibility to meet agreed benchmarks and alter those terms and conditions as well as other restraining legislations that may be unattainable, unrealistic and not in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands.”
The mandated Recovery and Development Agency has been debated on many fronts and from many angles. Opposition and Backbenchers alike have all raised their concerns about the agency and thus the Bill before the House.
However, the Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) has defended his position on the Agency and the Bill. During the Budget Address on March 19, 2018, he had reiterated that to not go ahead with the proposed initiative would be to “compromise the current way of life we all enjoy including that of the very people who oppose, but even more importantly, we must improve the lives of the people of the BVI who depend on us to do right by them. Madam Speaker, on this issue I must stand, as an experienced political leader on a matter of principle, for all the citizens and residents of the BVI now and generations yet unborn.”
Gov’t compromised
However, Hon Fahie begs to differ, stating that, “What we now know is that this NDP Government cannot negotiate in the best interest of the people at any time because they have been compromised.”
Constant and continuous party infighting, poor financial management and the distrust of the United Kingdom, party members and the general public have all proven that the NDP is compromised, the statement explained.
He went on to outline all the areas in the Territory’s Constitution that the National Democratic Party Government has violated and “Her Majesty [who] is represented in Cabinet by the Governor and have done nothing to correct this Constitutional violation.”
The ruling NDP Government has shown their lack of accountability and transparency when Laws they enacted to do such, were blatantly disregarded. The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, Public Finance Management Act, 2004 (No. 2 of 2004), Public Finance Management Regulations, 2005 Protocols for Effective Financial Management, Public Finance Management Amendment Act 2012, Hon Fahie said have all been violated in the six years of NDP leadership.
“These primary legislations were all introduced and passed by an NDP Administration to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance in the administration of our territory’s financial affairs… the NDP Government has not adhered to any of those documents they passed!”
Who is to say that the establishment of the Agency by the new Act will not be met with the same disregard?
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28 Responses to “'I will vote for the Territory & people'- Hon Andrew A. Fahie”
Stop the blogging. I don’t expect you to support anyone other than your husband mr. Zzzzz so you could make up all the rules.
Andrew will make a better Premier than you and mr. Zzzzz.
Play by the rules, prove yourself and then amend those agreements after being humble and being responsible.
It's like saying "I really NEED something from you, but you have to give it to me nicely". really?