Is Lorna Smith wife of Premier a Gov’t consultant?
This news site’s stellar professional reputation not to rely on ‘hear say’ compelled us to make contact with the Acting Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Premier’s Office Mr. Broderick Penn to seek clarification on the matter.
No new consultancy but working off old arrangement!
When asked on July 8, 2014 by Virgin Islands News Online whether Mrs. Lorna Smith was given a new consultancy contract with the International Finance Centre (IFC), acting PS Penn said, “the answer is no.”
He said that Mrs. Smith has an arrangement with the Government since 2012 where she provides support in certain areas given her expertise and that this is one such occasion.
Mr. Penn said that she has been engaged over the past few weeks with the International Finance Centre.
“This is a non-story…there is nothing surreptitious going on,” he said. “It is an ongoing arrangement,” Penn insisted. Acting PS Penn said that if needed, the arrangement can last as long as three months.
However, when told about what the acting PS Mr. Penn said a senior civil servant told our news room, that “ok ok he has confirmed that Mrs. Smith is still hired by government and there was no break in the consultancy from 2012...is she the only retired civil servant with expertise?”
Our reporter also caught up with Premier Dr. The Honourable D. Orlando Smith who said that his wife’s engagement with the IFC was not contractual and that it is an arrangement which has been in place since 2012. He said too that she has been with the IFC for a few weeks.
No details were given on what she is doing at the IFC or the cost to tax payers for the arrangements in place since 2012. Acting Director of the IFC Sylvia C. Moses could not be reached for comments up to press time.
Public was outraged last year with First Lady’s appointment to Asia House
One of the negatives that have taken the headline last year from the importance of the BVI House Asia was the issue of the appointment of Mrs. Lorna Smith OBE, as the interim Director of the Office in Asia.
Critics claimed the interim appointment was a conflict of interest and that there were other persons who should have been given a chance to use their talents. Mrs. Smith, the wife of Premier Dr. Smith, is a retired civil servant who now runs her own consultancy firm.
It appears that the Premier at the time took the criticism to heart and, in an interview with a local radio station, blasted the media and claimed to be troubled that the media made that his wife was heading the Asia office part of the headline when the focus should have been the opening of the Hong Kong office.
According to Premier Smith, “I was very disappointed and troubled that on the occasion of the establishment of a very significant activity in the Asia Pacific region to our financial services, the headline on the opening of the office on the online media read, Lorna Smith is interim director of Hong Kong office," he said.
The headline in question was carried by the pro-government online news site, BVI Platinum News, and another online news site BVI News Online.
Under public and private pressure over the appointment, Premier Smith announced months after at a press conference that his wife Lorna will be wrapping up her assignment as the Interim Director in the coming months.
In an exclusive interview with this news site in 2013 former Premier and Chief Minister Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE said he will “never give his wife a government contract even though she is qualified to do many things.”
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51 Responses to “Is Lorna Smith wife of Premier a Gov’t consultant? ”
…because he dumb no sh.t
Lorna don't need another red copper.
Why don't we give the less fortunate the opportunity to enhance?
This place is getting on my nerves now and we have to do something about it.
NDP MUST GO!
As someone else said, she is hired all around the world for her expertise and for much greater sums, we should be happy that she is prepared to work for us and take all this nonsense.
You telling me that there isn't anyone else who can do the job??? BULL SHI#!!!
Ms. Mercer at IFC
Many talented people in FSC
Many talented people in the Ministry of Finance
Many of our talented locals working now in the financial Sector
And I could go on and on...So stop the crap she needs to move aside she retired and give someone else a chance to shine…them thing they have some monopoly on knowledge
You mean NDP HAND OUT!!!
islander big problem, Ayo people here SICK TO THE BONE.
I can clearly see why the BVI is where it is heading, their own people is their
biggest enemy.