Is there a hunt for a replacement Financial Secretary?
It came days after he admitted his Office had misled the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, hence the public, with erroneous information given in a late night radio broadcast by Premier Smith after the Governor made history by invoking Sec 103 (b) of the Virgin Islands Constitution.
The internal Email vacation notice told both the Ministry of Finance staff and civil servants that, while Mr Smith is on vacation, the Deputy Financial Secretary Ms M. Alva McCall will handle all matters.
Where is Sr DFS Gaskin?
It’s unclear why the senior Deputy Financial Secretary Mr Wendell M. Gaskin has not been asked to act in the post.
According to a senior National Democratic Party (NDP) source, Premier Smith met this week with Mr Gaskin who was ousted from the inner circle and workings of the Ministry in August of last year.
Mr Gaskin was stripped of his powers and influence and was relegated to a small office outside of the Ministry of Finance while holding his post (title) and salary, at least on paper.
Is there a hunt for a replacement FS?
There are also reports from the same NDP source that persons were urging Premier Smith to return former Financial Secretary and Attorney Glenroy Forbes as a care taker, while the substantive holder of the post Mr Smith is out.
It is also our understanding that another senior officer who worked with Mr Forbes and was an Assistant Financial Secretary was also under consideration to “return and clean up the mess” after she offered her services.
It is believed that Premier Smith was advised not to pursue the Mr Forbes option, so to date following the vacation leave of Mr Smith, nothing has changed.
However, there is confusion as to the Governor’s role in the Ministry of Finance with many saying he has in effect stripped Dr Smith of the portfolio by using the Constitution.
Premier Smith who has come under heavy fire from Opposition Leader Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), the media and civil society for his poor management of the Territory’s Finances, caused major embarrassment to the Virgin Islands and her people when Governor John S. Duncan OBE had to make use his powers under the Constitution to take over $1.8 Million dollars to fund the police and the Legal Departments.
The NDP has refused to make crime fighting a priority but instead found over $1.2 Million to build a small wall around the Elmore Stoutt High School just before the 2015 snap elections and another $7 Million to pump into BVI Airways who pulled out of the VI in 2014 claiming to be bankrupt and owing the Government close to $100,000 in fees.
Do we need a new Finance Minister?
Former Legislator and NDP spokeswoman Mrs Elieene L. Parsons OBE has said in a letter last year to Premier Smith and the other elected NDP Members that Dr Smith should give up the portfolio of Finance and turn it over to Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), who served as Finance Minister under a NDP first time in government from 2003-2007.
Recently, at a general meeting of the Party, the cultural icon told party faithful that she “stood by her letter.”
The Governor’s action has been met with widespread support from the public and the loss of confidence in Dr Smith and his six year old Administration.
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28 Responses to “Is there a hunt for a replacement Financial Secretary?”
Another vexing issues is with these PS's,another set with a title,but seem not to know their portfolio. Like the premier department is in a mess,and it needs to be fixed.