‘Let’s make Cabinet minutes public’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie
The former Minister for Education and Culture, Honourable Fahie, was speaking about a number of disclosures that the former project coordinator of the cruise pier development project, Mr Hugh E. Darley, made over the course of a month beginning December 2015.
He noted that it isn’t every project government has done is bad and that the ports project is one of the good ones, however, he believes the problem people have with some of the good projects is the lack of accountability.
“That seems to be one of the underlying factors with a lot of the projects that cannot be completed by this administration,” Honourable Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview.
He also said the House of Assembly seems to be a thing of the past where spending is approved far long after that spending actually takes place.
“And when you bring these things up, most of them in the administration have a way of trying to paint you in a negative light.”
He said the people of the territory are mature enough to demand transparency and accountability.
“That is why most of these things are done in Cabinet and not reaching the House of Assembly. I am going to be championing the cause for the minutes of the Cabinet to be made public and for there to be penalties for non-factual statements being made by persons in the House of Assembly.
“We have to bring back accountability in this country... we can’t love somebody so much that they can do no wrong and hate somebody so much that they can do no right,” he said.
Darley confirms Gov't's lack of transparency
Mr Darley alleged during his December 2015 visit to the Virgin Islands that he was directed by officials in the National Democratic Government who to speak to and who to deal with regarding the project.
He insisted that as a businessperson he has no political allegiance and wanted to work with the political opposition to hear their ideas and views on the project but said he was denied this opportunity when he was a resident on Tortola for some two years.
While he was here in December 2015, Darley said he believed Dr Smith silenced his ministers from speaking with him.
Mr Darley, who alleges that the Government of the Virgin Islands owes him money for the use of his designs for the cruise pier project, said he was going to disclose to the international investment community that the VI Government, led by Premier Smith, could not be trusted.
In addition to claiming that the Government owes him money for the use of his designs, Darley made a number of other scathing allegations of lack of accountability and overpricing on the project. He, however, has not responded to this news site’s request for copies of documents to support his allegations against the NDP Government, even though claiming he was in possession of such evidence.
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“We have to bring back accountability in this country... we can’t love somebody so much that they can do no wrong and hate somebody so much that they can do no right,”.