Lorna G. Smith Out! Elise Donovan In! as new BVI Finance Boss
It was in May of 2016 that retired civil servant and First Lady Mrs Lorna G. Smith OBE was named as the “interim” Director of BVI Finance, as it was claimed by some at the time that there were “no one else qualified to run the body”.
And its Elise Donovan
However, today July 20, 2017 in a press statement the Organisation announced the appointment of Elise Donovan as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). But she will not take office until October 1, 2017, one year and six months later since Mrs Smith, a former Permanent Secretary, was returned to the post.
Ms Donovan, an indigenous Virgin Islander who is currently the head of the BVI House Asia, will leave that post to fill her new role.
Our National Democratic Party (NDP) sources told our newroom three persons have been short-listed to take over from Ms Donovan, one who currently works at the BVI House Asia.
She is ready
According to the press release, “Donovan brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise, including having previously served as Director of the BVI International Affairs Secretariat, Executive Director of the BVI International Finance Centre (the forerunner to BVI Finance) and a member of the BVI’s Tax Information Exchange Agreement Negotiating Team with countries such as China, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand and Canada."
Ms Donovan also holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Carleton University and Columbia University, in International Relations.
BVI Finance is the agency which market, promote and manage the reputation of the VI’s financial services industry.
The sector has come under fire over the past four years with the international press and developed countries calling the Virgin Islands (VI) a tax haven and a place for dirty money and corruption.
A private citizen, businessman, political aspirant and former Permanent Secretary, Julian Willock, was interviewed by BBC in 2016 and National Public Radio in 2017 where he vigorously defended the industry, and the right of the people of the VI to engage in legal, well-regulated and needed business.
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29 Responses to “Lorna G. Smith Out! Elise Donovan In! as new BVI Finance Boss”
If the Premier blatantly violates the norms of good governance, as well as the personal example, it gives others license to do the same. The Premier must be ethical and set the personal example. Running for elected office to serve the people comes with personal sacrifices. Family members foregoing certain jobs is one of those personal sacrifices. Anyone that cannot or is unwilling to endure the personal sacrifices should not run for political office.
Moreover, there seems to be a tendency in the VI to go to a chosen few for everything. But there are more than a handful of quslified people . In any event, if people are not given the opportunity to excel, how are they to get the experience. Depending on a chosen few is not in the best long interest of the VI.
As an example, the late John Compton, for Premier, having served St. Lucia for over 30 years retired to a life of leasure. However, his party struggled and he had to be recruited to rescue it; the party won the election but Compton passed on in office. This was an example of poor succession planning. We must avoid the fear of teaching others, for they may take our positions. We must adopt the attiude of each one teach one . Just a likle lesson from the Underground Railroad in the US, I think.