‘NDP not serious about accountability!’– Hon Julian Fraser RA
He made this comment in response to a caller while he was a panelist on the VIP’s Let’s Talk radio programme heard on ZBVI 780 AM on Wednesday February 4, 2015. France in 2013 placed the Virgin Islands on a blacklist after it concluded that the territory did not fully comply with the necessary international regulations governing the financial services sector.
The caller asked, “Since we are on the France blacklist and it doesn’t look like we will be getting off any time soon, do you think the international community finds a lack of confidence [in the Administration]?”
In response, Hon Fraser said, “I am contented that the message is the wrong one. When you got a sitting Government that has been in office for seven years and so far they have signed just three Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) out of 25. It is sending a message to the international community that accountability isn’t something that we take seriously.”
“The G20 and even France and the rest of the European community have been asking for us to establish a register and it is being fought day in and day out tooth and nail. We on Tortola don’t understand exactly what is taking place regarding that,” he said.
Also adding to the response, VIP senior member Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said that one of the reasons the Territory was never blacklisted before was because of the actions of former Premier, Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE (R9).
“It was Honourable O’Neal who as Minister of Finance signed I think it was 20 plus TIEAs. And when the G20 Summit was held there was a lot of write up in the media here saying that the BVI was not doing enough in Financial Services and that we would have been blacklisted,” he said.
“And it turned out that when they listed the criteria in terms of what qualifies one to be on the blacklist, the BVI had already signed more TIEAs than they had listed which prevented us from being on the blacklist and also was a saving grace for Financial Services at that time,” Honourable Fahie said on the show.
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25 Responses to “‘NDP not serious about accountability!’– Hon Julian Fraser RA”
That was over a year ago and we still blacklisted. The problem with this guy is he can't tell the truth
Best laugh I have had for 2015!! WOWWW!
You always have comprehensive and well thought out response and do not have to wait for any speech to be emailed from overseas.
Thanks to the VIP for bringing the BVI so far from where we were 20 years ago.
When the VIP wins the next elections push forward and may the wind continue to be at the back of the people and the VIP GOD BLESS