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'No official audit of Tourist Board done' - Premier Smith

-said there was only an internal audit which cannot be made public
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith told reporters that there has been no audit done for the BVITB as promised some time back. Photo: VINO
The spending of the BVITB especially in the area of travelling has always and continues to be shut out from the public and has over the years been an area of expressed concern. Photo: VINO/File
The spending of the BVITB especially in the area of travelling has always and continues to be shut out from the public and has over the years been an area of expressed concern. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - “We have not done an official audit on the Tourist Board. The BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) themselves have done an internal audit so they can re-organize which they have done,” said Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith at his press conference held on Wednesday September 17, 2014.

The Premier said this in response to reporters' questions regarding his promise some time back that an official audit of BVITB which falls directly under his portfolio would have been done. The audit should have been done to date back to a number of past years.

“But there has not been an official audit such as done by the Auditor General to be published in the House of Assembly but an internal audit has been carried out so that they could restructure,” he said.

He noted however given the fact that the audits done were internal findings therein cannot and will not be made public.

“The internal audit is done on a regular basis throughout government,” he also said. "Those audits are meant to correct any deficiencies to make sure that the departments are doing the right thing and make sure that the processes are correct,” he further stated.

The spending of the BVITB especially in the area of travelling has always and continues to be shut out from the public and has over the years been an area of expressed concern. 

12 Responses to “'No official audit of Tourist Board done' - Premier Smith”

  • Curious (19/09/2014, 16:32) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    If the members of the tourist board travel, it is important that the people know how much is spent. Are .they not using taxpayers dollars? We want transparency.. We must know where they travel to, the reason for travel and the cost of each ,trip.
  • no surprise (19/09/2014, 16:45) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    This comes as no surprise.
  • ccc (19/09/2014, 17:07) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Lets auditor when myron was chairman you will see thing
    • @ ccc (20/09/2014, 08:37) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      The word is a circle as every dog has his day…let’s get the audit on under Myron yes
  • The Auditor (19/09/2014, 21:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Just for public knowledge. We have not heard from the TB Chairman since the symposium it had at the college in 2012. Since then he has been traveling the world and spending what the Tourist Board don't have so we will look in to that or we will have to audit them with the authorization of the Governor. The Premier is hiding something but we will let the cat out the bag eventually.

    No matter how moonlight run, day light will catch it!
  • just asking..... (19/09/2014, 22:49) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Want about russel
  • Disaster (20/09/2014, 12:32) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    They restructured and turn the TOURIST BOARD in a mess. Why doc don't tell them about the st Lucian consultant who is really the deputy. What have they done for the year anyway.
  • phone call (20/09/2014, 16:52) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    What about the phone bill by the minister son
  • Tigress (20/09/2014, 18:34) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    reports need to be made public as its the taxpayers dollars they spending big big. Someone should look into the supposed discrimination and victimization of some f its workers by some of the people in position at TB. Let the premier get a good look at what is happening what is he hiding, pouring lots of money in this department and we aint hear a ting done for the year poor leaderships if you ask me
  • concerned citizen #1 (21/09/2014, 16:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I find it quite disturbing that Dr. Smith so frequently deem that various information that the public requests will not or should not be made public. Government business is public business and the public is entitled to know everything that goes on in government, especially when the money being spent is tax payers' money. Anyone who does not want their performance to be reported to the public should open their own business in the private sector, including but not limited to Dr. Smith. It reminds me of when Dr. Smith thought that certain information about the Port Pier Project should not be made public and so many things turned out to be wrong with it.

    This is one of the things that this entire electorate is guilty of, they think they can do what they want in government, violate laws, treat people how they want and no one should say anything about it, nor that they should not be held accountable for their actions. It's time to get rid of this type of mentality; let's amend our constitution and set up the type of government that is functional and one that we can be proud off, time for a change.
  • big bird (21/09/2014, 18:05) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dr. Smith and the NDP Find something to do
    You have been unproductive for for the BVI Walk quietly into the night of retirement and don't call attention to what we should remember of you....can't wait to vote them out

  • crazy (22/09/2014, 13:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Tourist Board up and down begging every body for freebies and donations and sponsorship. What happen to all the money they get from government. What are they doing with the money. There NEEDS to be an audit


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