The Recovery Agency is to prevent 'corruption'- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering
For most of the show, it was a passionate discourse between Mr Skelton-Cline and Dr Pickering on the controversial Recovery and Development Agency, which will be debated in the House of Assembly on March 22, 2018.
There have been many concerns about the Agency, including from the Backbenchers who have publicly expressed that they will be making those concerns heard during the debate.
Among the major concerns are that the United Kingdom (UK) Government does not trust the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government to manage the monies to be borrowed, hence the UK mandated independent Agency; that the Agency will infringe on the Constitution of the Virgin Islands since it will bypass the Minister of Finance in determining how monies to be repaid by taxpayers will be spent and that the Agency and its formation have been kept secret, even from elected members of Government.
Mechanism against corruption
But, according to Dr Pickering, the Recovery and Development Agency puts in place a check and balance that protects from corruption.
“Because, in the history of these issues, in other countries, have shown that there is risk of corruption amongst public officials. And so the Recovery Agency is not something that has been sprung on this country, it has come out of the history of lessons learned from other countries. So that at the end of it all, your elected officials, the people who you know, like your friends and your family will not be tarred with brush to say them so-call thief the government money because there is a protective mechanism against that.”
One of the reasons persons may have concluded that the UK distrusts the ruling NDP Government of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) is that the Government has repeatedly failed over the years to bring audited financial reports to the House of Assembly, has refused to be accountable in the House of Assembly when grilled on major expenditure by the Opposition Members and have generally left the public and even some of their elected members in the dark on major policies.
Opposition Leader Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has already labelled the incumbent government the most corrupt in the history of the Territory.
Added to that previous Governor John S. Duncan OBE had lambasted the NDP Administration for reckless spending and lacking priority.
‘The UK trusts us!’- Dr Pickering
But Dr Pickering reiterated that the Recovery and Development Agency puts a protective mechanism in place to ensure that the monies are spent for the purposes they are intended for. “That is the mechanism, how we use the Mechanism is a different issue.”
He added that the mechanism is just like how a bank would dispense its money for a mortgage with persons to ensure the money is used only for the stated purpose.
Commentator Mr Skelton-Cline; however, said he had issues with a government being elected but is not trusted and not have full authority over their financial matters.
Recalling Dr Pickering stating earlier on the show that the UK Government trusts this Government, Mr Skelton-Cline wanted to know how that can be said “when you read the High Level Framework on the UK’s trust for us when they have all of these things…Why is it incumbent on the UK to reiterate what is already in place and then to mandate to you that this agency be established if they are going to give you guarantees or if private donors are going to give them money?”
“Pastor, they are the ones giving you the money. They have a right to determine what they want to see in order for them to give you the money. That is their responsibility. Our responsibility is to determine how we agree or don’t disagree with that,” Dr Pickering responded.
Mr Skelton-Cline did not particularly agree with Dr Pickering as he had a challenge seeing the UK setting the ground rules, including a check and balance mechanism, if they had indeed trust the VI Government.
“Don’t you not have a Board of Trustees in your church?” Dr Pickering asked. Mr Skelton-Cline answered “Yes,” adding that the Board of Trustees is mandated by law.
“But you have a Board of Trustees to ensure that the pastor don’t do his thing outside of his own personal responsibilities, the pastor still sits on top of the church,” Dr Pickering argued.
I agree with question of information sharing
Meanwhile, Dr Pickering had said that said that he agrees with some of Mr Skelton-Cline’s points on the Recovery Agency but disagrees on some. “What I agree with you on is the question of information sharing. You have been passionate about that particular point in saying that you need information and the Government or whoever has the information should share the information with the public and I wholeheartedly agree with you in that.”
He, however, said he disagreed with Mr Skelton-Cline when he seems to suggest there is a hidden agenda with the UK Framework on the BVI Recovery Plan.
“I think the weakness in communication does not in any way convey any such thing and I would wish to go against that idea that there is some hidden agenda,” Dr Pickering stated.
27 Responses to “The Recovery Agency is to prevent 'corruption'- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering”
That is the best I have ever heard this whole recovery plan explained. Hope the backbenchers and the opposition vote yes on Thursday.
"Protective Mechanism". i don't accept that point at all.
The Government, Financial Secretary/Ministry of Finance have enough rules and regulations for Accounting Officers of Ministries and Departments to follow already. Every Head of Department,Permanent Secretary/accounting officer has a vote ,heads and subheads to which funds (digitally connected to the Ministry of Finance) are allocated based on the approved budget and permissions is given by Ministry of Finance to spend.
A department /ministry can request and with permission move around funds within certain accounts except those relating to Salary,wages, rent etc. Funds allocated to a specific vote (stationary) are expected to be spent on the purpose (you buy stationary).
.
Ministry of Finance with the click of a button knows to a penny what extent any one vote is over drawn or not.
A public/Account Officer has to be in "real deep" with all of Ministry of Finance Officers ,the Financial Secretary , the Accountant General ,and officials of the Treasury Department in order to bypass the current financial rules and regulations.
Corruption or has the system been compromised
So then you have to convince the public that all the officers in these ministries and departments are operating outside of the rules and regulations without any oversight of the financial processes or that the "Ministers" themselves enforce their demand on the officers to bypass the systems in place that things happens and no one is held accountable.
What a tihing to tell the king.
Yes. The VI is an OT under the umbrella of the UK. Though the VI has some measure of internal self government, the UK has control over how the local government execute its fiduciary responsibilities. Further, the UK is guaranteeing/co-signing for £300M ($402M) loan. Though the UK is not directly awarding the loan, as the co-sign, UK taxpayers are exposed to the risk; if the VI defaults on the loan, UK taxpayers will have to make the monthly payment or even be requested to make a balloon payment(to my knowledge, VI has never defaulted on a loan). Consequently, like any lender, the UK has to protect its taxpayers by putting terms and conditions in place for managing any recovery loans.
Moreover, words have meaning and every word uttered by a politician, especially one responsible for day-to-day governing, is parsed. Consequently, politicians should apply the carpenter’s rule (measure twice, cut once) before commenting on issues. Though Dr. Hon. Dep. Premier Kedrick Pickering, R-7/MLNR may not have intended to admit corruption, he may have inadvertently done so. How so? Well, by stating that the Agency/Board is needed to avoid corruption may be admitting that corruption may be rife in the public sector and a Board is needed to protect the government from itself. The Hon Pickering no doubt meant well but may have in-artfully communicated his position. Perhaps, the Hon member need to return to Honestly Speaking to clear the air.
Hard earn money I must admit some people only talking because they put politics in every thing our country is a great place to much corrupted people are family and need to stop airing they dirty laundry and lets move the country to another.level to much talking we need action stop.blaming ndp every one fail at time shake off the dust and go forward I know it's not easy for ndp :bvi never experience a hurricane like that before lets come together and unite people it's nothing to do with party politics even the rats want to rule this country without knowing he will get poison in his next trap Pickering your doing your best don't quit your fight till the last man fall keep your word it's your bond I pray for you every day no weapon from.against will not prosper they think your a talker when they need you to still help them when they sick.people think wisely about the next generation .are we setting examples for them.VIP steal million when they power stuck they cut any style for power but God watching.over :us