‘We have twisted morals in this county’- Hon Andrew A Fahie
Hon Fahie’s caustic statement came, as he met with residents of East End, Long Look (EE-LL), gathered at the Community Centre, for another public meeting—this time with those residing in the seventh and eight districts, on the eastern end of Tortola.
Pickering Present
Those in attendance included, Deputy Premier and Seventh District Representative, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering.
The Opposition Leader told the residents—inclusive of Dr Pickering— the Territory seems to have a ‘twisted moral system’ where some public officers, appear above the law.
He cited as example, instances where public officers were jailed for “abuse of power, not theft of government funds but abuse of power.”
The Opposition Leader said too, another senior civil servant was sent on leave for allegedly employing a non-national without a work permit [that officer was vindicated when the court & PSC ruled in the matter].
According to Hon Fahie, today, there is documented wrong doing and both civil servants and politicians, are still on the job.
The Opposition Leader also used the occasion, to again reference an agreement signed by the NDP administration, valued $7.2 M for an airline to fly between Beef Island and the Miami, International Airport.
This deal, he said, came with a more than two-year period for payments to be made.
In less than six months however, the airline was issued all the moneys, in violation of what was signed to, and according to Hon Fahie, “today those civil servants are still on the job while we have no plane, no flights and no money back.” The rules, he said, cannot be right for “who we love and wrong for who we hate.”
Q&A
Following his initial remarks to the EE-LL residents, Hon Fahie opened the floor for an active question and answers segment where, he was asked—among other issues—why he voted for the Recovery Act, when he will announce his VIP team, whether VI beaches are still public, the state of Agriculture and issues surrounding the Labour code.
At one point, Opposition Leader Fahie, used the opportunity to direct a question from the audience to Dr Pickering, the Minister for Natural Resources and Labour.
That question dealt with the issue of the public status of VI beaches.
VIP Victory
During his engagement with EE-LL residents, Hon Fahie promised a more transparent Cabinet—should the VIP win and he is elected Premier.
Cabinet, he said, “will be held accountable for all decisions, not just one member.”
Hon Fahie, responding to a query on the House of Assembly’s, Public Accounts Committee, of which he is Chairman, spoke to the challenges of having only four members—two from government, two from the Opposition—saying, “it’s difficult to get anything done or even having a quorum.”
Some questions from residents were deferred however, since Fahie said he wanted to discuss these with the VIP team running with him in the next General Elections.
Forgotten & Disrespected
Fahie during his meeting and remarks to the residents continued to expand on his theme “flip the pyramid,” since, the Premier and his Ministers along with the House of Assembly Members and Technocrats are at the top of the ‘power pyramid’, and the people are at the bottom.
The man—who could be the next Premier should the Virgin Island Party (VIP) win the next General Elections—maintains, the people are at the bottom of the power structure, “forgotten and disrespected” and its time the people exercise their power and placed the people at the top.
Hon Fahie used his public meeting in EE-LL, to also call for legislation to restore confidence in government, along with accountability, transparency and good governance.
His legislative agenda—promised to be passed in six months of taking office—includes, ‘Whistle Blowing Legislation’ to help reduce government corruption and to protect civil servants from victimisation, once they report wrongdoing.
The VIP Chairman also called for a review of government’s procurement systems for contracts.
Hon Fahie is scheduled to host further meetings in other districts on Tortola, having completed recent outreaches with residents on the sister islands—Anegada, Jost van Dyke and Virgin Gorda—along with district three.
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