'Buckle up & grab your popcorn’ as more audit reports to come– Hon Penn
This comes as legislators on February 21, 2023, debated a report on then government consultant, Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline where Auditor General Sonia M. Webster's report on the contracts accused him of not offering value for taxpayer’s money and the Government paying huge amounts for an undelivered work.
Report clear- Hon Penn
“The report is very clear, this was approved by Cabinet, all three contracts with no clear deliverable or clear performance deliverables that would then deal with the issue of payments,” he said.
Hon Penn added that persons in the legislature cannot whitewash the issuance of the contracts as it happened out of thin air; however, moving forward things will have to be done better.
“If you are going to engage a consultant, it has to be performance-based. You can’t have an open-ended consultancy without no performance measure and then you expend $365,000 of taxpayer’s hard-earned money, in a time when you are going through economic turmoil,” he added.
Hon Penn told the public to expect the worst as more audit reports come and asked that the former Cabinet take responsibility for the contracts issued to Mr Skelton-Cline.
We're in serious trouble - Hon Penn
“If you think this bad, I will tell the public to buckle up… get you popcorn and get ready because we are in serious trouble,” he added.
Hon Penn said the situation underscores why the VI is in the reality it is currently as shown in the audit reports.
“It says to us that there is a culture that existed, that has to be changed, has to be nipped in the bud in terms of how we do work and engage and handle public funds,” he added.
Skelton-Cline, a local clergyman on his radio ZBVI 780 AM radio talk show has opted not to defend himself, but rather, leave the matter in the hands of God.
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31 Responses to “'Buckle up & grab your popcorn’ as more audit reports to come– Hon Penn ”
If number 8 is correct one more scandal would knock them completely out of the runnings. How so, it would appear from recent happenings that the VIP always in a tangle with the governor. We all know that what ever we can say about the head coach he had what it takes to lift the VIP. He had it rough though in that he inherited a government with all inexperience members. It would then appear that he was actually running the various ministries by himself.
I am sure that the members knew something was amiss but dear not challenge. How else can we explain slowman now saying that he made a mistake. Not once, not twice but thrice. Too slow too lead this country. Fat Albert led all of them into deep dog dodo and then left them in the dark forest to find the light.
In view of the above one more scandal will sink the ship. The governor will not assist, he said all the AG reports before elections. Skelton should never be given a pass. He walked away for four years not even a comment and decide to just at the eleven hour walk back in looking good.
Marlon really can not handle the government so even though he may lead the ndp after the elections the majority of the elected should give their vote of confidence to the real leader Myron. If they have to be a collision government the ndp and VIP should form the government and leave Skelton in the cold for another 4 years or until he learn sense.
Myron as premier, Penn as deputy any number can play after that. Yep I said it.
Enjoy seeing his country fail
Don’t fit to be a leader
He talking about bombshell
Mismanagement of dollars, and cents is not as sinister as the whipping and the brutalizing our people, don’t forget your history because we have a destiny
The very same race which had your grandfathers and our grandmothers out in the boiling sun, not to mention the whips and chains are the very people some of you anticipating their return
Stop fooling yourself when that race returns and the reason for the return of that race is the money; when this territory was called the bird sanctuary did those white boys came back to BVI?? to help our people??!!
Now BVI live & direct on the stock market; tourism sectors also financial services mr London including all manner of undercover up in here
go to the United Kingdom for a few months and move around in that country as a person with black skin; then come back to BVI(then give a truthful and honest report of your experience)
full agree that people in public office should be very careful and watchful: come BVI to send our people to jail while there is serious corruption in England
I personally would NOT want to see Mr Myron be Premier of this small Territory. He has stating on occssions that There is nothing he can fo for the Locals. Where does his interest líes as a leader? One must navigate it's people to lead, hold available positions, hold empowerment
1) On the Governor's office
2) On the poor performance of the Governor for the past 20 years for subjects under his responsibility.
3) The work and report for the man from the UK that the Governor brought to BVI to review the court system and left before the work was finished, got paid, and did not complete the work nor submitted a report.
4) Audit on all the cash sieged by the Commissioner of Police and cannot be accounted for to this day.
5) Misuse of the police boat to take non-police officers in and out of the territory without approval or documentation.
6) Audit on Commissioner selling police vehicle and no account of the money.
7) Marlon Georgie Hill project that started at $300K but ended up over $1.3million in the crab over run.
8) Audit update on the $40 million over run pier project.
9) Audit update on the missing plane and $8million dollars
10) Audit on poor stewardship of W&S
11) Audit on years of poor stewardship of the Tourist Board especially the New York Office and the management of the sister sister combination.
12) Audit on when the NDP started the sewage project and put in the wrong pipes causing the delay in finishing the projects up to this date.
13) Audit on the CTL building contract and the lack of transparency after Irma to date.
14) Audit on the many loans Marlon gave out to friends and family from Trade after Irma and Maria that the Government had to pay back and is still paying back up to now.
15) Audit on RDA under the Governor with the man that was being paid over $300k a year but did not produce for the money and according to the obligations of the contract.
16) Audit on the Governor having a few UK people hired by RDA making more than $15k a month to do nothing but sit in the UK and attend a meeting a month on zoom.
17) Audit on the many contracts Premier Smith wife had in government and FSC while he was the Premier that we know not the outcome.
18) Audit on a former PS that used their position to set up a millionaire on one of our islands and is now the manager of that enterprise right after they retired as their reward.
19) Audit on Russel many contracts with no outcome seen to date.
I will stop there for now because I see this ongoing exercise as a target on the VIP without any consideration for what they had to face as a country with covid for the past 3 years. I am not a VIP supporter but as someone with sense I can see injustice from a mile & I intend to call it out for what it is which is targeting.