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CoI slammed for making unreasonable demands of ministers & public servants

- VI Gov’t said CoI gives unreasonable time to produce documents & no time to review ‘evidence’ before appearing before Commission
The United Kingdom (UK) sponsored Commission of Inquiry (CoI) continues to face criticisms of unfair practices and trying to cast a negative light on the Government of the Virgin Islands, while seemingly ignoring ‘illuminating’ information provided to it. Photo: VINO/File
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said it has always been the wish of the elected Government to provide the full facts to the Commission and public officers continue to look for and find relevant documents; however, he has accused the CoI of making unreasonable demands. Photo: VINO/File.
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said it has always been the wish of the elected Government to provide the full facts to the Commission and public officers continue to look for and find relevant documents; however, he has accused the CoI of making unreasonable demands. Photo: VINO/File.
The CoI was called by the controversial former Virgin Islands’ Governor, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, the close friend of the UK Prime Minister and imperialist-minded Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Mr Jaspert was also accused of trying to bully the democratically elected Government of the VI. Photo: VINO/File
The CoI was called by the controversial former Virgin Islands’ Governor, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, the close friend of the UK Prime Minister and imperialist-minded Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Mr Jaspert was also accused of trying to bully the democratically elected Government of the VI. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The United Kingdom (UK) sponsored Commission of Inquiry (CoI) continues to face criticisms of unfair practices and trying to cast a negative light on the Government of the Virgin Islands, while seemingly ignoring ‘illuminating’ information provided to it.

The Government of the Virgin Islands maintains that it supports a CoI that will be geared towards and fair and just outcome and has even amended legislation to assist the Inquiry; however, it has also accused the CoI led by lone Commissioner and UK national Gary R. Hickinbottom of not operating in the best interest of the territory and its people.

CoI has gotten predictable?

Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said it has always been the wish of the elected Government to provide the full facts to the Commission and public officers continue to look for and find relevant documents.

He’ however, said he was not surprised that the CoI has again sought to make civil servants look bad when it submitted a large volume of documents a day late last week.

“Regrettably, the Commission has sometimes given the impression that it does not welcome the provision of additional evidence, however illuminating or important. We anticipated that the Commission would once again have criticisms to make about the provision of these documents. However, hard pressed public servants have worked hard to locate and retrieve them and have simply been trying to do their duty, Premier Fahie said in a statement today, October 4, 2021.

Callous CoI

According to the Premier, it was also “puzzling” that on Friday, October 1, 2021, the Commission was heavily critical of the Government for missing a deadline for the provision of other information, due by 4:00pm and provided at 10:00am the following day and stated that this delay required the Commission to postpone part of its hearings by two weeks. 

“It seems extraordinary that the Commission should say that it needs a fortnight to assess thirty pages of evidence when Ministers and public servants are regularly given a week or less to produce or respond to hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of pages of documents and are even expected to comment in the witness box on documents they have not seen and of which they have received no notice.”

In the same statement, it was disclosed that Government on Friday provided a further quantity of documents to the Commission of Inquiry – around a thousand pages. 

“Their discovery was the result of continuing intensive efforts by the public service of the Virgin Islands to find any and all evidence which might be helpful to the Commission in its work.   

“This is on top of 9,000 documents, totalling 130,000 pages, and dozens of affidavits provided to the COI in response to its requests already, a very time-consuming task which has soaked up a huge proportion of the administrative capacity of the public service while a continuing global health emergency continues to rage,” the statement read.

Hypocrisy?

The CoI, which was called by the controversial former Virgin Islands’ Governor, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, the close friend of the UK Prime Minister and imperialist-minded Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, has been criticised for burdening the VI in the worst global pandemic in a 100 years.

The UK Government has used the pandemic as an excuse not to have a CoI into its own management of the COVID-19 pandemic and spending but has seen it necessary to call one on the ‘self-determination-minded’ Fahie Government that was preparing for Constitutional Review with the UK.

15 Responses to “CoI slammed for making unreasonable demands of ministers & public servants”

  • Pic *correction* (04/10/2021, 14:44) Like (5) Dislike (21) Reply
    But why the governor look like the geico.com lizard (gecko) in that pic.
    • Offs (04/10/2021, 17:36) Like (12) Dislike (8) Reply
      Stop whining and do as you’re told.
    • Fair point (04/10/2021, 17:41) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      Maybe it’s to balance the photo of Jabba the Hutt? Really. This is so childish.
    • @pic *correction* (04/10/2021, 22:09) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
      FYI, Former Governor. Say what you like about him, one thing for sure he is not the one in trouble nor do he have anything to lose like a whole lot of you are being prepped for.
  • Rubber Duck (04/10/2021, 15:32) Like (9) Dislike (134) Reply
    We have to continue fighting racism and white supremacy
    • Yes, we have to continue fighting against racism, and Rubber Duck stupidity. (04/10/2021, 17:28) Like (14) Dislike (61) Reply
      @ Rubber Duck:
      Yes, we have to continue fighting all racism and stupidity in the British Virgin Islands.
      Question: when speaking of stupid persons, Rubber Duck, do you honestly think that you are not one?
    • question (04/10/2021, 17:39) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
      No race is supreme. How can you say white supremacy is wrong if it doesn’t exist?
  • Good Free-Of-Charge Advisor (04/10/2021, 16:09) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    I see, but when you, and others spoke negatively againt the former Governor Jasper and the CoI,a number of times, in your minds, were needful. "If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen." In other words what you can't take you should not have given. In the most direct word spoken out of the Mouth of Jesus Christ: " Do unto others as you will have them do unto you. That means: Love your neighbors as yourself.
    Show mercy, and mercy will be shown, and given to you.
  • 4 REAL (04/10/2021, 19:28) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    BOY YOU REALLY GOT A WAY WITH WORDS , HOLLYWOOD AINT HEAR ABOUT YOU YET ? ( PURE FICTION
  • Lucifer (04/10/2021, 19:46) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    If the Government was operating competently, the documents should be easy to locate and deliver up. If the ministers were acting competently, they shouldnt be needing extensive time to prepare for fairly basic questions on their actions in office. The truth shouldnt require thinking and prep time...
  • Paparazzi (04/10/2021, 20:20) Like (2) Dislike (15) Reply
    Oh my, that picture is a work of art.

    Goodness did anyone not have the balls or decency to tell him he looks like the spiting image of a slave master walking in the VI with that hat?
    The picture speaks a thousand words.

    The sun is roasting him in spite of his questionable fashion choice because he wants to hold his head high. Ah ever condescending upon us savages. Never out of character. omg hahaha.

    Art there any keyboard warriors -or graphic artist- capable of defending m’lords reputation?
  • Norris Turnbull (04/10/2021, 21:10) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The settler mentality. Be aware of Devil Demon people.
  • send help (05/10/2021, 04:01) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
    the united kingdom just looking an Avenue to launder money and the best way is via overseas territory up in here trying to take over financial departments

    one can see if the united kingdom was giving the territory monthly money and not editing the books. this territory was removed from grant in aid in 1975

    economic slavery will be the new order of the day and will be done by means such as
    1. pharmaceutical industry
    2. money laundering
  • guy hill (05/10/2021, 06:02) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    @Rubber Duck etal...There is nothing Supreme about White Supremacy...NOT a dam thing.
    • @Guy Hill (05/10/2021, 17:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You're right. But that begs the question of why does anyone even care about something which you admit doesn't exist?


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