Did Premier Smith lie when he told us the economy is robust?
From 2013 to as recent as this year 2016, the Premier spent his time with his consultant-crafted speeches telling the people and overseas investors that things are great in the Virgin Islands (VI) and “the economy is robust”.
However, just a few days ago in a National Address he preached gloom and doom and now has admitted what the people and his own elected party Members of the House of Assembly (HoA), have said, including Junior Minister for Trade & Investment Promotion, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) and back bencher Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines (R6) who both said in the HoA last year and this year that people are “hurting” and “children are going to bed hungry.”
Not robust, more like bust!
In his national address on December 6, 2016 Premier Smith took no responsibility for leaving the country broke and his government’s reckless spending, a fact confirmed by Governor Duncan in a series of letters to Premier Smith and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
In the face of widespread accusations of corruption and conflict of interest by the National Democratic Party Administration, the United Kingdom appointed Governor Mr Duncan has gone AWOL, according to one talk show host, Edmund G. Maduro, who also called for his sacking.
Premier Smith admitted that things are bad and “challenging” but blamed it on the 2008 financial crisis when in fact some 90% of the world economies, including the United States, have long recovered.
Opposition Leader responds to Speech
In his own statement released on his Facebook page two days after the Premier’s speech, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), labeled Dr Smith’s speech as “disingenuous.” The former Chairman of the Main Opposition Virgin Islands Party also stated that the Premier has “no proper plans to get the VI out of the current financial hardship” and he is only fooling the people.
In making a case that the National Democratic Party (NDP) left the county broke, the former Communications and Works Minister told the public that the NDP government came into office in November 2011, meeting over $16 million of Caribbean Development Bank loan fund, $45 million Banco Popular monies, and they even borrowed more than $80 million and spent it on the Pier Park Project.
The Opposition Leader also highlighted that many vendors still cannot get paid, statutory bodies like the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and the BVI Hospital Services Authority continuing to delay employees’ wages and the delay of the 2017 Budget.
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26 Responses to “Did Premier Smith lie when he told us the economy is robust?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct5-5PKYxyg
Yes the proposed move by the Tourist Board being pushed will cost over a million dollars but then who cares we will be helping pour NDP colleagues to pay that new loan
an infamous Canadian bank. No paper work, no communication, no hard copy about anything. Was told the bank
acted properly in accordance with recent agreements with some European entity about needing to know EVERYTHING
about a customer at a bank in the BVI. So was told in person by someone at FSC only after walking right in, that it
was OK. Nothing on paper. Go over to Premier Smiths office and some guy standing at reception desk starts giving
me racist rhetoric because I am white and he is black. About how I am at fault for any racial situations. I know VINO
censors some things so I will respectably come to the point: Your Premier and Governor and territory have slit your
own throat. You piss on good people and support bad ones. Morons. Good evening.