Hon. Fraser accuses Premier Smith of poor leadership
He charged that the recent publication of the Auditor General's Report entitled: "Port Development Project, Management Report" is a clear indictment on the Government of Dr. The Hon. D. Orlando Smith and added that it serves to corroborate his long standing publicly held suspicion that his and the Hon. Works Minister's refusal to answer questions in the House of Assembly regarding the Tortola Pier Park Project, and Tortola Port Partners “were attempts to hide something from the people who duly elected them to office.”
In a statement issued today, November 4, 2013, Hon. Fraser said the current Minister for Communications and Works, Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool, is now placed in a predicament where he is in no position to help himself, and the one who can help him is not trying to do so, at least not in any visible way. This situation, he added, is classically referred to as being “shoved under the bus".
“While I do not condone the role played by the Hon. Minister in all this, I lay full blame at the feet of the Premier, since a Minister could only have gotten this far with the blessings of the Cabinet, and for those of us who know, that means the Premier,” Hon. Fraser said.
According to the former Communications and Works Minister under the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), the Premier has time after time defended this project, despite Hon. Fraser’s strong challenges in many quarters, including the House of Assembly.
Hon. Fraser expressed that it appears the Premier believes that protecting a whole administration is more important than standing up for someone who has obviously been spurred to gamble with a ‘make-break’, deal, with the hope it would save the government, if successful.
He noted that while this may look like a good strategy, it spells poor leadership to him.
Hon. Fraser felt the Premier should have come before the people of this territory the moment the story hit the streets, “to let us know where he stood in all this, and be clear of his strategy going forward. Staying silent and making his Minister the ‘fall-guy’, while hoping his administration survives, is not acceptable, and therefore not an option.”
The Third District Representative said the whole issue should not have reached this far had the Premier shown sound leadership when he was asked in the House of Assembly on May 14, 2013 whether the Auditor General had issued a report regarding the Tortola Cruise Pier and Park Projects.
“Had he answered truthfully, instead of what amounted to the equivalent of pleading the fifth, by replying, ‘Madam Speaker, there are ongoing negotiations about this project and, as a result of this, it is my opinion that publication of the answer to this question would be contrary to public interest’, this scenario could have been avoided,” Hon. Fraser said.
He further noted that the question in the House of Assembly was asked three and a half months after the report was issued, and this is now nine months before the matter has surfaced again.
“Imagine the damage done within that six months, during which the Premier could have taken corrective measures. For one, public awareness would have helped to stop the haemorrhaging a lot earlier,” he said.
Hon. Fraser argued that the credibility of the territory has been damaged and said and if we fail to recognise the need for urgent action, he is afraid it might become irreparable.
“Only sound leadership can help us going forward. We have to act!” said Hon. Fraser.
45 Responses to “Hon. Fraser accuses Premier Smith of poor leadership”
The one most unforgivable act that has damaged this country financially is the NDP's Santo eternity corrupt hospital construction project which sucked & is sucking the Treasury dry but ayo want us to leave that alone & forget it while you try to blame others for the nonsense Ronnie & the NDP has done. Millions & millions & millions & more gone through the hospital door thanks to the can't do no wrong NDP.
The NDP is the political party of choice & majority but it is obvious to most of us now that they got the office through lies and malicious behavior and now it is coming back to haunt them which I don't mind but we the people suffering also which is where I have a problem. THE NDP MUST GO NOW!
Seriously though, if you cannot handle the basics, fundamentals, how can anyone trust you to efficiently represent them, at the level of of Parliament?
The people's business is being turned into a showboat environment
You NDP paid bloggers have no concience. Just talk lies after lies to sway public opinion
The Premier, as the leader of the NDP and of government, must accept and shoulder the responsibility for the lapses and failures on this project; he has ultimate responsibility. And must move swiftly to regain the trust and confidence of the people and investors. He must take the right action at the right time by putting the right people in the right places to do the right things for the right reasons in the best interest of the territory; he must ministers and other employees responsible and accountable for the action they take or the action that should have taken but failed to. Strong policies must be put in place and vigorously enforce to deter anyone from even thinking about using his/her position as a passport to personal gain.
A valuable lesson from this sordid episode is that is that the Premier must be in control and act in control. He must walk with a “BIG” stick to keep the loose cannons from misfiring. He must know what ministers are doing ( how, what, when, why, where) and checkmate them if needed. The bottomline is that the Premier must be strong, act strong, lead by example, lead from the front and be intolerant of non-sense.
A cabinet reshuffle may be needed. Loyalty should only go so far, for the Premier has an obligation to Virgin Islanders and residents to put the best qualified people on the field. The bench is weak yet the deck needs to be reshuffled.
The government image is tarnished and it is time for a little burnishing. Family and party loyalty aside, it is high noon and it is time to lead from the front. It is time to arrest the ready, fire, aim style. It is time to make the BVI a preferred place to live, work and play. It is time to develop a development master plan to build a country (territory) and a sustainable economy.
Moreover, we have wasted too much precious time, energy and resources already. Fellow Virgin Islanders, it is time to pull the wagon, not just ride in it; if we all do our part the BVI can get back on course. Let's not brush aside that there are thick, dark, gathering, ominous clouds swirling above, along rough squalls building offshore and roaring towards the BVI that we cannot ignore at our own peril. Our economic foundation is at best structurally marginal; it is showing signs of structural failures---cracks and differential settling. Our economy needs an urgent engineering evaluation to stabilize it and make it structurally sound. This engineering evaluation process is urgent.
he waging an internet war
mvw..YOU need some help...Go and cry on aunty K shoulders.