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Premier, Ministers should have right to refuse AG report lacking integrity- Hon Fraser

Opposition Leader, Honourable Julian Fraser (R3) said that Premier, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) or any Minister of Government should have the right to refuse any report from the Auditor General (AG) Ms Sonia M. Webster which is lacking integrity. Photo: VINO/File
Residents have questioned the motives of the many one-sided reports from the Auditor General Sonia M. Webster and whether she took instructions from the controversial Governor John J. Rankin and the one-man Commissioner Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom. Photo: File
Residents have questioned the motives of the many one-sided reports from the Auditor General Sonia M. Webster and whether she took instructions from the controversial Governor John J. Rankin and the one-man Commissioner Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom. Photo: File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Opposition Leader, Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) has said the Premier or any Minister of Government should have the right to refuse any report from the Auditor General (AG) deemed to be lacking integrity.

He was at the time addressing the House of Assembly (HoA) on March 2, 2023, on the Report on COVID-19 Border Security for Static Marine Platforms, which has come under serious disrepute as lacking balance. 

In his contribution, Hon Fraser said there has to be more to the story as he questioned when the accused will have the opportunity to tell their side of the story.

“I think that the Premier or any other Minister who’s bringing a report here from the Auditor General should have the right to say, ‘I’m not bringing it’. Because something isn’t right. I need more information,’” Hon Fraser said.

PAC should have public hearings- Hon Fraser

He added that in such a case, the Public Accounts Committee could be useful, but pointed out that in this case, it may be a conflict of interest.

“But then how the Public Accounts Committee could be useful in an instance like this when that same Public Accounts Committee has in it, through the Standing Orders that the Auditor General’s the Advisor to the Public Accounts Committee. How do you advise a Committee who’s investigating a report that you wrote…?”  Hon Fraser questioned.

The Opposition Leader also stressed that the Public Accounts Committee should have public hearings.

“I think, Madam Speaker, that we should make laws that determine what is fair…

“I’m not here to defend anyone. I’m not here to criticise anyone. I’m just here to talk about what is right”, he said.

The AG Report said that EZ Shipping was paid $738,000 by Government, between November 26, 2020, to January 21, 2021, when the barges were not in use.

Both the Premier and Leader of the Opposition have slammed Mrs Sonia M. Webster’s Reports on EZ Shipping as being biased and unbalanced.

Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) noted that neither he nor anyone from the National Security Council (NSC) was interviewed in this regard.

In addition, he stressed that no one from EZ Shipping was interviewed, as he labeled the report biased.

31 Responses to “Premier, Ministers should have right to refuse AG report lacking integrity- Hon Fraser ”

  • U all need to stop. (06/03/2023, 07:10) Like (64) Dislike (4) Reply
    All these people sounds like they are so guilty and have something to hide and so they are doing their very best to discredit and suppress the AG, the evidence.. The AG, that Good lady is not the creator of the evidence or the information, she is only collecting the existing records and the data that been created and pooling them together and bring the issues to us...These people The Premier, Carvin, Frazer, Vincent, they know this...They need to stop...
    • coi (07/03/2023, 12:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Frazer running scared. Why?
    • HMMM (07/03/2023, 13:33) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      What is lacking integrity mr fraser is paying $700,000 for something we did not use. You to the point where you cant even tell right from wrong. Time for you to go.
  • lol (06/03/2023, 07:17) Like (49) Dislike (3) Reply
    He got to go. They just want to continue to allow wrong doing
  • Xxx (06/03/2023, 07:24) Like (3) Dislike (54) Reply
    Could you imagine a governor trying to defend such a report? Ranking himself has lost his credibility
  • Common Sense (06/03/2023, 07:32) Like (50) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is it not this sort of behavior that caused the COI to be called in the first place, demand that audited only reflect what the governments wants them to say. This individual has no idea what he is talking about, no wonder the COI exposed so many problems with people like this in government. Auditors don’t interview, they report on transactions that have taken place, they are not investigators.
  • Jamboree (06/03/2023, 07:35) Like (46) Dislike (1) Reply
    For the Premier or any Minister to determine if a report is worthy of tabling in the HOA would make them a de-facto auditor. Then it defeats the purpose of an auditor being separate from those being audited.

    The end of the day though, the EZ shipping money was a waste when the UK was willing to provide the services free of charge. No fancy rhetoric from Fraser or any member of government will change that fact.
  • Well Well (06/03/2023, 07:41) Like (38) Dislike (1) Reply
    I still don`t get it. If the findings in the treasury say who got paid, and for what, why is it unbalanced? this was an audit,not an investigation. Why all the fuss. why hasen`t EZ speak out then. I am hearing nothing of other reports that the AG brought out. Did they reacted the same way when Myron was audited? no . Something wrong hear
  • What an imbecile! (06/03/2023, 07:57) Like (45) Dislike (1) Reply
    It's an Audit report. The whole idea is to find people doing stuff wrong.
    If it finds something that shows a person did something wrong, that person can not just 'reject' the audit!
    Your entire governing strategy is "sweep it under the carpet".
    How about fixing the problem! How about holding people to account!
    • @What an imbecile (06/03/2023, 09:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      “ It's an Audit report. The whole idea is to find people doing stuff wrong.” No, an audit is not just to find wrong; it is to ensure that actions are following procedures, policies, etc. An audit validates processes are being followed or not.
  • miss (06/03/2023, 07:59) Like (42) Dislike (4) Reply
    YOU HAVE OPENED A CAN OF WORMS ???? ???? THAT THEY WANTED TO STAY HIDDEN AS THEIR CLANDISTINE ACTIVITIES GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES , SO AS YOU REVEAL THE TRUTH , THOSE PARASITES ARE UP IN FORCE AGAINST YOU , SO WALK CAREFULLY AS YOU SHOW YOUR INTEGRITY ( WHICH THEY LACK ) THESE HYPOCRITES ENJOY EXPLOITING THEIR
    OWN PEOPLE FOR THE LOVE OF POWER AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR / JUST CONTINUE TO BRING THE FACTS TO THE PEOPLE SO WE CAN SEE WHO THOSE CROOKS ARE , AND HOW BOLDFACE THEY ARE
  • 2023 (06/03/2023, 08:43) Like (1) Dislike (12) Reply
    can imagine if we were spending the UK Money: My goodness the royal navy would been here gun butting

    the united kingdom have not given her bvi overseas territory any money support since 1976…

    Uk just wants to get them fingers on the BVI check book: don’t forget these are the very same humans beings, who make your fore parents toil in hot sun every given day(just make money for them from the cotton & sugar cane)

    • The reason (06/03/2023, 17:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      and it was the Premiers Grandad whoi stopped the money as the gravy train od FS was roilling in for them all to spend and enrich themselves
  • big show (06/03/2023, 08:46) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    First thing I’m highly disappointed in you Mr. Frazer for defending this crap although you are say your not secondly the AG didn’t have to interview that puppet because he would hold the same position he holds now because he’s a puppet we know he wouldn’t go against his cousin and to be honest that’s why he voted for it no matter what the AG put in that report or who she interviewed he would’ve held the same position to support his family further if anyone was to be interviewed he’s sitting in a jail in the US also the relevant department that does the interview is currently in possession of the file so the owner of Esea shipping will be interviewed now and we all know had the AG go to interview the owner of Esea shipping the only thing she would get out of him would be some good old bad words under her mother so let’s stop pretending like we don’t know who or what we dealing with stop it
  • Lawlessness (06/03/2023, 08:56) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    Wow! This is coming from a learned politician. These are the people we vote in year after year after year. The auditor general did her report based off the information provided to her. A lot of them benefited from Gov funds without any form of accountability, transparency and now since arrests are being made they are all running scared. Where was good governance when you all signing and giving out contracts? This place is just lawless! Discrediting the auditor general ain’t going change the fact that corruption exists, protocols were not followed and many Gov contracts lacked transparency and accountability. It’s clean up time!!!
  • Norris Turnbull (06/03/2023, 09:02) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    These darn Toxic people who suppose to be leaders. Playing right into the colonizer hand, arguing puré Bull nonsense.
  • Rubber Duck (06/03/2023, 10:36) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    The purpose of an auditor general is to monitor what politicians and officials do with tax payers money.

    Very clearly , crooks within governments would very much like to get rid of that function.

    Every one else believes that audits of government expenditure is a very good thing.
  • cut and paste (06/03/2023, 11:07) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    These people simply don’t know what they are doing. We need new leadership.
  • mad max (06/03/2023, 11:09) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Fraser and his like are dangerous people. They should have no place in public life. The way that they are trying to portray the AG’s office is a disgrace.

  • 2023 (06/03/2023, 11:21) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    how we looking with his political party will he reconnect with VIP now that fahie is done
  • Open Interference (06/03/2023, 11:22) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    This would be disgraceful if politicians were allowed to interfere with the independence of the Auditor General. You may not like the findings Fraser but instead of whining do something about putting things right for the people - that’s what you are elected for! Your job is not to interfere but learn and put things right! I hope Ms Webster has opened your eyes as to how bad it is here - time you retired!!
  • Wait (06/03/2023, 11:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hold up, aren’t people allowed to have their own opinions any more. You have yours and the politicians have theirs. Both have to wait until findings from the DPP are public. You can not get mad at someone for having an opinion. A valid one at that. ???? The DPP will have the last say.
  • Clould (06/03/2023, 12:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Your article is very soulful and profound. Let's conquer geometry dash lite with many interesting challenges.
  • smh (06/03/2023, 12:27) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Could somebody anybody tell Fraser to get a haircut!! It's distracting I can't focus on the message he is trying to convey!
  • DC3 (06/03/2023, 15:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The 3rd District Representative could make a very good DEFENCE CRIMINAL, Lawyer. He hates anyone who speaks the truth and cuddles with those who speak lies. Why does he hate the AG so much? This woman has served this country here all her life. Compare her service to those who spent the better part of their lives somewhere else and then for whatsoever reason return home to roost then try to push everyone they met in the tree off the best limb.
  • Tegrity Farms (06/03/2023, 15:56) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lack of integrity HA! This place has become so crooked, no integrity, no ethics, no nothing but trash
  • Big Richard (06/03/2023, 16:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    How about making it public so the people can see it make their own decision.
  • reality (06/03/2023, 16:58) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Frasers arse it twitching as he knows his report is coming up and he is in a lot of trouble, he doesn't care about these other reports, only himself!
  • lol (07/03/2023, 10:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    They can refuse it. The real question is what does the Police and DPP do with it.
  • Crooks (07/03/2023, 17:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am very disappointed! Rather than condemning the evil that the reports speak to, these politicians prefer to defend their crooked actions. The premier, Frazer, Vincent and the rest of the running scared crew need to step aside as we seek to re-establish the integrity within our beloved territory.

    The auditor has done an excellent job and I commend her for it.


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