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Premier warns public against sharing unredacted info from leaked Audit Report

- condemns 'in strongest fashion' the Cabinet leak of Auditor General's Report on Assistance Grants
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has warned against the public sharing of 'redacted' information contained in the Assistance Grants Audit Report, which was recently leaked allegedly by a Member of Cabinet. Photo: YouTube
Ministers of Cabinet. From left: Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports; Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), Minister for Natural Resources and Labour; Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Premier and Minister of Finance; Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5), Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Works; and Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8), Minister for Health and Social Development. Photo: GIS/File
Ministers of Cabinet. From left: Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL), Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports; Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), Minister for Natural Resources and Labour; Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Premier and Minister of Finance; Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5), Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Works; and Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8), Minister for Health and Social Development. Photo: GIS/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has warned against the public sharing of “unredacted” information contained in the Assistance Grants Audit Report, which was recently leaked allegedly by a Member of Cabinet.

Debating the Report at the Fourth Sitting of the 5th Session of the 4th House of Assembly (HoA) today, March 9, 2023, Dr Wheatley warned that circulating 'unredacted' information is a serious offence.

He said those who made the decision to expose the identities of the 4000 people contained in this document have decided to go against the recommendations of the Auditor General, the Governor and himself who have all agreed to have the names in the report redacted.

Document was 'all over the street' after reaching Cabinet- Premier

“The first thing that I’m going to do, Madam Speaker, before I say anything about the contents of this report, is to condemn, in the strongest fashion, the unauthorised release of this document into the public…the Auditor General made a decision, the Governor concurred, the Premier concurred. This document was redacted, for good reason”, Dr Wheatley said.

He continued that the report had been sent to him and the Governor around December 30, 2022, and was not leaked at the time. 

He noted; however, that when it finally went to Cabinet, it was “all over the street” right after.

Sharing 'redacted' info 'a serious offense'

“I’m hearing, Madam Speaker, persons on the radio speaking about this unredacted report, saying that as soon as it’s laid on the table they’ll be able to speak about it…I want to make it very clear, this report that we have just laid on the table is a redacted version and I want to caution persons out there, if you go and share this unredacted version even after we’ve laid this on the table, you are violating the confidentiality of a Cabinet document. It is a serious offence and you must not do it”, the Premier warned.

Dr Wheatley added that circulating the document shows that those who shared this information chose to make a decision that is clearly not theirs and are taking this action into their own hands.

“Who is anybody to go and put those persons' names on the streets? I’m extremely disappointed at the decision that someone made to leak this document to the public and expose those persons”, he said.

Dr Wheatley noted that even in the redacted version the amounts given to each person can be seen. 

The Premier argued that the people of the Virgin Islands are a proud people and it would have taken them a lot to ask the government for help and would have preferred their business to remain private.

He also said he had no apologies for legislators and the government trying to help the people of the Virgin Islands, especially to assist with acquiring tertiary education.

“Why was it necessary to go and embarrass these people in the way it was done? Why was that necessary? What, for politics? We have to stop destroying each other just for politics and for power…In trying to hurt me or trying to hurt somebody else you end up hurting a whole bunch of other people- collateral damage”, Dr Wheatley stressed.

40 Responses to “Premier warns public against sharing unredacted info from leaked Audit Report”

  • hmm (09/03/2023, 15:20) Like (31) Dislike (12) Reply
    Public warns politicians about doing crap to get into audit reports
    • @LOL (09/03/2023, 16:28) Like (30) Dislike (4) Reply
      You mean selective audits. Ask the Governor and his Auditor General for the audit of the UK Commissioner of police that sold a government vehicle (which is illegal to do) and the government coffers never saw a penny from the sale where money was collected. I have plenty more to tell you to ask about, but I will stop here for now.
      • Deh Watcha (09/03/2023, 20:28) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
        You should have given this info to the COI when they were here. They asked for information but instead you kept it. For what, this type of reply in a post?

        if you truly had/have the country at heart you would have provided all the info you supposedly now have so it could have been dealt with properly.
    • herbs power (10/03/2023, 00:18) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      If you put a pig in a 3peace suit its still a pig. free yourself from mental dressing up slavery. your works counts more.
  • Interesting (09/03/2023, 15:26) Like (16) Dislike (5) Reply
    Does this statement below by the Hon. only apply when it suits him? He says all manner of things about people.
    Your statement is true, but it should apply to you as well, so take a page from your book.

    “Why was it necessary to go and embarrass these people in the way it was done? Why was that necessary? What, for politics? We have to stop destroying each other just for politics and for power…In trying to hurt me or trying to hurt somebody else you end up hurting a whole bunch of other people- collateral damage”,

  • STOP TELL UNTRUTH (09/03/2023, 15:30) Like (33) Dislike (5) Reply
    “The Premier argued that the people of the Virgin Islands are a proud people and it would have taken them a lot to ask the government for help and would have preferred their business to remain private.”

    Obviously some persons on that list took advantage of the Government’s purse end of story!
  • Youth (09/03/2023, 15:44) Like (17) Dislike (10) Reply
    I am a youth who received assistance from the VIP government, and I do not support them but as a BVIslander I am most grateful. They tried their best to help many of us in need and this should not become a political football for political mileage.
  • WEW (09/03/2023, 15:44) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    The truth. Love it.
  • HMMM (09/03/2023, 15:45) Like (12) Dislike (9) Reply
    The two sell outs are right there sitting with the Premier which are the M & M ministers of government. They were bragging to people how they will use it to bring down the VIP.
  • Big Richard (09/03/2023, 15:46) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    Where's that big fake lying smile now ?
  • WOW (09/03/2023, 15:47) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Just look for Marlon who said go get your popcorn. Let us see if the police and governor is really about justice or just those who do not play ball with their devious plots.
  • 4th District voter (09/03/2023, 15:49) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
    I never voted for the VIP, but I must say they helped our family keep our daughter in university with the assistance we recieved through the grant and now she is graduating. It is sad that this list is being used for evil purposes.
    • stfu (09/03/2023, 21:21) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      Stop lying, where is that university. To be graduating she must be doing a two year graduate course. That two year course is called associate degree that can be done at hlsc.
  • Really??? (09/03/2023, 15:50) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    Surely Slow-Andy means the sharing of UN-Redacted information is a serious offence...
  • Premier is really mad.. (09/03/2023, 15:52) Like (25) Dislike (8) Reply
    I have two concerns...1/ Someone saw it as a systematic cover up and intent to hide the truth and decided, that won't happen...2/ Are the information in the document wrong, is someone trying deceive us..
    The money involved belong to us tax payers, so the document is rightfully ours...So stop crying over spill milk.
  • Amazed (09/03/2023, 15:54) Like (15) Dislike (11) Reply
    I remain amazed that all the rush audit reports and police investigations on government are only for VIP government matters from 2019. It makes one wonder if the Governor and all his sidekicks are trying to influence the outcome of the elections by trying to get into the minds of the people by intentionally making all the efforts of the government to help the people seem wrong and questionable. In this wat they can get the people to turn against the government during elections.
    • LOS (11/03/2023, 04:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Nobody talking about the millions spent on those planes. I thought that would have been a COI matter too.
  • The Irony (09/03/2023, 15:55) Like (13) Dislike (13) Reply
    He is passing a law to give authorities the right to see what is going on with other people money but he criticizing the publics right to understand what going on with their own tax money?? This is a man of many a contradiction. May the house be dissolved quickly and just go away...maybe to school or something. Happy to fund that and to put that on the list.
    • @The Irony (09/03/2023, 16:16) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
      That is not the point. Then print all the public officers and their salaries. Then print all the seniors and the monthly assistance they get. Afterall, they also get public funds. What you are saying is out of context.
  • Notice (09/03/2023, 16:01) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    Notice what got leaked and what did not get leaked. Where is the audit on the Georgie Hill Road project that started in the hundred thousand and ended up in the millions of dollars with Marlon and his crab dinner buddies? Where is the investigation on the missing $8million dollars for the planes while some did well and bought huge homes in America? I will stop there but I am clear the current actions are well organized plots to target a few who they feel were getting in their way of their overall take over plan and for them to get their hands back on the money. It is NOT ABOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE like they are trying to make us believe.
    • @Notice (09/03/2023, 16:23) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      Add in where the audit for the many loans is and grants in the millions that Marlon & his NDP gave out to friends and family businesses after hurricane Irma to also a few of their supporters where 95% of the loans were not paid back by those who received them, and the government had to repay the loans and is still paying them back all now. The few of them got free money that most of the country does not know about. How come that list was never leaked? How come an audit of that was never done? The BVI is place of double standards to get who the status quo hates and protect who the status quo loves.
  • BS! (09/03/2023, 16:05) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    “Why was it necessary to go and embarrass these people in the way it was done?
    • Rubber Duck (09/03/2023, 16:30) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
      Yes. The report is about thievery and corruption on a grand scale
  • Putting things in perspective (09/03/2023, 16:10) Like (13) Dislike (5) Reply
    Should there be improvements in monitoring and administering of grants? YES! Was what done to help the people an attempt to do wrong? NO! The VIP Government helped many people in need during the worse pandemic in the last 100 years, but they could not help everyone. However, let us put this in a better light. The NDP in one plane project spent over $8 million dollars that disappeared in thin air and landed in a few politicians, their friends and family's pockets: locally, in the UK, and America. Now compare that to the VIP spent just over $8 million in grants to help our youth pay school tuition and help businesses and families as much as possible from going bankrupt during the covid era. Yet the only thing we are being programmed to scandalize is the actions of the VIP and the names of our innocent young people. It makes no sense. All who are doing this needs to be charged and also not re-elected nor be elected.
    • Crazy joe (09/03/2023, 16:36) Like (17) Dislike (6) Reply
      You havent read the report. Civil servants giving themselves millions of dollars. Politicians children getting huge grants. Ministers giving money to their own businesses. Read it. Then comment.
    • @Putting things in perspective (10/03/2023, 08:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      What was done was wrong. I know of at least 2 people on that list who got Covid grants and who earned the same during Covid as before, they were employed by me and I made sure I paid everyone in full regardless. That is an attempt to do wrong!
  • King liar (09/03/2023, 16:10) Like (10) Dislike (7) Reply
    Slowman the only person being embarrassed by this is you. The report as seen the person most able to receive political mileage is you. It was a travesty what you did. You have now become a political liability. Don't see how you can get back from here. We know Albert was a liar but you are running him rough for king liar. We hope this be the last time you see inside the hoa.
  • How come? (09/03/2023, 16:13) Like (11) Dislike (9) Reply
    How come the names from who all made millions of dollars on the multimillion-dollar high school wall was never leaked? Why? Because the masters of confusion were involved in the wall. These ongoing devious actions will backfire on a lot of you who are behind it including the Guavana.
  • SHARING REDACTED (09/03/2023, 16:28) Like (13) Dislike (6) Reply
    So that is a serious offense ? ???? now enlighten us on when the people's tax money is shared to people who don't deserved it and getting double while the people who really deserved it isn't getting any ? And now that it's being exposed , you getting in a rage ???? ( let the truth be told and be appreciated by you and your friends who was HOLLERING OUT TRANSPARENCY
  • Aunty Susan (09/03/2023, 16:28) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    The cretin thinks he is some kind of dictator. What is the serious offense? The information is in the public domain.

    But no wonder he is worried. He was the minister of education when there were no class rooms for the ordinary people but a prominent member of his party's child was given $104,000 in education grants. What they were used for is not known.
  • Mambo (09/03/2023, 16:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    He in it enough.
  • asking for a friend (09/03/2023, 16:35) Like (6) Dislike (7) Reply
    How can we get an audit on past governors' accounts that served in the BVI as well as that of their family before and after? It would be an interesting read.
  • WOW (09/03/2023, 16:41) Like (15) Dislike (6) Reply
    Y’all big mad caz we see y’all only help one set a ppl!!!
  • FIRE (09/03/2023, 16:54) Like (11) Dislike (3) Reply
    I buy my own phone, i send out anything i feel like what comes to me. Government take from me every month. It's wicked people y'all is parading to be good while killing people with taxes.
  • my my my (09/03/2023, 16:57) Like (11) Dislike (7) Reply
    Look how the UK Governor have us fighting each other and playing right into his destabilization plan. Our ancestors having to weaping now to see the slavery mill is grinding slow but grinding still.
  • clown (09/03/2023, 17:26) Like (9) Dislike (4) Reply
    He gona sue Facebook?
    • Party bloggers unleashed. (10/03/2023, 04:49) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      All Parties have unleashed their bloggers to attack their opponent and to support their camp. This is a smart strategy, it works. The first party to use this strategy was NDP youth Arm in the 2011 Elections and it works, they were able to make VIP look bad and unfit, NDP return to power, since then, blogging is a powerful and effective tool that all party supporters use. So it will be s mistake for politicians to ignore the blogs..
  • To @the irony (09/03/2023, 18:43) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don't be silly. The right to view transactions need to be granted I'm both scenarios because a crime was committed in both. On the one end, suspicion of drug money laundering. He ok that bill for banks to see accounts. On the other end, suspicion of theft, fraud, nepotism, abuse of power. He have a problem for the public to see the reports. Contradicting himself, AS USUAL! If we want transparency in one area, we should gave transparency in all areas, not when it serves the elites.
  • KLAHF (10/03/2023, 12:04) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    From what I read in the document being circulated, the report is misleading as it is a reflection of both assistance grants and scholarships which both have different criteria for processing and some of the figures quoted in that report is the amount person's requested and not the amount persons actually received, I look forward to seeing the completed report because what is being circulated is concerning and will only continue to file propaganda until the entire report is made public.
  • Nate (10/03/2023, 14:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Premier, as a citizen I am concerned about the granting of expensive political favors. Surely you must know that most of the persons on the list received the funds because of their connection/ family’s connection with Andy Fahie or for simply living Fahie’s District? Please focus more on the abuse of the public’s purse. The leaking of the document would never have happened if there wasn’t extensive abuse to begin with.


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