Report on BVI Airways will be publicised ‘soon’- Gov Jaspert
“The Auditor General has been working very hard on her report into the BVI Airways,” Governor Jaspert said to members of the media during a press conference at his residence today, November 1, 2019.
“That report is now concluding, and it will be given to me, and after that point, I believe up to a period of three months… it will become public. So that will be coming forward shortly,” he added.
While the governor did not divulge any further, he noted that the report was undertaken because of the questions that surrounded it.
BVI Airways deal
During the Dr D. Orlando Smith’s administration, the agreement created a controversy when more than $7 million was placed into the airline that never took off.
The deal was to provide direct flights between the USA and the VI and became one of the largest scandals to rock that administration.
Almost exactly one year earlier, the Governor announced there was an ongoing audit.
Fahie administration suing
Meanwhile, the new administration under the leadership of Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the VI Government is suing its former legal counsel in the USA, Mr Lester Hyman, who it is alleged secretly received monies from BVI Airways.
Hon Fahie confirmed to members of the press that the matter is before a court in the United States and he was asked to refrain from making comments on it, “But, I would just like to say that there is no secret that the BVI has a strong interest in retrieving its $7.2 million.”
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10 Responses to “Report on BVI Airways will be publicised ‘soon’- Gov Jaspert”
Gus please make an example out of this. Then make sure you expose the corruption in the pier park and lock up all who hand dirty in that scheme too.
Clean up the place
The taxpayers got nought for its money. This is the biggest and most embarrassing blunder of the NDP tenure and will be a permanent stain on the NDP legacy. This fiasco screams for financial authorization, appropriation and expenditure reform. No one member should be able to spend $7.2M without the full HOA debate and approval. Operations and Maintenance /Capital budgets passage, government should still have to go back to the HOA for any individual project greater than $100K. HOA initial approval of the budget should just be the first step. Getting HOA approval for expenditures over a $100K require will require the HOA to meet more frequently, i.e., once a week or more frequently as needed. Legislators may squabble about having to meet so frequently to take care of the people’s business but so be it. It is the cost of doing business and the cost of seeking elected office to represent the people. Serving in the HOA cannot just be a status; it requires hard work, sacrifice, inconveniences.......etc. it is about the people, not the politician . The HOA need workshops on various topics before taking a vote.
Moreover, let’s keep our fingers crossed that this was just bad decision making and reckless squandering of taxpayers money and nothing else. Bad and inept decision making and political blunders may not be a crime; they are just people wading too deep in the water and over their heads. Nonetheless, if felonies were committed, people should be face the music, for no one is above the law. If no crime was committed, there should be no fear among people. The West Minister model is flawed. But that is another story for another day.