Hon. Fahie says he has not violated the constitution in anyway. Photo: VINO

Independent candidate in the 1st District Preston Stoutt took a hard swing at the incumbent representative Hon. Andrew Fahie on the final stretch to polling day, accusing the minister of misappropriation of government funds.

Hon. Andrew Fahie had dismissed the allegation made by his district challenger Preston Stoutt that he used Government funds to air a radio advertisement for his campaign.

Mr. Stoutt, in a press release, had alleged that Hon. Fahie “while coming under increased pressure from the public to verify loose graduation rate claims” had resorted to using government funds to defend himself in a political advertisement and that the alleged misappropriation of government funds by Mr. Fahie is in clear ethical violation of his duties under the constitution of the Virgin Islands.

But Hon. Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online yesterday that the advertisement had nothing to do with his campaign for re-election in the 1st District but was rather done in his capacity as Minister for Education and Culture and, in a statement issued to this news agency on November 6, 2011, said the allegations against him could not stand as it was like “a basket carrying water”.

Mr. Stoutt, however, released a statement of his own today in response to Hon. Fahie in which he insisted that the Virgin Islands Constitution was violated.

Statement by Hon. Andrew Fahie

This election is about the future of this territory, this election is about who has delivered and worked with different people and who will continue to work to deliver to not only the people of the 1st District but also the entire Territory. This is what my 1st District campaign committee and I have continued to be about in the 1st District. In so doing, we will continue to be steadfast in purpose, intelligent in actions, and avoid irresponsible behaviours and un-factual statements.

In my capacity as Minister for Education and Culture, the constitution is clear on what my role and authority are and when such authority expires before a general election in the Territory. As such all my actions to date has been within such boundaries and this can be confirmed by all including the management of ZBVI.

My role as a candidate seeking re-election is separate to my on-going role as Minister for Education and Culture as such all ads regarding my re-election has been financed by me personally. All suasions made in my capacity as Minister for Education and Culture is always paid for by the Ministry and is void of all political content and is totally separate from my current re-election bid for representing the 1st District in which all such ads regarding my re-election are paid for by myself.

In this vein, I will not be distracted but I will stick to the issues, I will stick to accomplishments over the past four years in the 1st District, I will speak about accomplishments as Minister for Education and Culture over the past four years, I will speak about future plans for the 1st District and the Territory. Never let anyone’s opinion of you become your reality. That’s what I believe and with God’s help we will move the 1st District and this Territory from good to great.

This too shall pass because it is a basket carrying water.

Preston Stoutt's statement

Mr. Fahie can call this anything he wants. The fact of the matter is that three days before Election Day, Andrew Fahie took money out of the taxpayer’s coffers to pay for a radio advertisement in order to address my call for a full investigation into his loose graduation rates claims. In doing so, Mr. Fahie has demonstrated questionable ethics and it is acts like this that continue to break the trust of the people.

Once an election is called, based on our interpretation of the constitution, the only government money that is allowed to be spent is for providing direct services that are in the best interest to the public. Nowhere does it provide for Mr. Fahie to spend tax dollars defending his record just three days before voters go to the polls.

If there were anything proper about Mr. Fahie’s conduct in this matter, then why aren’t other members of the Assembly doing it too? The answer is easy. It’s because everyone knows it is wrong and Mr. Fahie should pay the money back to the people out of his own pocket.”