Reports reaching our newsroom today confirmed that the Premier of the Virgin Islands, Andrew A Fahie has written the Minister for the Overseas Territories in the Foreign Commonwealth Office, Baroness Elizabeth Sugg to lodge a formal complaint against Governor Jaspert, accusing him of refusing to lay the Auditor General’s report on “Government’s Financing of BVI Airways Direct Flight to Miami” before the HOA within the 3-month statutory required period.
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Following the Premier’s accusation that Governor Jaspert failed to bring the Auditor General’s Audit for BVI Airways before Cabinet, 284 media reached out to H.E. Governor Jaspert for a response.
The Governor’s office within its response said “The Premier has written to the Minister for the Overseas Territories. The letter includes factual inaccuracies and the Governor has written back to the Premier to ensure a correct understanding of the facts.”
According to the Governor’s office, the Auditor General’s final report on BVI Airways was received in office on February 7th, and not January 27th as indicated in the Premier’s complaint. “In the Audit Act 2003, the Governor is required to cause the report to be laid before the House of Assembly within 3 months, namely before 7 May”, it stated.
The office further said that the report has been submitted to Cabinet within the legal timeframe and it is now a matter for the Premier to arrange for it to be laid in the House at the next available sitting.
In closing, the Governor thanked the Auditor General for her work and cited that “It would be inappropriate to discuss the report until it is public when laid before the House of Assembly, but the Governor will ensure with respective agencies that any resulting action is taken forward as required.”
This exchange follows the alleged mismanagement of $7.2 Million dollars of tax payer funds that was expended on under BVI Airways “Direct flights to Miami” contract. The Auditor General’s audit promises to bring clarity on the project.
More to come on tomorrow’s LIVE newscast at 3pm.