After a thorough investigation into the government’s former agreement with Tortola Ports Partners, the opposition-led Public Accounts Committee has put forward a raft of very serious allegations.

 

Though government rightly cancelled the TPP partnership, the PAC report raises questions about the functioning and leadership of the BVI Ports Authority.

Now the public deserves answers, and we hope that the government will provide them soon.

The PAC’s allegations — which expand upon an interim report released in April — date back to 2011, when Communications and Works Minister Mark Vanterpool took up his ministerial post following the National Democratic Party’s victory in the general elections.

Subsequently, government hired Claude Skelton-Cline, the NDP’s unsuccessful candidate for the Second District, as a “ports consultant” for a one-year period. If the former pastor had any previous experience with ports, it has never been made public.

The PAC claims that Messrs. Vanterpool and Skelton-Cline worked together to usurp the BVI Ports Authority’s power, attempting to replace an existing cruise pier plan with a greatly expanded project to be carried out by TPP, a United States-based consortium.

In the process, they allegedly sidestepped good practice, wasted public money, ignored tendering and transparency rules, gave rise to concerns about conflict of interest, and upset BVIPA leaders, according to the PAC.

Meanwhile, after Mr. Skelton-Cline’s one-year contract expired, he was appointed managing director of the authority.

Later, when the PAC and the auditor general attempted to investigate the project, they claimed that they had difficulty obtaining information from Messrs. Skelton-Cline and Vanterpool, as well as the Ministry of Finance.

After quashing the TPP contract, government leaders rightly promised transparency as the BVIPA moves forward with the cruise pier project.

But many questions remain:

• If the PAC’s allegations are true, what is going on at the BVIPA? Have the potentially systemic failures alleged by the committee’s report been investigated and corrected?

• Is Mr. Skelton-Cline now running the BVIPA in accordance with the rules that are supposed to govern it?

• Is the BVIPA now functioning without improper interference from the minister?

• Can the public rest assured that taxpayers are getting value for money as major work continues on the cruise pier project?

• Considering that the BVIPA last month signed a $4.9 million contract for cruise pier work behind closed doors — and chose the highest bidder for the job — what is being done to ensure transparency?

• How will the civil service handle the PAC’s recommendation to take disciplinary action against public officers who allegedly were uncooperative with the investigation?

To ensure the public’s trust, the government will need to answer such questions quickly and thoroughly. To date, however, few answers have been forthcoming.

Mr. Skelton-Cline has declined to comment on the allegations, and Mr. Vanterpool’s response has been troubling at best. Though he has expressed his support for the PAC’s investigatory role, he said last week that nothing he’s heard about the findings thus far causes him concern. This attitude leaves a lot to be desired coming from a sitting government minister.

Certainly, it is important to remember that the PAC is led by the opposition, which doubtlessly has motives of its own. However, the body’s most serious allegations were derived from conclusions reached in an independent inquiry by the auditor general.

The PAC’s claims, then, cannot be dismissed purely as politically motivated propaganda.

On the day the PAC report was tabled in the House of Assembly, the government voted down an opposition motion to debate it, saying that they hadn’t had time to read it. However, Premier Dr. Orlando Smith, whose leadership appears to be needed in this matter, promised that a debate would come later.

This decision is fair, especially since reports customarily are not debated on the day they are tabled. But we hope the issue will be aired at the next HOA sitting.

If government leaders wish to deny the allegations, we would be most interested to hear their side of the story. Otherwise, they should apologise for any missteps and bring the public a plan that will ensure that any needed reforms are taken immediately.

If the government is unwilling to take appropriate action, perhaps the governor should follow the PAC’s recommendation to launch an inquiry.

The current administration came to power promising better governance, and it has taken various steps toward that goal. But the picture painted by the PAC report is anything but.

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