All eyes will be on the new governor, John Duncan, who was sworn in on Friday. Mr. Duncan will no doubt try to be more cautious than his predecessor Boyd McCleary, who has been accused of violating the rights of accused persons and denying promotions of senior police officers — allegations that he has denied. However, the new governor will have a lot on his plate because recently there have been contentions of wrongdoing at government ministries and corporations. One of them involves the cruise pier scandal.
The economy in most, if not all, countries in the Caribbean Community is going from bad to worse, and some businesses are trying to cut corners in order to make ends meet. A few of them have even engaged in dishonest acts.
Although the economy in the Virgin Islands is much better off than the other Caribbean states and territories, businesses try their best to ensure that they spend the minimum, and a few of them even crossed the line and engaged in activities that are not aboveboard. It is reported that a few businesses — including commercial houses, marine and tourism companies, and law firms — have not been deducting Social Security funds and payroll tax from their employees and paying in to the system on a timely basis.
Two years ago, Virgin Gorda residents brought the issue to Deputy Premier Dr. Kederick Pickering, who is the minister of natural resources and labour, and he advised the employees to check carefully from their pay stubs and paycheques: If they are certain that deductions were in fact made and moneys were not paid in to the Social Security Department, he said, the matter should be reported for appropriate legal action to be taken.
What is disturbing is that a few of the defaulters are closely connected to Premier Dr. Orlando Smith’s administration and perhaps feel that they are not obligated to “toe the line.” The governor might have to look at these and other areas where the territory is being robbed of its revenue.
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