The recent Commission of Inquiry reported finding evidence that the Premier’s Office under former Premier Andrew Fahie may have obstructed government auditors investigating Covid-19 assistance programmes. A new law is …
September 12, 2022
August 15, 2022
EDITORIAL: Open the interests register with no restrictions
Our first draft of this editorial praised legislators for passing a bill last month to finally make the Register of Interests public, thereby promoting the sort of government transparency that …
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June 22, 2022
EDITORIAL: Coming reports and audits must be published quickly
We applaud the specific deadlines in the reform proposal agreed this month by the Virgin Islands and United Kingdom governments. The targets are ambitious, but they represent exactly the sort …
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May 3, 2022
EDITORIAL: Keep the press conferences coming
Kudos to Premier Andrew Fahie for holding regular press conferences in recent months, and to opposition members for hosting similar sessions fairly frequently as well. We hope this practice will …
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April 13, 2022
EDITORIAL: Publish the COI report. Now.
For all the talk about transparency that has come out of the Governor’s Office in recent years, we were disappointed by Governor John Rankin’s decision not to release the Commission …
January 31, 2022
EDITORIAL: Once again, SFC meetings should be public
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The annual deliberations of the Standing Finance Committee should be open to the public. Unfortunately, our pleas have fallen on deaf …
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June 11, 2021
COI tests lawmakers’ transparency claims
Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom put elected officials’ claims to be “champions of transparency” to the test last week, suggesting that they should have no objection to his Commission of Inquiry …
May 31, 2021
EDITORIAL: Government must respond fully to COI requests
After the Commission of Inquiry was announced in January, Premier Andrew Fahie and other leaders promised that the government would assist investigators by providing requested information as transparently as possible. …
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May 28, 2021
Premier, COI contradict each other on hearings
Premier Andrew Fahie said again on May 20 that he believes all hearings before the Commission of Inquiry should be broadcast live for transparency’s sake, but the COI responded the …
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May 26, 2021
EDITORIAL: Governance bills a test of leaders’ promises
Kudos to the House of Assembly for making steady progress in recent weeks on a raft of legislation designed to improve governance in the territory. We hope to see all …
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May 4, 2021
EDITORIAL: Affordable home project must be fair, transparent
The affordable housing project at Joes Hill could significantly benefit a segment of the Virgin Islands community that is often overlooked and marginalised. But to make it work, government leaders …
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April 26, 2021
EDITORIAL: An open letter to Premier Andrew Fahie
Dear Premier Andrew Fahie: We noticed that you went on a media blitz in recent days, giving interviews on talk shows broadcast on the radio and on Facebook. We were …
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April 19, 2021
EDITORIAL: Presence, transparency will win trust for COI
The success of the ongoing commission of inquiry depends heavily on the trust and support of the Virgin Islands community. For this reason, we are glad that COI members have …
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March 30, 2021
EDITORIAL: BVIEC owes explanation on Anegada solar contract
The BVI Electricity Corporation owes the public an explanation. Starting in late 2019, the utility used a highly unusual tender process to choose a contractor to build a multimillion-dollar solar …
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March 16, 2021
EDITORIAL: Why hire communications consultants from abroad?
Shortly after the 2019 election, the government gave two communications consultants from abroad one-year contracts worth a total of $176,000, according to a document provided to the opposition in the …
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March 15, 2021
With no sealed bids, tender process for Anegada solar was highly unusual
The ritual was familiar to any Virgin Islands journalist. Before awarding a major contract in past years, the BVI Electricity Corporation typically would call a press conference where BVIEC officials …
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March 2, 2021
EDITORIAL: Now, governance reform is more urgent than ever
We were encouraged to hear Premier Andrew Fahie say last month that his government plans to turn its attention to governance reforms starting at this week’s House of Assembly meeting. …
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February 1, 2021
EDITORIAL: Inquiry will need a tightly focused strategy
With a monumental task to complete in only six months, the commission of inquiry must devise a tightly focused strategy for shining its powerful spotlight into the dark corners of …
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January 21, 2021
EDITORIAL: Unfortunately, the corruption inquiry is needed
Monday was a dark day for the Virgin Islands, with the United Kingdom flexing its colonial muscle and announcing a wide-ranging corruption inquiry in the territory. However, we are sad …
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July 22, 2020
EDITORIAL: Before airport expansion, transparency needed
If leaders in the new government proceed with their predecessors’ plan to expand the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, they must turn over a new leaf by being fully transparent …
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May 6, 2020
EDITORIAL: Press conferences needed as Covid questions go unanswered
On March 17, Premier Andrew Fahie and Deputy Premier Carvin Malone promised to keep the public informed about the coronavirus pandemic by holding weekly press conferences on the topic and …
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April 24, 2020
Code of conduct in works for ministers
Premier Andrew Fahie called for greater transparency in government as he reported April 16 on planned measures that would establish a legally binding ministerial code of conduct. “The ministerial code …
October 14, 2019
EDITORIAL: Sentencing guidelines are huge, but more reforms should follow
Kudos to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court for introducing its first set of sentencing guidelines. The new system should help ensure that justice is administered fairly and consistently in the …
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June 27, 2019
EDITORIAL: Premier should start holding open press conferences
Premier Andrew Fahie should start holding regular press conferences that give journalists a chance ask about topics of their choosing. Though Mr. Fahie occasionally has met with the media about …
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June 19, 2019
EDITORIAL: Recommended election reform is long overdue
The international team that observed the February general election has provided a sound roadmap for badly needed election reforms in the Virgin Islands. If the new government is serious about …
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