Ministers Approved Terms For Pier Project Audit; "We Didn't Thief" - Skelton

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Clifton Skelton/BVI Platinum News

(PLTM) - The National Democratic Party (NDP) Ministers of government were the ones to decide and approve the terms of reference for a firm to carry out investigations into the controversial cruise pier and land side development. This became public last week in the House of Assembly.

"Cabinet determined and approved the terms of reference for the forensic investigation into the cruise pier project. Cabinet also approved the firm that would carry out the investigation. The firm engaged to carry out the investigation is KPMG," said Premier and Finance Minister, Hon. Dr. Orlando Smith in response to questions.

He also disclosed that the tendering process was waived, "as Cabinet felt that KPMG had the necessary qualifications and expertise to carry out the exercise successful."

Premier Smith said that the foreseeable cost for the audit is $195,000.

Opposition Member Hon. Andrew Fahie, who posed the questions, commented, "So Minister of Finance you are saying that the cruise pier project that has come under questioning by your administration, the forensic audit was approved by your government, paid by your government to look into a project done by your government under a statutory board. Wow."

KPMG, an internationally-recognized firm with headquarters based in the Netherlands, commenced the audit of the project sometime in May, as ordered by Premier Smith. KPMG also has an office in the BVI.

Premier Smith had assured that the findings of the audit will be known before the end of the year.

Since the Premier's announcement in January, government has been criticized as many, including the Opposition, are concerned about government being allowed to investigate itself on the allegations of corruption on the project. Many said that they are not comfortable and felt that Governor John Duncan should have intervened.

Hon. Fahie has maintained that the government should not be allowed to investigate themselves. Hon. Fahie believes that the Acting Auditor General should also do an audit on the land side, separate from KPMG.

We Didn't Thief

Meanwhile, at last week's sitting, Hon. Ronnie Skelton, Minister of Health and Social Development said that the government did the project in the best interest of the people, noting that they did not steal any money.

"I must be sleeping when these things happening; all we want to do is to get theses things for our people. They talk about the cruise ship pier. We spent some $82M; we had planned to spend $33M on the pier and then we did some alterations and the land base was $15M," he said.

"I used to cuss the Minister for Communications and Works (Hon. Mark Vanterpool) because I didn’t understand what he was out there piling to keep up some wooden buildings on sand, and now we have all kinds of buildings built out there. They ain't got no pile under them; they are wooden buildings. That’s why the money gone up."

He added that they listened to the professionals.

"When a tsunami comes, it doesn’t wash us away; the sand and the buildings remain...At least you can see where we spent the money."

Minister Skelton commented, "You can insinuate that we thief the money under the table, under this and that, but that is insinuation. There is nothing that you can prove, at least not with me."

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