Corrupt islands ‘cannot be lef t to rule themselves’
After Caribbean premier’s dramatic arrest in US, call for Britain to send in governor
A BOMBSheLL report has recommended direct rule by a UKappointed governor after uncovering widespread corruption in the British Virgin Islands.
An inquiry, led by senior British judge Sir Gary hickinbottom, heard allegations of systemic cronyism and misuse of millions of pounds of public cash in the tiny territory, whose residents include Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson.
The findings were rushed out yesterday after the islands’ premier Andrew Fahie was arrested in a Miami Vice-style sting operation in the United States.
Sir Gary found that officials had spent millions in state cash without checks, and there was ‘widespread abuse’ of official appointments and ‘serious dishonesty’ at
‘The people have been served very badly’
the top level of government. he said: ‘With limited exceptions, the people of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) have been served badly in recent years. Very badly indeed.’
The findings drew comment from Tory MP Sir Geoffrey Cox, who has worked for hundreds of hours to defend the BVI’s government against allegations of corruption.
Yesterday the former attorney general sought to distance himself from Mr Fahie, despite the disgraced premier singling Sir Geoffrey out for praise.
In a 946-page report, Sir Gary made 45 recommendations including a series of criminal investigations, a corruption probe into the country’s customs officials and the suspension of the constitution.
If the move is backed by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the BVI’s elected officials could be suspended for up to two years.
Governor John Rankin, effectively the Queen’s representative in the BVI, would then become responsible for running the territory, which has a population of 30,000. Miss Truss has dispatched a minister and is expected to make a decision within weeks.
She said Mr Fahie’s arrest was ‘extremely concerning and underlines the need for urgent action’.
Describing the move as a ‘last resort’, Sir Gary said suspending the constitution is the ‘only way the relevant issues can be addressed’. he added: ‘It is only with the most anxious consideration that I have been driven to the conclusion that such a suspension is not only warranted but essential if the abuses which I have identified are to be tackled and brought to an end.’
The report was not linked to Mr Fahie’s arrest, and the British Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry did not hear evidence on the islands’ role in the illegal drug trade.
Commissioner Sir Gary’s report said: ‘The principles of good governance are ignored. Decisions are made by elected officials, usually ministers, on the basis of no criteria, or patently inadequate or unpublished criteria, or criteria which are as often as not ignored.’
It added that there was a ‘chronic lack of governance’ and pillars of governance have been treated with ‘disdain’.
The Commissioner found issues with seven ‘sample’ projects, totalling over £17.5million, three of which involved the premier, Mr Fahie, who was elected in 2019. In these cases he recommended two criminal investioffice, gations, in addition to two existing probes. At least 224 people were illegally granted residency status, offering pathways to full British citizenship, he found.
Crown Land was sold off on the cheap in deals that were ‘seriously dishonest’, the report said.
There were ‘issues’ with the allocation of £12.7million of Covid support by Mr Fahie’s and a potentially criminal attempt to prevent payouts being audited. he did not make a finding on personal bribes, but said ‘it would be frankly surprising if there were no such corruption’.
The Commission also heard claims that £29million of cash for families struggling in the pandemic was handed out to political allies.
It had also been claimed that £5.1million was given to an airline for direct flights to the US which never flew, and £730,000 was spent on a wall at a high school in a corrupt contract.
The contract was split between 70 contractors to keep it under disclosure limits, and 40 of the companies had no constructor’s licence.
The Commission was ordered by the country’s former governor, Augustus Jaspert, to investigate ‘the corruption, abuse of office, and other serious dishonesty’. It began hearing evidence in April last year.
‘Chronic lack of governance’