‘Monies are distributed to voters’ - CoI Council

During today’s, June 14, 2021, Hearing Day 10 and via questioning to At-Large representative, Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL), Mr Rawat had asked her whether the monies given to her as part of her role in public office and as an elected member of the House of Assembly (HoA) could be seen as vote-buying.

“Viewed from the outside, it might be said that the ability of an elected representative to have a fund of money that can be distributed to voters, carries with it the risk of undermining public confidence, doesn’t it,” he said.

While Rawat assured that his opinion was not an opinion, rather a hypothetical question, de Castro responded that she cannot state whether his comments was the case or not.

The BVI Commission of Inquiry (CoI), through the Council to the Commissioner, Mr Bilal Rawat, has referred to the district allocation funding given to elected representatives of the House of Assembly (HoA) as ‘Vote Buying,’ although those funds are provided as a means for elected members to carry out their obligations as representatives of the people and have to get approval before the funds are utilised.

Insight about UK views on VI shared?

“How do you guard against the allegation that it looks like vote-buying?’ the Councilor further asked. Rawat; however, did not say the source of such allegations or who had made the allegation or whether that was the opinion of the United Kingdom (UK).

Within the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA), for over 24 years, Members of the House have received district allocations to aid with the responsibility as representatives.

According to the commission, the monies given to each representative represent about $150,000 annually, totalling some $1.9 million combined for all representatives.

$$ accounted for– Hon deCastro

While Hon de Castro indicated that she has no objection to having the use of the funds made public, the CoI commissioner said there doesn’t seem to be any checks and balances on how it is used.

Noting that the district allocations are being accounted for, Hon de Castro said members first have to forward an application to the HoA office for approval ahead of the utilisation of funds.