Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Poor Governance, Lack Of Transparency Still A Problem

Poor Governance, Lack Of Transparency Still A Problem

Two weeks shy of the one-year anniversary the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration and there are calls for more to be done to bring about good governance and transparency.
The former National Democratic Party (NDP) administration was heavily criticized for poor governance, poor financial practice and lack of transparency by many including former Governor Mr John Duncan.

Fast forward, and Governor Gus Jaspert said that he is concerned that not enough is being done to allow for more transparency and good governance.

In response to questions, he told reporters during a press conference on February 3 that the institutions which allow for good governance should receive more support in order to be strengthened.

The Governor mentioned the need for the Procurement Act, the tender process, and implementation of a Ministerial Code of Conduct.

“I think that the institutions of good governance of this Territory should be supported at the top level. It’s a small place that has a global impact, but that puts even more pressure on those institutions. So, how do we strengthen those institutions, how do we make those institutions more transparent like for example, under the previous government we made Cabinet decisions transparent, that’s just one small step,” he explained.

Cabinet decisions are now made public.

“How do we make sure that decisions on transparent contracts, how they are done in terms of relaxing tender waivers or maybe just explain,” the Governor added.

The Governor was speaking to the government’s one-year anniversary in office where he said that governance needs to be improved, but was quick to point out that its not for him to assess the government, rather the media and the people.

He said that the Territory must have an informed public.

“There are a host of things we can do to say we are actually raising the standards of governance and supporting the public to hold us to account collectively (is one aspect),” he stated.

In relation to the Territory’s recovery, the Governor said that there is need to speed up the pace and noted that there are opportunities which must be grabbed.

“2020 is a challenging year, but also a year full of opportunities...I think we need to make sure we seize those opportunities. We have a recovery and development I believe needs to increase pace…We have infrastructure that we need to improve, we have the opportunity to, we have governance that’s not where they should be for a Territory that has so much opportunities,” Governor Jaspert stressed.

Former Governor Duncan, prior to his departure in July 2017, had raised red flags over the issue of transparency and accountability on the part of the NDP administration. Along with the United Kingdom Government, Duncan had called for the many years of financial statements to be completed and laid before the House of Assembly.

Duncan, in his final interview as Governor, told BVI Platinum News that one of his disappointments is that the BVI has not been able to make progress with transparency.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×