London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

British Virgin Islands' governor launches inquiry into alleged corruption

British Virgin Islands' governor launches inquiry into alleged corruption

The plan is to ousted the current government -who is calling for independence- and to replace them with the previous ruling party - who is UK loyalist. Government corruption is nothing new in BVI for any government, just like in any other democracy, but a governor initiative to launch an independent investigation against the government is defiantly a new and dramatic move that will reshape the whole BVI political system and future. Not sure that it will clean BVI from corruption, but it will defiantly clean the toxic relationship with the governor and will shut down the BVIxit movement for good.

Gus Jaspert’s extraordinary step comes amid claims of a climate of fear in the UK overseas territory.If it the investigation will find a real evidence of government officials involvement in the drug scandal - that will be a remarkable success for Gus Jaspert and his future as a superstar with impressive success record in UK politic.

Allegations of widespread political corruption, misuse of taxpayer’s money and a climate of fear in the British Virgin Islands have led its governor to take the extraordinary step of establishing an independent judge-led inquiry into the claims.

Gus Jaspert, the British-appointed BVI governor, with the personal backing of the UK prime minister, has established a commission of inquiry to investigate concerns over governance, including specific allegations that point to possible corruption and infiltration by serious organised criminal gangs. The six-month inquiry, to be led by Sir Gary Hickinbottom, follows the discovery by police in November of a haul of cocaine worth more than £190m.

Jaspert broke the news to the island on Monday after returning from the UK, where he was on leave. It was reported that he had been struggling with his communications systems in recent weeks, and complained to the premier, Andrew Fahie, but said nothing was done, forcing him to ring newsrooms individually.

The BVI is a British overseas territory, and one of those most resistant to setting up a public register of beneficial ownership, a means by which tax avoidance can be tackled. But the Foreign Office stressed that the inquiry had been prompted by deepening concerns about governance issues on the islands.

In a written ministerial statement, the Foreign Office said the allegations included political interference and coercion in relation to appointments in the public service and statutory boards; intimidation of people in public service and the media and community leaders; and that $40m (£29.5m) in funds set aside for struggling families during the pandemic may have been channelled to political allies. It is also alleged that 85% of government contracts were issued without a proper procurement process.

Specific concerns have been raised about the use of money to fight coronavirus on the islands, the building of a school wall at a cost of £1m, $32m in excess spending on a cruise ship pier, and $7m on a nonexistent airline. As much as $55m may have been overspent on various hospital projects.

The decision to set up a commission is an acknowledgement that BVI’s own criminal justice system is not capable of mounting an effective and impartial investigation. It also throws the constitutional relationship between the UK and overseas territories into the spotlight. The last similar crisis occurred in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Foreign Office said in its statement to parliament: “As those responsible for ensuring the security and good governance of the BVI, the governor and UK government could not stand by amid such serious allegations that have shown no sign of improvement.” It said UK ministers had a moral as well as constitutional obligation to mount the investigation.

The commission, with wide-ranging powers to demand evidence, will investigate whether there is information to substantiate claims that corruption, abuse of position and other serious impropriety have taken place in public office in recent years.

The Foreign Office statement added: “The rule of law, local institutions and the people’s faith in their government have been undermined by these allegations.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×