London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Experienced Boards Being Replaced By Political Appointees As Rewards

Experienced Boards Being Replaced By Political Appointees As Rewards

Opposition Leader Hon. Marlon Penn said in many instances, experienced statutory board members in the British Virgin Islands are replaced by supporters of the ruling party as a reward.

Hon. Penn’s comments come following the probing of the matter during recent days by the ongoing UK-backed Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

Addressing the matter via a statement on Thursday, September 16, the Opposition Leader underscored the importance of these boards to the national economy.

“These organisations are tremendously important to the people of the Virgin Islands, to our sustainability, and to our economic growth and development. They are expected to, and are relied upon to perform the management of our two economic pillars of Financial Services and Tourism; our National Pension and National Health Insurance Plans; our Energy supply and Health Care services; our Tertiary Education; our Telecommunications industry; our air and marine ports; and our National Parks,” he said.

He continued: “As one can tell, any incompetence on the part of the Board of Directors or the Administration of these organisations can mean disaster for the people of our country. Therefore it is vitally important that the members of the Boards and the personnel of the Administrations are carefully selected. Administrators and other functionaries must be selected for their expertise in the duties they are chosen to perform. Likewise, Board members must be selected for their knowledge of the various policies and strategies necessary for the vision and mission for which the Statutory Body was created to be made a reality.”

Political Rewards


Hon. Penn said, however, these posts are given as rewards to supporters of the ruling party.

“Too often and disastrous; however, our elected representatives use these significantly important positions within the Statutory Bodies and their Boards as rewards for the support given to them during the electoral process. On one too many occasions, these human resource selections, mainly based on support for a politician, are inexperienced and incompetent and replace experienced competent administrators and board members,” he stated.

According to the Opposition Leader, these appointments can have catastrophic consequences, particularly for the economy.

“For example, one misstep or one missed opportunity in the management of the Board of any one of our economic pillars because of inexperience or incompetence could mean slower economic recovery resulting in failed businesses, job losses, social unrest, and generally diminished quality of life in our country," Hon. Penn emphasized.

During his appearance before the CoI this week, Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie admitted that in hindsight, his administration should have created a policy to guide the way board appointments are made when they revoked all non-ex-officio members and had them replaced with new appointees in 2019.

The topic continues before the CoI today.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×