Philipsburg: --- Several red flags were raised when the inspectors from SOAB began their investigation at the department of ROB/VROM. In the preliminary report which was submitted to the island Lt. Governor it stated that the executive council should conduct an indebt investigation into domain affairs. The investigation conducted by SOAB showed that there are irregularities at the department even though an indebt investigation was not conducted in that specific department.
One of those flags was the fact that several civil servants working both at the department and in offices of commissioners managed to secure domain land even though their request was recent. The report stated that a detailed control was not done at that department yet the discrepancies were written on the wall. Several persons who just recently requested domain land including workers of the department already got the land even though there are persons on the waiting list long before them.
Among those persons who received domain land is the head of domain affairs. Sources told this media house that this person was allowed to choose the parcel of land they wanted, and when they were not satisfied with what was available they created a plot of land. The parcel of land that was approved by the executive council for the head of domain affairs was not designated for development but as the head of the department that person was allowed to create the plot which was given to department head and the daughter of the former leader of government, these plots it is understood is located in Pointe Blanche. Also receiving a plot of land in the same area is the head of inspections another senior civil servant.
The source said the acting head of VROM also managed to secure a plot of land in Pointe Blanche, while a senior civil servant in the department got a parcel of land in the name of teenage daughter who is studying abroad.
Among the recipients is the executive assistant to one of the commissioners whose land is located in the St. Peters area while the campaign manager for another former commissioner also received a parcel of land in Pointe Blanche even though he already occupies a parcel of domain land.
Another highlight in the SOAB report is that the director of ROB is not in control of that department. The rules and regulations are not being upheld and procedures are not being followed. It is not clear if the director is aware of the discrepancies or if he is part of the ongoing scheme. Based on these facts the SOAB advised the executive council to relieve both the director and his assistant from their positions and to hire an interim manager who would bring about order in the entire sector.
While the SOAB is calling on the executive council to conduct an investigation it must be clear that all domain land that is granted to applicants has to be approved by the executive council.
Even though the current executive council is not responsible for the decisions taken by the former executive council, there are two persons who are still part of this new executive council and were aware of the unfair distribution of government land. Those two persons who obviously have some say in these matters are Commissioner Theo Heyliger and the Chairman of the Island Council Franklyn Richards. Efforts made to contact both men for a comment proved futile up to press time.
Sources told this media house that several department heads who already own land managed to secure domain land.
15 Comments 
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
