Former education minister charged with breaching public trust

ROAD TOWN (CMC):

Former education minister Myron Walwyn was on Tuesday charged with breach of trust by a public officer in connection with an unfinished wall construction project at a high school that has been tainted by claims of budget overruns and contract splitting.

He immediately denied any wrongdoing, saying that the charge brought against him is “manifestly unjust”.

“This is a charge that I will vigorously defend as it does not enjoy the benefit of the facts,” Walwyn said in a statement.

“Even considering my scepticism regarding the application of the law in this matter I do, however, have the utmost confidence in our judicial system, one that I have had the privilege to be associated with for the past 16 years as an attorney, to render a fair and just decision on this matter,” he said.

Walwyn acknowledged that there were procedural issues with the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) perimeter wall project, which was the subject of a police investigation in 2019 and a Commission of Enquiry in 2021, but contended that no government project has ever been faultlessly managed.

“As such, we all agree that we must continue to work on improving the way we manage all government projects. However, I do not believe that any of those procedural issues warranted or met the criteria of breach of trust to justify such a charge for anyone who was involved in the management of the project during its normal course,” he added.

“If the intentions are truly to help the BVI to be better able to manage its affairs, I am not convinced that labelling its hard-working citizens as corrupt without concrete evidence and damaging their reputations, livelihoods and sense of decency is a productive approach. I repudiate any such label being placed on me.”

The project, which commenced in December 2014 but was never completed despite more than US$1 million spent, was criticised by Auditor General Sonia Webster for budget overruns and contract splitting, among other issues. It was split into more than 70 work orders and 15 petty contracts.

Walwyn said the matter has been used as a political football and “a witch hunt” for the past seven years.

“I cannot recall any project, following this same procedure and even for much larger sums, having this level of attention and sustained focus,” he said.

The former education officer also questioned why the report from the Commission of Enquiry into the matter had not been made public, even though it was being used as the basis for investigating and charging citizens.

“It cannot be right that a report which has the potential to ruin the careers, reputations, quality of life and living for individuals and cause a great deal of embarrassment to be allowed to hide behind an act of parliament and escape the scrutiny of the courts.

“This action is not consistent with the tenants of accountability and transparency which the very report claims that it seeks to promote,” he argued.

Walwyn is the third person to be arrested in connection with the ESHS perimeter wall project. Businessman Kelvin Thomas is facing three criminal charges and Lorna Stevens, an assistant secretary who helped oversee the controversial project, was last week charged with breach of trust by a public officer.