Friday, April 24, 2009Bermuda A Concern

Amanda DaleBermuda Flagged As Concern By UK Committee

Bermuda has been highlighted as an area of concern in a report into the governance of overseas territories, due to allegations of corruption.

Delivering the Seventh Report on Overseas Territories to the UK Government yesterday, the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) spoke on their inquiry in the Turks and Caicos Islands, during which they discovered "there was a deep concern... about free speech".

FAC Chairman Mike Gapes, Labour MP for Ilford South, said the Committee received more than 200 submissions from residents of Britain's 14 Overseas Territories. More than 50 of these came from the Turks and Caicos, most alleging corruption in government.

However, he added: "I also have to flag up we received allegations of corruption in our inquiry in relation to other overseas territories, including in Bermuda and in Anguilla."

Mr. Gapes said: "On Anguilla the committee recommended the (UK) Government should encourage the Anguillan Government to introduce anti-corruption measures and to hold an independent inquiry into the allegations that the Ministers accepted bribes from developers."

However, he said: "The Government has declined to do so. It has told us 'no substantive evidence has come to the Governor's attention that Ministers accepted bribes from developers'. And the Chief Minister of Anguilla has publically rejected the allegations.

"Nevertheless, the Governor will ask the Government how they plan to deal with the allegations made to the Committee (FAC)."

He said: "In a letter to the Committee, the Anguillan Government said they were 'not disposed to sanction a system of governmental accountability based on gossips, rumour and unproven innuendo'. They requested the Committee provide more evidence in relation to the allegations.

"I have to say, given we were originally told by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that there were lots of allegations in the Turks and Caicos but no evidence, I'm not entirely reassured by the position that has been taken so far. I would ask the Minister to reassure us in her remarks that the Government is looking closely at these matters."

Mr. Gapes said: "Similarly on Bermuda we also received some allegations of corruption and also electoral fraud.

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