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About the Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General
History
The Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General had its beginning
as the Audit Division of the Virgin Islands Department of Finance.
It functioned under the direct supervision of a director, however,
the director reported to the Commissioner of Finance.
In the early 1980's the United States Inspectors General, as
a part of a review of the financial management system of the Virgin
Islands Government, recommended that, in order to maintain an
independent territorial audit function, the Audit Division become
a separate and independent agency. Thus, on May 29, 1982, Act
4703 became law without the signature of Governor Juan Luis. Act
4703 created the Virgin Islands Bureau of Audit and Control as
an independent agency of the Virgin Islands Government. The Bureau
of Audit was to be headed by an inspector general and a deputy
inspector general. These two key positions remained vacant, however,
as the Bureau of Audit was still headed by a director.
On January 27, 1989, Governor Alexander Farrelly nominated Steven
van Beverhoudt and Roland Rigaud, as the first Inspector General
and Deputy Inspector General respectively. Both nominations were
approved by the Virgin Islands Legislature, and both men began
their six-year term. Mr. Rigaud retired from government service
in December 1994, and Mr. van Beverhoudt was re-nominated for
a second term on March 2, 1995, by Governor Roy Schneider. Mrs.
Susan Andrews served as Deputy Inspector General from September
1999 to March 2001. On February 28, 2002 Governor Charles Turnbull
again nominated Mr. van Beverhoudt for a third term as Virgin
Islands Inspector General, with the Legislature giving almost
unanimous ( 14 - yeas, 1 - absent) support on June 22, 2002. Ms.
Delia Thomas, a long-time auditor, was promoted to Deputy Virgin
Islands Inspector General on June 24, 2002.
Foreseeing significant challenges to the independence of the
Bureau of Audit from his first appointment in 1989, Inspector
General van Beverhoudt lobbied the Virgin Islands Legislature
for over ten (10) years for investigative authority and improvements
to the independence of the agency. Finally, on December 14, 1999,
despite the Governor's veto, the Virgin Islands Legislature passed
Act 6333, abolishing the Bureau of Audit and Control and creating
the Office of the Virgin Islands Inspector General.
As a separate, independent agency of the Virgin Islands Government,
the Virgin Islands Inspector General's Office functions as the
major auditing arm of the Government with a more encompassing
audit function extending to all three branches of the Government.
Act 6333, in addition to providing for a more independent audit
function, also gave the Virgin Islands Inspector General's Office
the authority to conduct investigations as part of its responsibilities
in promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and preventing
and detecting fraud, waste and abuse.
The primary responsibilities of the Virgin Islands Inspector
General's Office are to conduct audits, inspections and investigations
of any Government department, bureau, commission or instrumentality
including the Legislative and Judicial branches. As a part of
these functions, the Virgin Islands Inspector General's Office:
(i) keeps the Governor, Legislature, and the Territorial Court
currently informed of problems and deficiencies relating to the
administration of government programs and operations; (ii) recommends
and tracks the progress of corrective actions; (iii) takes steps
necessary and lawful to ensure full implementation of recommendations;
and, (iv) gives advise and issues opinions when requested by other
governmental instrumentalities. Finally, the Virgin Islands Inspector
General's Office is responsible for providing on-going training
to develop a highly skilled audit and investigative staff.
The Virgin Islands Inspector General is appointed by the Governor
and approved by the Legislature. The incumbent now serves a term
of seven years and may be removed from office by the Governor,
but only upon a finding of neglect of duty and/or malfeasance
in office. The Deputy Virgin Islands Inspector General is appointed
by the Virgin Islands Inspector General and serves a term concurrent
to the term of the appointing Virgin Islands Inspector General.
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