HOA meets today Oct. 9, 2012
It will definitely be a day of business in the House following a "love fest" and "Kumbaya" at the last Parliament sitting, which gave much deserved praises and condolences to Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, on the passing of his mother Eldra Violet Davies-Smith.
The highlight of this sitting will be some 40 plus questions that will be fired off by Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Opposition Members Honourables Julian Fraser RA, of District 3, and Andrew A. Fahie of District 1.
While this will be a reduction from the record breaking 60 plus questions at the first sitting in September 2012 when the Parliament returned from prorogue, the only one spared again from the wrath of the Opposition's questions to Government Ministers is Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering- a popular legislator.
Questions to the front bench Government Ministers will range from hospital contracts, the Carrot Bay Post Office, the Protocols signed earlier this year between the VI and UK Governments, the proposed Soper’s Hole Jetty Modernisation Project in the first district and Global Water Associates.
If that was not enough, the Government Ministers will have to answer questions on the CDB Loan, the Biwater Agreement on the issue of Contingent Liability, the package for the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Commissioner- a UK contract officer, the rate of unemployment in the VI and how the Smith Administration will fix the VI economy, to name a few.
The HOA sitting will also see the laying of many departmental reports by Premier Dr. Smith and Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark Vanterpool.
Many Bills, including long awaited Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act, 2012, to be read
Meanwhile the Premier according to the order paper will introduce for the first reading of the bill entitled Disaster Management Act 2012.
Up for its second and third readings is the very controversial Public Finance Management (Amendment) Act 2012, a bill demanded by the United Kingdom Government via the Protocol.
The Leader of Government business will also present for another readings- the Mutual Legal Assistance (Tax Matters) (Amendment) Act 2012, Securities and Investment Business (Amendment) Act, 2012 while Health and Social Development Minister Ronnie W. Skelton will bring before the HOA a Bill entitled Non-Profit Organizations Act, 2012.
The Virgin Islands House of Assembly, also referred to as Parliament, is the highest law making body of the Territory where 13 legislators are elected for four years. Currently, the HOA has two political parties with the ruling National Democratic Party of Premier Smith holding 9 seats and the Opposition Virgin Islands Party of Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE holding 4.
16 Responses to “HOA meets today Oct. 9, 2012”
Now we know why Kedrick will not be looking into the illegal marina. When BVI turns like Syria, France and those places with rioting, I hope they know what started it. It might sound crazy now but keep *&^% with the people over and over and see what happen. 6 on one side, half-dozen on the next.