HoA to meet July 16, 2019! Will Vanterpool be sworn in?
While the Order Paper has not yet been made public, residents and the political class will be glued to the radio and other social media platforms to see if the member-elect, Mr Mark H. Vanterpool from the Fourth District, will be sworn in at that Sitting.
In or out?
There has been much controversy over the issue after on March 5, 2019 Mr Vanterpool tendered his resignation in a letter to the Clerk of the HoA asking not to be sworn in and that he no longer had an interest in representing the people of the Fourth District. The letter was addressed to the Clerk because at the time there was no Speaker.
Mr Vanterpool had subsequently been told by the Attorney General Baba F. Aziz that his letter was invalid because it was sent to the clerk, and not the Speaker, according to Sec 67 (3) A of the Virgin Islands Constitution. The new Speaker in the person of Hon Julian Willock was sworn in on March 12, 2019 and the clerk handed the letter to him.
No vacancy in D4
The Honourable Speaker accepted the resignation letter and advised the Governor, Augustus J. U. Jaspert, of a vacancy in the Fourth District. Mr Vanterpool then challenged the matter in court and sought an Injunction and Judicial Review on the Speaker’s decision. Both failed.
In another decision, a Judge ordered that Mr Vanterpool be sworn in to the HoA and the Speaker appealed; however, recently had the appeal withdrawn.
The Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), who has been tight-lipped on the matter, stated recently that he had asked the Speaker to reconsider his position and to swear in Mr Vanterpool.
Swear him in-Premier Fahie
The Premier noted that the matter had divided the country and requested that Hon Willock bring an end to the saga.
However, the Premier made it clear that it was still a matter for the Speaker. When contacted today, Saturday July 6, 2019 as to whether he was going to swear in the Fourth District member-elect, Honourable Willock declined to comment.
The Sitting will be carried live on CBN Radio 90.9 FM, CBN-Television Channel 101 on Flow TV and it can also be followed live online at www.cbnvirginislands.com
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