HoA to meet June 23, 2016; Opposition to fire off questions
In a press announcement from the HoA late yesterday June 20, 2016, Government confirmed the Ninth Sitting of the First Session of the Third House of Assembly meeting for Thursday June 23, 2016 and dispatched the Order Paper to the media.
Besides the usual annual reports being laid on the table and a few Bills obtaining their first and second readings, the Opposition Leader Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) will be forcing some answers out of four Ministers of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government.
Questions for Premier Smith
The Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith will have to answer more questions on the controversial BVI Airways deal in which his administration poured some $7M into a bankrupt airline, now under new management, with a promised direct flight from Miami, Florida to the Terence B Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island, in the Virgin Islands.
When the defunct BVI Airways went out of business a few years ago, it owed the BVI Airports Authority thousands of dollars. It remains unclear if they were paid to date.
Hon Fraser and the public wants to know the BVI Airways estimated start-up cost, the annual return on the tax payers investments of 20%, the operating loss to be incurred by BVI Airways during its first three years of operation, along with who represents Government on the project as per the agreement.
Other questions for Premier Smith will range from the matter of the Tortola Pier Park to Beneficial Ownership as demanded by the United Kingdom.
Questions for Hons Skelton, Vanterpool & Walwyn
Meanwhile, the Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Ronnie W. Skelton, the Territorial At Large Member, will have to answer why residents over 65 years of age are being forced to pay-out of pocket in addition to NHI for certain medications at Peebles Hospital.
Communications and Works Minister Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) will be peppered on the over three years plus, since he took office, water woes from Tortola to Virgin Gorda, along with the state of despair for one of his Departments, Water and Sewerage, where they do not even have vehicles to carry out their duties.
The controversial and embattled Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn, the Territorial At Large Member, will face tough questions on the embarrassing situation on his lack of preparation for the extra school year called a sixth form. He announced that students have to be shuttled to the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay on Tortola.
Mr Walwyn will have to answer on ratio of grades to classrooms and the number of classrooms to be added for his imposed sixth form that is very unpopular among students, parents and education officials.
The meeting will be carried live on CBN Channel 51 and starts at 10:00 AM on June 23, 2016 in Road Town, the Virgin Islands capital city.
14 Responses to “HoA to meet June 23, 2016; Opposition to fire off questions”
Where's our justice for our corrupt officials. We want to do everything they do in states except make our politicians accountable for their misdeeds