NDP got a dose of its own medicine with HOA walkout!
It was on January 13, 2014 that Dr. Smith presented his $301.7 million Budget to the people of the Virgin Islands.
But today at the Fourth Sitting of the Third Session of the Second House of Assembly it was high drama as Third District Representative and veteran Parliamentarian Honourable Julian Fraser, RA clashed with the Speaker of the House of Assembly Honourable Ingrid A. Moses, over the procedure and items not in the budget.
The fiery exchange continued with Hon. Fraser been told by the Speaker of the House to “sit down” as if it was a mother talking to her child. Hon, Fraser fired back and reminded Hon. Moses that she must stand on her feet if she wants him to sit down but she refused to stand.
Hon. Fraser then decided to leave the Chambers and while he was packing up his belongings to depart the House of Assembly Speaker Moses demanded again that he sit down. Hon. Fraser reminded her again that he was preparing to leave when she threatened to have the Sergeant at Arms remove him if he does not sit down.
First and Second District Representatives Hons. Andrew A. Fahie and J. Alvin Christopher were not at the session.
Virgin Islands News Online caught up with Third District Representative Hon Fraser who outlined his reasons for walking out, saying that Government has no regard for the Opposition.
“I told the Government this morning that it is one thing when the Government uses its arrogance to make us members of the Opposition the second ring. But when it comes to taking the public and making them the third ring of a three-ring circus, that’s where we get off. We are not going along with it. So in that regard I cannot continue to participate in that charade, so I left the House,” said Hon Fraser.
“I understood that after what happened today they decided to further recess the sitting today for tomorrow. I guess they are hoping for someone from the Opposition to show up to have a debate,” he said.
“The problem is that Government has been acting in total disregard for the presence of the Oppositon and in so doing they disenfranchise our constituents. Nowhere in the budget are our views represented and it means that if our views are not represented in the budget, our constituents are left out,” he said.
He said that while it is the biggest budget the Territory has seen it was also the shortest Standing Finance Committee deliberations that he has seen. “It was five days,” he said.
“I wanted to bring to the attention of the House this morning that it was a disrespect to begin with by forwarding to me the report on the Standing Finance Committee on the late day like Saturday morning at 11.15 and expect me to debate the biggest budget that the country has ever seen as $301 million for 10 o’clock Monday morning. It is totally insensitive and unacceptable,” he said.
Efforts to solicit a reaction on Fraser's walkout from Leader of the Opposition Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal OBE proved futile today.
NDP first walked out!
It was on July 26, 2013, the day of the motion of no confidence brought by Hon. Fraser against the unpopular NDP regime that saw the NDP first insulted the people of the Virgin Islands by walking out.
Many have described today’s action by Hon. Fraser as the NDP simply getting a taste of their own medicine.
To date Premier and Leader of Government Business Hon. Smith never apologized to the people for their actions on July 26, 2013 nor did Premier Smith labelled his members as “rude”.
Following the 2011 general elections and the swearing in of the new Parliament the public has had no respect or regard for the House of Assembly as it has been described by a former legislator and NDP supporter as a circus.
The unparliamentary behaviour and disrespect for others have been led by the controversial Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn where he often throws words at ordinary citizens whom he has never even met and attacks the media.
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34 Responses to “NDP got a dose of its own medicine with HOA walkout!”
WHEN THEY HAVE POWER AND AUTHORITY, THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT NOBODY.
WHEN THEY HAVE POWER AND AUTHORITY, THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT NOBODY.
GTFOH !!!
rove projectsh need tobe done ..the goverment have to list state the this accumulate from all this, it would seem that the no exacttly where fraeser would go, and the Nbp don't want that. Let us use our brains and not ignorance. Yes the buggetsis good we need break downs. This the peoples bussinees not the ndp own