The Virgin Islands’ House of Assembly will meet on Tuesday November 27, 2018, at the Road Town, Tortola, Chambers. Photo: VINO/File

Third District Representative and Opposition Member, Honourable Julian Fraser RA, has tabled on the Order Paper, questions directed to Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7). Photo: VINO/File

It will be the first time since 2003, where the Opposition would have an increased presence of five members.  

It is also the first time that the Opposition benches, will field three political parties. 

However, at the November 27, 2018, Fourth Sitting of the Fourth Session, of the HoA, both of long time Opposition Members, Honourables Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and Julian Fraser RA (R3), have a series of questions for the government’s front benchers.  

Opposition Leader Hon Fahie, is scheduled to query of Premier, Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) and Co-Leader of Government business, to “...the total sum paid or to be paid in settlement by the Central Government and all Statutory Bodies and privately held companies owned by the Government of the VI of all civil and/or criminal matters related to contractual obligations for the period November 2011, through 2018.”

The Opposition Leader further seeks to have the Premier provide a detailed listing by name, amount, date and purpose;  and to “state whether or not there exists any unsettled claims awaiting hearing or judgment as at October 31st, 2018; and If yes, provide a listing of all unsettled claim.”

CBC Loan and Hon Walwyn

Hon Fahie also wants to know from the Education and Culture Minister, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (AL) about, “each project submitted by the Ministry of Education and Culture to the Ministry of Finance and by extension Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)  to be funded by the $65 million CDB loan that was approved by the HoA in December 2017?” 

Mr. Walwyn is also to state, “the date each project was submitted; the date Cabinet approved each project; the projected cost of each project; the commencement date of each project; If the tender process will be used for each project and if not, why not; and if yes, describe the process to be used.”

Country fill with men

Meanwhile, Opposition Member Fraser, has tabled on the Order Paper, questions directed to Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7).

Hon Fraser is looking to elicit from the Deputy Premier, the current number of Work Permits issued to skilled workers since Hurricane Irma and “how many family members accompanied these skilled workers.” 

Oher items on the Order Paper for tomorrow’s sitting include the introduction and First Reading of Bills aimed at altering the Police (Amendment) Act, 2018 and the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Dr Smith is also slated to move the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled, “Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act, 2018”.  

The HoA will be carried live on 90.9 FM from 10:00AM. You can also follow the coverage live online www.cbnvirginislands.com

See Below Complete Order Paper:

FOURTH SITTING OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE THIRD HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 

TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, 27TH NOVEMBER, 2018

AT THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ROAD TOWN, TORTOLA

AT 10:00 A.M.

ORDER OF THE DAY

 1)        Prayers

 2)        Confirmation of Minutes

    Confirmation of Minutes for the Meeting of Thursday 13th September, 2018

    Confirmation of Minutes for the Meeting of Tuesday 2nd October, 2018

    Confirmation of Minutes for the Meeting of Thursday 15th November, 2018

 3)        Announcements by the Speaker

 4)        Statements by Ministers

 5)        Presentation of Papers

 a)   The  Premier  and  Minister  of  Finance  to  lay  on  the  table  the  following documents:

 i)     British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission – Annual Report 2016;

 ii)    British  Virgin  Islands  Financial  Services  Commission  –  Revenue  and

        Expenditure Budget 2018;

 iii)   British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission – Strategic Work Plan

        2018;

 iv)   Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 50 - Stamps, Souvenir Sheet and First Day

       Cover (Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) Order, 2018;

 v)    Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 16 - Financial Services (Fees)(Amendment) Regulations, 2018;

 vi)   Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 17- Financial Services (Fees)(Amendment) (No.2) Regulations, 2018;

 vii)  Statutory   Instrument   2018   No.    18-BVI   Business   Companies   Act

       (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order, 2018;

 viii) Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 19 - Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) Regulations, 2018;

 ix)   Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 24 – Micro Business Companies (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order, 2018;

 x)    Statutory    Instrument    2018    No.    45    –    Financial    Services    (Fees) (Amendment)(No.3) Regulations,                2018;

xi)   Statutory   Instrument   2018   No.   46   –   BVI  Business   Companies   Act (Amendment of Schedule 1)(No.3)               Order, 2018;

 xii)  Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 48 – Segregated Portfolio Companies (Mutual Funds)(Amendment) Regulations,                  2018;

 xiii) Statutory Instrument 2018 No. 49 - Segregated Portfolio Companies (BVI Business Company)(Amendment)                       Regulations, 2018;

 xiv) Statutory   Instrument   2016   No.   77   -   BVI   Business   Companies   Act (Amendment of Schedule 1)(No.2)                Order, 2016;

 xv)  Statements of Reallocation Between Votes – Reallocation Warrants Schedule No. 1 of 2009, Reallocation Warrants             Schedule No. 1 of 2010, Reallocation Warrants Schedule No. 1 of 2011, Reallocation Warrants Schedule No. 1 of                 2012, Reallocation Warrants Schedule No. 1 of 2013, Reallocation Warrants Schedule No. 1 of 2014, Reallocation               Warrants Schedule No. 1 of 2015, Reallocation  Warrants  Schedule  No.  1  of  2016,  Reallocation  Warrants                     Schedule No. 1 of 2017; and xvi) Office of the Auditor General – Special Report Elmore Stoutt High School Perimeter         Wall.

 6)        Notices of Motions Given Orally

 a)         The  Premier  and  Minister  of  Finance  to  give  notice  that,  at  a  later  stage  in  the proceedings, he would                  seek leave to move the Motions standing in his name under Item 8(1)(i) through (iii) on the Order of the Day.

 b)         The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the First District to give notice that, at a later stage in the                            proceedings, he would seek leave to ask the Questions standing in his name under Item 7(i) through (iii) on the                Order of the Day.

 c)         The  Member  for  the  Third  District  to  give  notice  that,  at  a  later  stage  in  the proceedings, he would

             seek leave to ask the Questions standing in his name under Item 7(iv) on the Order of the Day.

 7)        Questions and Answers to Questions

  i)          The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the First District to ask the

Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance the following questions:

 Question 1

Madam  Speaker,  would  the  Premier  and  Minister  of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the total sum paid or to be paid in settlement by the Central Government and all Statutory Bodies and privately held companies owned by the Government  of  the  Virgin  Islands  of  all  civil  and/or  criminal  matters  related  to contractual obligations for the period November 2011 through 2018 and further;

 i)          Provide a detailed listing by name, amount, date and purpose;

 ii)         State whether or not there exists any unsettled claims awaiting hearing or judgment as at October 31st, 2018;                 and

 iii)        If yes, provide a listing of all unsettled claims.

 Question 2

 Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please state and then present this Honourable House with:

 i)          A list of all consultants hired under his Ministries and Statutory Bodies and their respective amounts for the

             years 2012 to 2018; and,

 ii)        A copy of each contract/agreement for the consultants indicated on the list in (i) above.

 Question 3

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House, to date, of all agencies or persons acting as collecting agencies on  the  behalf  of  the  Government  of  the  Virgin  Islands  that  were  engaged  or contracted by his Government from December 2011 to present?

 i)       List the amount paid to each whether through contracts or purchase orders or otherwise;

 ii)     The reason for hiring each;

 iii)    If the Central Tender Process was used, and if not why not?

 Question 4

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of all agencies or persons acting as collecting agencies that were engaged or contracted by each Statutory Body and wholly owned private companies of the Government of the Virgin Islands from December 2011 to present?

i)       List the amount paid to each whether through contracts or purchase orders or otherwise; 

ii)     The reason for hiring each;

iii)    If the Central Tender Process was used and if not, why not?

Question 5

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the amount drawn down, to date, from the $65 million dollars CDB loan approved in the House of Assembly in December 2017?

i)       State what projects, to date, have been or will be charged to the current drawn down funds, and the amounts                   budgeted to each project? and

ii)      State  the  name  of  the  bank  in  which  the  drawn  down  funds  have  been deposited?

Question 6

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House if all government and statutory bodies projects to be charged to the  $65  million  dollars  CDB  loan  will  be  conducted  in  full  and  complete compliance with the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency Act, 2018 that was recently passed in the House of Assembly?

i)       If not, why not?

ii)     From (i), above please list the projects?

Question 7

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House, to date, of the total interest expense billed and / or paid to date by the Government of the Virgin Islands on the $65 million dollars CDB loan since being approved in December 2017?

Question 8

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House of the current procedures to be followed prior to the drawdown of funds from the $65 million dollars CDB loan, and state?

i)       The names of the offices or officers empowered or authorized to instruct drawdowns?

ii)     What is the total interest paid, to date, by the Government of the Virgin Islands on the draw down amount?

Question 9

Madam Speaker, would the Premier and Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House in full detail of his government’s plans for the current vacant spot which once was the location for the Palm Grove Plaza? And

i)  State what agreement has been made for the return of the current lessees?

The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Minister for Communications and Works the following questions:

 Question 1

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Communications and Works please state for this Honourable House, to date, both the approved budgeted sum for the Georgie Hill project inclusive of commitments for land payments; and further, to date, provide a comprehensive listing of all contracts, purchase orders, and land payments issued for this project by names, amounts and purpose?

Question 2

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House what date will the West End/Sopher’s Hole Ports facility be reopened to accommodate ferries and their passengers coming from the United States Virgin Islands?

Question 3

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House when the public road approaching the West End/Sopher’s Hole Jetty will be repaired and resurfaced?

Question 4

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Communications and Works please inform this Honourable House when the Zion Hill public road on the northern and southern sides will be repaired and resurfaced?

Question 5

Madam Speaker, within the last three years, would the Minister for Communications and   Works   please   inform   this   Honourable   House   of   the   total   number   of contracts/works  issued  by  the  BVI  Ports  Authority  that  required  the  BVI  Ports Authority Board’s approval but did not receive such approval?

i)          List the total amount of the aforementioned in dollars? and

ii)         List each contract/work order, its respective amounts, the contractor for each, the date each was issued, and                   whether or not the tender process was used fo reach, and if not why not?

 Question 6

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Communications and Works please inform this   Honourable   House   of   each   project   submitted   from   the   Ministry   of Communications and Works to the Ministry of Finance/CDB to be funded by the $65 million CDB loan that was approved by the House of Assembly in December 2017? and state

i)          The date each project was submitted?

ii)        The date Cabinet approved each project?

iii)       The projected cost of each project?

iv)        The commencement date of each project?

v)         If the tender process will be used for each project and if not, why not? And if yes, describe the process to be used.

The Leader of the Opposition and Member for the First District to ask the Honourable Minister for Education and Culture the following questions:

Question 1

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Education and Culture please inform this Honourable  House  of  each  project  submitted  by the  Ministry of  Education  and Culture to the Ministry of Finance and by extension CDB to be funded by the $65 million CDB loan that was approved by the House of Assembly in December 2017? and state

i)          The date each project was submitted?

ii)        The date Cabinet approved each project?

iii)       The projected cost of each project?

iv)        The commencement date of each project?

v)         If the tender process will be used for each project and if not, why not? And if yes, describe the process to be used.

Question 2

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Education and Culture please inform this Honourable House when the basketball courts at Capoon’s Bay and Carrot Bay will be fully repaired so that the public, especially the First District community, can use the recreational facilities once again? and

i)          State  the  commencement  date  when  each  Government  owned  recreation facility in the Territory will be                      repaired?

Question 3

Madam Speaker, would the Minister for Education and Culture please inform this

Honourable  House  if  the  certificate  received  upon  successful  completion  of  the G.E.D. will be recognized by his Ministry and the Government of the Virgin Islands to have the same value as the school leaving certificate of the Virgin Islands?

i)          If not, why not?

ii)        If yes, please explain?

The Member for the Third District to ask the Honourable Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour the following questions:

 Question 1

 Madam Speaker, could the Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour please tell this Honourable House:

 a)         The  current  number  of  Work  Permits  issued  to  skilled  workers  since Hurricane Irma?

 b)         How many family members accompanied these skilled workers?

 Question 2

Madam Speaker, could the Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour  please  provide  a  breakdown  of  the  relationships,  spouse,  child  etc.  and indicate how many have Work Permits, and how many are attending school.

8)        Public Business

1)         Government Business

Introduction and First Reading

(i)         The Premier and Minister of Finance to move a motion for the Introduction and First Reading of the Bill entitled,                 “Police (Amendment) Act, 2018”;

(ii)        The Premier and Minister of Finance to move a motion for the Introduction and First Reading of the Bill entitled,                  “Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2018”;

Second and Third Readings

(iii)       The Premier and Minister of Finance to move a motion for the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled,                      “Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act,2018”.

 9)          Private Members Business

 10)        Other Business

 11)        Adjournment