Possible court action over Hon Vanterpool’s ‘defamatory’ outburst
Soon after being sworn-into the House at the Fifth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth HoA, Hon Vanterpool resorted to launching a vicious personal attack—under the guise of freedom of speech—against not only the Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), but to several prominent members of the VI public and private sectors, including an attack on the construction industry.
Premier Fahie labeled the rant by Hon Vanterpool as "totally disrespectful", "character assassination" and defamatory.
Damaging
“It is passing strange that Mr Vanterpool’s preferred course of action is to mount his soapbox and attack all and sundry including contractors, the police service, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Supervisor of Elections and the Elections Office, and the people, without giving a second thought to damage and hurt that his words could cause to innocent Virgin Islanders and to our national economy,” Hon Fahie said in a media statement, issued Thursday, July 18, 2019.
The Leader of Government Business in further lashing out with disapproval said, “His [Hon Vanterpool] preposterous allegations will adversely affect the reputation and integrity of the local construction sector and discourage the use of local contractors with the intended benefits of job creation and stimulation of the domestic economy.”
Further, the Premier said the vicious and damaging attack on the local construction sector could not come at a worse time.
"The BVI’s services sectors are trying to restore confidence and trust that they can honourably and competently execute projects that would be executed through the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and Central Government," he said given the massive alleged corruption and mismanagement that took place under the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) administration.
The Premier also noted that Vanterpool’s recklessness can and will also adversely affect the VI’s ratings on the International Transparency Index and thus, its investment climate.
Legal immunity?
While many Political Pundits have suggested that Hon Vanterpool would enjoy legal immunity given that his statements were made at the HoA, those rights and immunities do not extend to matters unrelated to his office.
According to the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, section 82, “The Legislature may by law determine and regulate the privileges, immunities and powers of the House of Assembly and of its members, but no such privileges, immunities or powers shall exceed those of the Commons House of Parliament of the United Kingdom or of its members.”
However, others have argued that Hon Vanterpool cannot enjoy immunity for defamatory statements made outside of the parliament without a Speaker presiding.
Premier Fahie noted; however, that “whilst contractors and other affected persons are free to seek legal redress from the courts for defamation,” the government would not be bullied by Mr Vanterpool’s ‘intimidatory politics’ which he said is rooted in malicious falsehoods.
“Your government’s time, effort and energy are better spent addressing the needs of the thousands of Virgin Islanders and residents who remain without a roof over their heads two years after the devastating hurricanes of 2017,” Premier Fahie implored as critical, given the 2019 hurricane season is upon the territory.
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24 Responses to “Possible court action over Hon Vanterpool’s ‘defamatory’ outburst”
Reason, your mother may have given birth to you in U.S. territory.
Hypocritical?
All you people in Tola is a set of fool don’t you all se that he did something wrong an he don’t want no one to investigate him so he throwing you all off track can’t you all see
Mark should be ashamed of himself, he take that bull to Anguilla not here in the BVI that give him bread.