Following calls from Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) for House of Assembly (HoA) Speaker, Hon Julian Willock to and swear-in District 4 representative-elect, Mr Mark H. Vanterpool in the next HoA sitting, the speaker through his law firm Veritas Law, had already made moves to bring the issue to an end. Photo: VINO/File

According to court documents seen by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), in an application filed June 17, 2019, via a Notice of Discontinuance issued to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, between the Speaker and Mr Vanterpool the Speaker has moved to officially end the appeal thereby, honouring the ruling handed down by Justice Ann-Marie Smith on May 2, 2019, which ordered among other things that HoA Member-elect, Mr Vanterpool be sworn into the House. Photo: Team of Reporters

Notice filed

According to court documents seen by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), in an application filed June 17, 2019, via a Notice of Discontinuance issued to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, between the Speaker and Mr Vanterpool, the Speaker has moved to officially end the appeal thereby honouring the ruling handed down by Justice Ann-Marie Smith on May 2, 2019, which ordered among other things that HoA Member-elect, Mr Vanterpool be sworn into the House.

The court document notes,  “The Appellant, Julian Willock of Seacows Bay, in the island of Tortola wishes to discontinue the Notice of Appeal filed May 7th  2019, the Notice of Appeal filed on May 9th 2019 and the Notice of Application for a Stay of the Proceedings in their entirety against both Respondents.”

On June 16, 2019, Premier Fahie stated via a release for Hon Willock to bring an end to the saga that has dragged on for over three months. According to Premier Fahie, the stalemate is undermining the harmony and family spirit which is the soul of our society.

Speaker Willock had opted to move to the Appeal Court given the importance of the case. Veritas Law in a May 7, 2019, statement said, the “matter is of such judicial importance that this is an opportunity for the Country to set a precedent in an area that has gone too long untouched.”

No Comment

In an invited comment from this news website, Speaker Willock declined to comment on the unexpected announcement.

After the Appeal, while the public and other social commentators had cried that the issue had gone on for too long, Hon Willock's Lawyers said the decision ought not to be viewed as a personal attack on Mr Vanterpool.

Through the law firm Veritas Law, the HoA was represented by a team of four lawyers, including Anand Ramlogan SC, former Attorney General (AG) of Trinidad and Tobago, along with Jared Jagroo. Mr Valston M. Graham, current Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), St Kitts and Nevis is the owner of Veritas Law.

A date for the next sitting of the Virgin Islands House of Assembly (HoA) is yet to be announced by the Clerk of the House.