UPDATE: Opp. Leader to fire off questions @ Dec 17 HOA!
Opposition Members Honourables Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, Julian Fraser RA, and Andrew A. Fahie will have Government front bench Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Speech writers, Heads of Departments and Consultants very busy in preparing answers to close to 100 questions to be asked.
Over 100 questions on different topics
The Questions at the third sitting of the third session of the second House of Assembly will range from the number of statutory bodies in the Virgin Islands, and how much they have paid into the treasury this year, the number of vehicles on Virgin Gorda, the revenue, expenditures and treasury statements for November and half of December 2013, money sent to central government by the Financial Services Commission among others.
The Government Ministers will also be quizzed on issues relating to the Protocol for Effective Financial Management they signed with the United Kingdom Government, as well as cost to operate the Baughers Bay plant now managed by Ocean Conversion shareholder Sage Utilities Holdings Limited.
The questions from the Opposition Members will also cover the issue of trucking water to the prison, payment owed to bus drivers for transporting school children, the controversial Auditor General’s Report on the Cruise Ship Development Project, total monies spent on the NDP travels around the world on the back of tax payers, whether the UK has approved the two most controversial projects of the Smith Administration; the Airport runaway Extension and Cruise Ship projects and type of contracts issued for the works at the park adjacent to the Governor’s residence to name a few.
$100 Million to keep government running until the 2014 Budget passes
Also on the order paper just released by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Assembly (HOA) will be a motion by the Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith for over one hundred million dollars to keep the Government afloat until the 2014 Budget is approved by Parliament.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr. the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering will also lay on the table of the HOA financial and other reports from the National Parks Trust.
Dr. Pickering, who represents the 7th district that includes Long Look and is regarded as one of the seasoned politician as he is now in his 14th year in Parliament, has yet again escaped the wrath of questions from the VIP Opposition.
The HOA meeting will be carried live on December 17, 2013 on CBN Channel 51 from 10 A.M.
See previous article posted December 9, 2013
HOA to meet on December 17, 2013
The Virgin Islands House of Assembly (HOA) is to meet again on Tuesday December 17, 2013 at its chambers in Road Town, the Virgin Islands’ capital city.
While the order paper has not yet been released to the public it will be the Third Sitting of the Third Session of the Second House of Assembly.
The HOA last met on November 19, 2013 and saw Opposition Member and Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA, peppering the ruling National Democratic Party government with a series of topical questions.
Premier finally admits VI in recession
After being the bud of jokes by the business community and ordinary citizens for months for claiming the economy was “robust and getting better”, the Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, finally admitted in the House of Assembly on November 19, 2013 that the Virgin Islands is in a recession.
Premier Smith’s answers to the robust question have evolved, with him saying a few weeks ago that “when persons are laid off it does not necessarily affect the economy for they may be hired in other areas”.
During a press conference held on November 12, 2013 the Premier was asked whether he maintains his position of the economy being robust. “I would not use the term robust because robust is a misunderstood and misused term…,” he told reporters.
However, at the November 19 sitting of the third session of the second House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands, while answering questions posed to him by Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA, he admitted the economy is in recession.
Hon. Fraser resigns from PAC
It was Virgin Islands News Online that first broke the story on November 15, 2013 that popular Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA, had since November 5, 2013 resigned as a member of the powerful House of Assembly’s select Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
At the last sitting of the third session of the second House of Assembly, First District Representative Honourable Andrew A. Fahie was approved by Parliament to replace Hon. Fraser.
Ron R. Potter’s appointment approved
Also, the November 19 meeting of the House of Assembly saw the approval of the appointment of Mr Ron R. Potter to the Chairman of the BVI Electricity Company (BVIEC) Board to replace Allan Parker.
Just as was predicted by this news site in our article of November 14, 2013 Mr Potter enjoyed the support of the entire House of Assembly as both sides showered praises on the incoming Chairman.
Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool, whose portfolio includes the Corporation, moved the motion in line with section 40 (1) (a) of the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation Ordinance, Cap 277.
Meanwhile, the HOA meeting on December 17, 2013 is expected to start at 10 A.M. and will be carried live on the local TV station, CBN channel 51.
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