‘Vanterpool should be paid as D4 Representative-elect' - Skelton-Cline
During the Tuesday, June 11, 2019, edition of his radio show ‘Honestly Speaking’ on ZBVI 780am, Mr Skelton-Cline implored Mr Vanterpool—who admitted to not being paid—to have the issue sorted, since according to the VI 2017 Constitution, Section 67, instructions are clear with regards to compensation for Members and any prospective Member of the HoA.
Vanterpool is entitled to payment – Skelton-Cline
“It seems like to me, if the Member of the Fourth is not being compensated, he needs to contact the persons, the Deputy Governor and the Governor who are responsible for public service and find out from HR why it is that he is not being paid,” Mr Skelton-Cline implored, in pointing out that payments can only be ceased if an elected Member fails to win a seat on a new HoA.
“Because certainly he is entitled to be paid as the elected Member… as a matter of fact, he should be working on behalf of the constituency, the persons who sent him there and even the ones who didn’t vote for him,” Skelton-Cline told his listening audience."
67(2) of The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 says: Notwithstanding that a member of the House of Assembly has vacated his or her seat by virtue of subsection (1), every such member shall be entitled to continue receiving the benefits and privileges of a member until the polling day for election for a new House of Assembly, provided that such benefits and privileges shall cease if the member fails to win a seat at the general election.
“The only thing that this Member cannot do to date, is participate in the proceedings of the house... he can’t vote, he can’t speak on the business, he can’t do none of that,” Mr Skelton-Cline added.
According to the outspoken commentator, Mr Vanterpool as a representative-elect not being sworn into the House has nothing to do with his payments.
Vanterpool was elected – Skelton-Cline
“He should be working, and if he is working, he should be compensated… as a matter of fact, whether or not he’s working. The fact of the matter is, he has been elected and, according to our constitution, he should be compensated,” Skelton Cline said.
Following his accepted resignation on March 5, 2019, and subsequent recanting of the resignation on March 14, 2019, the matter surrounding whether the seat of Mr Vanterpool is vacant or not, is now heading to the Court of Appeal for a final decision, as initiated by House Speaker Hon Julian Willock.
According to the 2019 Report of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC), the Deputy Governor’s Office has already made a $35,000 provisional budget for By-elections should the Appeal's Court rule in favour of the Speaker and by extension, the HoA.
14 Responses to “‘Vanterpool should be paid as D4 Representative-elect' - Skelton-Cline ”
Claude always talking f*$!
How can you get paid when you resign?
If the Constitution says that he is entitled to be paid, when he work in that position then he should be paid.
But we are dealing with a situation where the member won his seat and RESIGNED there after, even before he was sworn in as a PARLREP and a member of the HOA and a person in authority had received his letter of RESIGNATION,which was accepted.
No work no pay.
He vacated his seat? He resigned and gave up the 4th district.
The matter is before the court.
If the court rule in his favour,then,he will be sworn in effective the date he was supposed to have been sworn in and he will be compensated from that date.
For now that section in the constitution cannot be applied.
esteemed speaker please hold your ground
So he resigned and now here looking tax dollars