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‘Why now?’ - Lorie A. Rymer probes Premier’s intervention into D4 Saga

- Says Hon Andrew A. Fahie kept HoA out of the loop for way too long
Radio host Lorie A. Rymer, a former Independent Candidate who contested the 2011 Virgin Islands (VI) General Elections for the 9th district, is questioning what motives lie behind Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), now stepping into the ring as a third party in the Speaker Vs Mark H. Vanterpool District 4 (D4) saga that has not dragged on in a legal battle for over three months. Photo: Facebook
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), left, has asked Speaker of the House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Willock, centre, to reconsider his position and swear in Mr Mark H. Vanterpool, right, as a Member of the HoA at the next sitting. Photo: Facebook/VINO/File
Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), left, has asked Speaker of the House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Willock, centre, to reconsider his position and swear in Mr Mark H. Vanterpool, right, as a Member of the HoA at the next sitting. Photo: Facebook/VINO/File
A date for the next sitting of the Virgin Islands House of Assembly (HoA) has not yet been announced by the Clerk of the House. Photo: VINO/File
A date for the next sitting of the Virgin Islands House of Assembly (HoA) has not yet been announced by the Clerk of the House. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI – Radio show host Mr Lorie A. Rymer, a former Independent Candidate who contested the 2011 Virgin Islands (VI) General Elections for the Ninth District, is questioning what motives lie behind Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) now stepping into the ring as a third party in the Speaker Vs Mark H. Vanterpool Fourth District (D4) saga that has dragged on in a legal battle for over three months.

Following the resignation and subsequent recanting of his resignation, D4 Representative-elect, Mr Vanterpool, had demanding to be sworn into the House of Assembly (HoA) to which Speaker, Hon Julian Willock has refused to do, instead opting to let the matter go before the court.

With the matter still pending before the Court of Appeal for a final ruling, Premier Fahie in a Sunday, June 16, 2019, statement has now stepped into the saga to ask the Speaker to swear Mr Vanterpool into the HoA, noting that the D4 representative-elect still has to answer for missing funds under his watch as Minister for Communications and Works.

The Premier also noted that “No political or legal victory – whether you are right or you are wrong – is worth the loss of our soul”. 

Why Now? – Mr Rymer

“I listened to the broadcast by the Hon Premier of the Virgin Islands [Hon Fahie] on the Mark Vanterpool matter, in my view, it has raised a number of questions… why at this time after 104 days, why was the House of Assembly kept out of the loop on this matter for so very long?” Rymer asked on the Monday, June 17, 2019 edition of The Lorie Rymer Programme on ZBVI 780am.

Mr Rymer pointed to the High Court decision and the public petition calling for Mr Vanterpool to be sworn into the House amongst other reasons that should have prompted the Premier to step into the ring at an earlier date.

“Why has the Honourable Premier of the Virgin Islands become so kind-hearted and understanding and magnanimous, why after nearly $200,000 in legal cost, which must be paid by the looser, is this the case with this matter?” he probed.

Mr Rymer further implored that the matter could have been settled in “1/2 hr, at the most 1 hour,” if it was up to the HoA to handle its own affairs.

“All of a sudden, the Premier has now decided that it is now high time for the matter to be taken care of, for Mr Vanterpool to be sworn into,” he said while noting that the country needs answers now.

'Let the court finalise' - Caller

However, one caller chiming into the Programme supported the action of the Speaker to let the court decide, even as Rymer chided the Speaker for preferring the legal route and ignoring the advice of Attorney General (AG), Hon Baba F. Aziz.

According to the caller, “When Hon Vanterpool decided to not represent the people of the Fourth District by writing a letter to the House of Assembly, and subsequently released a video and broadcast to the radio stating his intention to vacate his seat… did he consult with the people of the 4th district?,” the caller asked to which Mr Rymer implored, that aspect of the case is long gone, however, the letter went the House when there was no Speaker.

“It is laughable, his intentions were clear,” the caller maintained. “I would be very glad if the court of Appeal can hand down the decision before the appointed sitting of the House of Assembly so that it will clear all doubts in people's minds as to what transpired," the male caller said.

The caller, in maintaining that Mr Vanterpool's intention was clear, lashed out at Rymer for a suggestion that in the event the HoA loses at the Court of Appeal, Hon Willock should foot the bill.  According to the male caller, Mr Vanterppol brought the case against the Speaker of the House and not Willock the individual.

14 Responses to “‘Why now?’ - Lorie A. Rymer probes Premier’s intervention into D4 Saga ”

  • Make up your mind (19/06/2019, 08:22) Like (33) Dislike (13) Reply
    He didn't intervene and the people had an issue with him not intervening. Now he intervenes and it's still a problem. You can't please peole at all.
    • god sent (19/06/2019, 08:54) Like (20) Dislike (5) Reply
      If the people of the Virgin Islands would understand the constitution correctly, they would know that regardless of what the premier suggests. He is not in control of the HOA. The speakers decision is final regardless of what the premier says. The premier can only give suggestions.
      • Lilly (19/06/2019, 15:39) Like (3) Dislike (8) Reply
        Ministers intervene regardless of what laws, acts and regulations, constitutions state, so what is the difference here. Someone hired the speaker.
        • HAHA (19/06/2019, 18:34) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
          The Premier cannot fire the speaker. He can bring a motion to remove him and then they all can vote on it on the HOA.
    • (19/06/2019, 15:20) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      Let get cracking with the people's work. Enough money and time has been wasted. We need answers to questions, some of it Mr V was directly involved in. Let him answer in his own words.
      • Yo (20/06/2019, 02:43) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
        Its a f..k..g shame we cant move on as a country, mark dont have to be sitting in government to answer questions, the premier neds to stop spreading all this hate among our people, cant no one on his team tell him so?
  • ABC (19/06/2019, 09:19) Like (12) Dislike (24) Reply
    I with Willock mark needs to be out
  • Outlaw (19/06/2019, 09:20) Like (23) Dislike (10) Reply
    You know what amazes me with this man Lorie Rhymer, he never have his facts straight. I listened to him attentively on Monday night and he was feeding the public with a lot of misinformation. Mr. Rhymer sits on he ass for 4 long years, watch the NDP administration leads this country to the gallows and not a nip out of him, now he have a whole talk show to discuss the 4th district saga. How pathetic.
    • if (20/06/2019, 07:41) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
      If you can’t state the misinformation and correct it hush please. I am on no ones side, but you just accusing without facts. Hush!
      • Outlaw (20/06/2019, 12:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        @if. When you don’t know, don’t talk. I was one of the persons who called in and had to put Mr. Rhymer in his place. So you the one needs to hush your pit hole.
  • legal team (19/06/2019, 10:05) Like (11) Dislike (3) Reply
    Going back to the story of "Premier asks speaker to swear in mark vanterpool" etc, etc,

    The story did not say that the Premier exercised his reserved constitutional authority under section 000, to instruct the speaker to swear in mark vanterpool,because the premier does not have such constitutional authority,but he does have influence in social and political matters.He acted in his capacity as a concerned-citizens.
    therefore the speaker is not bounded or compelled by the verbal question of the Premier,who ASKED him to swear in mark.The decision is left with the speaker,for consideration before the court decision.
    The Premier may have asked, ["Can you PLEASE swear in mark vanterpool"?Can you do it for the sake of the people of the 4th district?] Ask and you shall receive.
    The Premier recognized that the matter continued to take different appeal level before the judicial system and in the mean time, the 4th district is left without proper representation.
    The voters in the 4th district, exercised their constitutional right to vote in a general election,and voted for mark vanterpool,who claimed that he love the people and his country bvi,but when the people needed him most,he abandoned the people and the district because his party lost the election.SELFISH!
    The Premier's actions not to interfere with the judicial process,tells me that the Premier is not a dictator.
    However,because the Premier loves people and loves his country,he ASKED the speaker, to allow mark to be part of the service to the people in the HOA
    In my view,the Premier intervened with a REQUEST at the right time,when the matter reached the final court of appeal under our judicial system.
    Because,it is mark who took the matter to COURT,and he took the state to court,he took her majesty's territory to court,he took the people to court and [he took the hon. speaker to court] The state,the people, and the speaker are the DEFENDANTS in this matter.
    The Premier must be commended as a strong and firm leader.
    He ask to Swear In mark,and let us wait on the court's decision.Thats what the premier ask for.HE ASK.
    Legal team ask,to swear in mark.
  • wize up (19/06/2019, 10:28) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
    @ outlaw: maybe the talk show host is being paid by the former admin to present on Monday nights: likely collected a few coins for the past years therefore could not in good faith speak out: now we only Supposing.....money makes the mayor run
  • 911 (19/06/2019, 20:26) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply

    Rymer old ndp r@$$ can’t be taken seriously

  • Charley Rose (20/06/2019, 08:24) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The Fourth District matter is a test of the legal process that governs the House Speaker and the House of Assembly and every voter in the territory should pay close attention to it. At the end of the process it will be edifying to prospective politician of the political process in the HOA

    It is my humble opinion that the host of the program is not open minded when dealing with the matter before us. One has to go to the genesis of the matter. It all started with the Member for the Fourth District and that should not be disregarded in our deliberations. Had he not sent his letter of resignation to the HOA we would not have been here discussing this issue before us. I would assume that after the results of the General Election did not favour the previous government, the member realized that there was not any privilege position for him and he did not want to waste his time. As such he submitted his resignation. The act has been committed and there is no misunderstanding of his intention.

    With all the rant and rage by some people in the territory, the Hon. Premier being an honourable man decided that the territory must move on. He does not need another seat in the HOA to pass any bill because his party has the majority. I love this Premier and may God guide and protect him as he leads the territory. And may I say that he is doing an excellent job so far. He speaks with clarity of voice and factual.


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