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Hons Smith & Vanterpool exempted from vacating seats; To enter contracts with Govt

-Motions for exemption were passed with debate in HoA
Deputy Speaker Hon Neville Smith (AL), left, and Opposition Member Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4), right, have been given the green light to remain members of the HoA while conducting business with the Government. Photo: VINO/YouTube/File
The motions to exempted the Members from vacating their seats in the House of Assembly were brought by Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and were passed without debate. Photo: YouTube
The motions to exempted the Members from vacating their seats in the House of Assembly were brought by Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and were passed without debate. Photo: YouTube
DUFF'S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI- Two members of the House of Assembly (HoA) who are on the verge of conducting business with the Government of the Virgin Islands have been exempted from vacating their seats in the HoA after motions brought by Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) were passed without debate.

The motions were passed concurrently during the Second Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly held at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola on March 10, 2022.

This means Deputy Speaker Hon Neville Smith (AL) and Opposition Member Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) have been given the green light to remain Members of the HoA while conducting business with the Government.

Hon Smith

According to Premier Fahie, Hon Smith is a Director of Caribbean Security Ltd and the said company “is desirous of entering into a contract with the Government of the Virgin Islands for upgrades to the Attorney General’s Chambers security system including the access control system, installation of a PA system for the total of $33,149.12.”

The Premier said the contract is in the process of being drafted and this resolution was a request from Hon Smith to have him exempted from vacating his seat.

Premier Fahie said the contract was an existing one “for quite a while.”

“Some upgrades need to be done on the system and given that the upgrades need to be done to the system the company in which the system would have been put in by is the one you would most likely be the one you go to for different reasons to do the upgrade to the system which they are the distributors for,” he remarked.

Hon Vanterpool

Similarly, Opposition Member Hon Vanterpool is also seeking to do business with Government.

Premier Fahie said Hon Vanterpool is a Director of Shoreside East Development Ltd.

That company, on November 3, 2021, purchased a building located at Lower Estate, Road Town, and the 3rd floor of the building is being leased by the Government of the Virgin Islands for a period of two years.

He said the remainder of the said lease is to be transferred to Hon Vanterpool’s company and negotiations are ongoing to lease additional space in the same building.

No one debated the motions and they were subsequently passed in the HoA.

16 Responses to “Hons Smith & Vanterpool exempted from vacating seats; To enter contracts with Govt”

  • hmmm (11/03/2022, 10:50) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    That's why he is so quiet.
  • Putin (11/03/2022, 11:04) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    Banana republic at it’s best
  • Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (11/03/2022, 11:40) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    What a "D" thing. Please CoI, hurry up with the expected inquiry report.
  • ta ta (11/03/2022, 12:02) Like (3) Dislike (14) Reply
    They did nothing wrong both continue to help people all around the country
  • conflict of interest (coi) (11/03/2022, 12:08) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    batman and robin were not known to be greedy
  • god is watching (11/03/2022, 12:43) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    All for themselves!
  • asking for a friend (11/03/2022, 13:01) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Has anyone ever in the history of the BVI been forced to vacate a seat? Has the exemption ever not been granted?
  • What’s the point? (11/03/2022, 13:30) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why even bother with the rule? Hypocrisy and cronyism at their finest.
  • keep it up boys (11/03/2022, 14:25) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    election soon come
  • musa (11/03/2022, 15:00) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Soon &very soon we are going to see the power of the voters
    • Vino can sanction blogs (11/03/2022, 16:11) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      That wont stop the Britain take over. We need it. We must have it... Them ain listening, them ain learning...Change a must for a better future..
    • @ musa (11/03/2022, 20:19) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
      Yes vip will return
  • sooooo (11/03/2022, 15:22) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    No one debated the motions EH? I AM SICK OF YOU SET OF GREEDY, NARCISSISTIC, BAD MINDED NO MATTER THE EDUCATION OR WHAT YOU HAVE SET OF BUSHMEN.
  • Norris Turnbull (11/03/2022, 16:13) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    They are milking the system legally and wantonly
  • Good Going (11/03/2022, 16:55) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    That is the way it should be done. Lets keep it this way.
  • Seriously (11/03/2022, 20:16) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
    Good. Now this is transparency we could live wth. Now keep it going with EVERTHNG else!


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