Opposition Member Hon. Andrew A. Fahie (right) has seen the attempt by Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool (left) to speak on the economy in support of Premier Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith even after seconding the motion for the House of Assembly to be dismissed on July 9, 2013 as another glaring example of Ministers of Government lacking confidence in their leader and his public statements. Photo: VINO/File

Speaker of the House, Hon. Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe was very busy with the gavel at the close of the Ninth Sitting of the Second Session of the Second House of Assembly after there was some objection and debate as to what section of the Standing Orders was Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool allowed to address the House after seconding the motion for the House to be adjourned. Photo: VINO/File

Premier Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, before adjourning the Ninth Sitting of the Second Session of the Second House of Assembly on July 9, 2013, reiterated some of the points mentioned in his Economy Update speech on July 5, 2013. Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool then rose to second the motion and began to speak in support of the Premier before he was stopped short by Hon. Andrew A. Fahie who wanted to know under what section of the Standing Orders was the Minister allowed to speak. Photo: VINO/File

After no one opted to speak under ‘Any other Business', Speaker of the House Hon. Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe called on the Premier, Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, to adjourn the House. Premier Smith, before adjourning, reiterated some of the points mentioned in his Economy Update speech on July 5, 2013.

Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool then rose to second the motion of adjournment and also said he wished to take the opportunity to commend the Premier on the statements made “and to instil in us a little bit of hope for the country as we move forward and continuing his efforts in difficult times, Madam Speaker, to help to get our economy moving. And many countries all over the world here in our region and internationally are striving very hard to find the right fit in these different times to…”

At this time Hon. Fahie interjected to ask the Speaker under what section of the Standing Orders was Hon. Vanterpool speaking after seconding the motion for an adjournment. “He started to speak on the economy and drifted on other topics, which in my humble opinion, was opening the house back towards a debate. So I was asking the Speaker of the House to identify the section that provides for him to go on the multiplicity of topics,” Hon. Fahie later told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview.

“The Standing Orders are very clear on what should be discussed during that time…” Hon. Fahie had said during his interjection in the HOA.

The Speaker then asked Hon. Vanterpool to say to the House under what section of the Standing Orders he was speaking under. “I was seconding the motion on the adjournment and while I was on my feet taking the opportunity to use my privilege…that is normally accepted in the house,” Hon. Vanterpool responded.

At this time, Premier Smith rose to say that it was basically a matter of precedent since he has seen it happened in the House before and there was no indication in the Standing Orders as to why the member couldn’t speak.

Hon. Fahie then said that the Standing Orders clearly stated that during an adjournment there was not much that could be said unless there was something of national importance and something that did not lend itself to a debate. He, however, said he could be wrong and asked the Speaker to find the section for him that allowed the Hon. Minister for Communications and Works to speak.

During this time other members started to speak and the speaker swiftly announced that a motion was moved and seconded for the House to be adjourned. There was still some debate after the House was dismissed, including from Hon. Vanterpool who was not pleased that the House was dismissed without him finishing what he had to say. Hon. Moses-Scatliffe apologized and said she did not realise that Hon. Vanterpool was not finished with his comments.

Premier Smith then told Hon. Moses-Scatliffe that she had made a ruling and the House should abide by it. There were still some grumblings among members and the Speaker asked the court reporter to repeat for her clarity what was said. She then asked for a short recess. It is not clear what transpired after then.

Ministers lack confidence in Premier

Honourable Fahie said what transpired in the House of Assembly is another example of a blatant notion of disregard or stroke of no-confidence on the part of Hon. Vanterpool and other ministers towards Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith and his public statements.

“The larger thing for me that continues to be of concern for the public and myself is when the Premier speaks on the economy and then he (Hon. Vanterpool) goes to second a motion, he chose to speak on the economy. It lends itself to wonder out aloud if some of the members have any confidence in the Premier and the way he is handling the economy, and the way he is handling different matters, because when your leader speaks on a matter, he spoke extensively, whether  you agree or not is another matter,” Hon Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online.

According to the former Education Minister, the manner in which Hon. Vanterpool allegedly started to speak on the very matter after the Premier is a growing concern for members of the House. “It makes one wonder if some of the members have confidence in the Premier’s ability to handle the matters of the economy and other matters of the Territory. This has been an ongoing concern in the House of Assembly,” stated Hon. Fahie.

He further said that similar inferences can be drawn during the Question and Answer segment of the House of Assembly when questions are posed to the Premier. “You are in interrupted continuously by some of the members who trying to basically block the Premier from answering or saying that they are not in agreement with some of the answers the Premier is giving…I see them as interrupters trying to shift the attention from the real things, which is the economy.”