Chi-Ching! Hon Mark H. Vanterpool is Acting Premier of the VI
The Government of the Virgin Islands advised on October 12, 2017 that Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE is away from the Territory from Thursday, October 12, 2017 and will be away until Sunday, October 15, 2017.
The Premier will be attending a high-level Caribbean Round Table Meeting.
In Premier Smith’s absence, Hon Vanterpool, the brother-in-law of Dr Smith, will act as Premier due to the absence of the Deputy Premier, Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering, who will also be away from the Territory on duty travel.
According to Government, this is in accordance with Section 55 (2) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, which states: “If both the Premier and the Deputy Premier are expected to be absent from the Virgin Islands for more than forty-eight hours, the Governor shall authorise another Minister designated by the Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier; and the Governor shall revoke this authority on the return to the Virgin Islands of either the Premier or the Deputy Premier.”
Meanwhile, the Minister who would have most likely been appointed to act as Premier, Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), is also out of the Territory on official business.
Controversy
Hon Vanterpool has in the past come in for criticisms following millions of dollars in overspending at the Tortola Pier Park (TPP) and for delivering substandard roads costing tax payers millions of dollars.
He was also reportedly in the forefront of the non-renewal of Claude O. Skelton-Cline as General Manager of the BVI Ports Authority, a controversy that has seen Mr Skelton-Cline, a former National Democratic Party (NDP) “soldier”, suing the NDP cabinet members as well as the Attorney General.
It was reported that Hon Vanterpool had guaranteed Mr Skelton-Cline, prior to the 2015 snap elections, that his contract would be renewed; however, this did not materialise.
It was earlier this year that Hon Vanterpool had seen it necessary to tell the public while in the House of Assembly that he is not a thief and that his mother had taught him well.
The second term Communications and Works Minister (2011-current) said on February 28, 2017 that “they are saying that we thieving the money and going with it; we wheelbarrowing it all over the place. I heard that and it hurts me when you are here working so hard….”
‘I am not wheelbarrowing your money away’
The Minister did not elaborate on who are making those claims but said he is not a thief or does not have any interest in the “government’s coffers, my interest is in a place called One Mart and my real estate business," he said.
In a speech that surprised many, he accused some in his “own ambit” of spreading the notion that he is "wheelbarrowing the money away."
The Fourth District Representative claimed that the unfortunate thing is that some members of the public buy into the allegations.
While the Minister was speaking it appeared that some House Members found it convenient to leave the Chambers and the Minister had to warn his colleagues that he needed at least seven for a quorum.
15 Responses to “Chi-Ching! Hon Mark H. Vanterpool is Acting Premier of the VI”
Don't you know that we are blessed? We are not helpless! We have already been given the tools and strength to make our home a better place- we just don't use them.....we prefer to sit and rock callin on Jesus, callin ourselves oppressed and giving away our votes for a refrigerator or right-of-way.
The Lord didn't make this mess- we did. It's time to stop this hand wringing and use our God-given gifts to rise up from this mess.
And while we're at it- One of our gifts is abundant sunshine and wind. Time to stop this burning diesel nonsense, stop adding to man made climate change and power ourselves with the energy God has seen fit to surround us with.