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Refusal to swear in Jaspert @ HoA was a matter of 'principle'- Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe
Appearing as a guest on the Honestly Speaking show on ZBVI 780 AM on March 21, 2023, Mrs Moses-Scatiffe said the Governor is not supposed to be sworn in at the house, but rather, at another venue since the House is for Sittings.
However, the VI had become accustomed to the practice of swearing in governors at the House, an issue that would change under her tenure since it was not the correct procedure, she said.
HoA 'is not the venue for that'– Moses-Scatiffe
“So whenever he comes to the house, he comes at the invitation of the Speaker. He comes in instances like the Speech from the Throne. So really and truly, this process about having him sworn… the same with the Judges go to the Governor's Office to get sworn, the same way the Deputy Governor goes, the same way the Governor is supposed to go,” she said.
“The House of Assembly is not the venue for that,” Ms Moses-Scatiffe added.
The Ex-Speaker and At Large Candidate for Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) said there was a memo written in 1985 reportedly by a former Deputy Governor that said the Governors can be sworn in at the HoA, with no other legal justifications to back up the memo.
“So you have a memo was written at the time by I think was Deputy Governor…I'm like, no, that's not it, that's not correct. So, we cannot continue, and this was my premise.
“When you find out that something is being done wrong, the minute you find out you need to change it,” she said.
Notice was given to find another venue– Moses-Scatiffe
Moses-Scatiffe said when Ex-Governor Jaspert was coming to the VI, she, therefore, gave notice that an alternative venue must be found, since he could not be sworn in at the House and this, she said, set off a chain of reactions with back and forth correspondence with the then Governor John S. Duncan.
“From the first letter, I copied every single one of the 13 Members [of the HoA] and all of the communication so you could see what the chain of communication is, and I never forgot a morning after 6:00 am, my cell phone rang, [it was] Hon Julian Fraser and he called me personally.”
She said the call from the Senior legislator at the time was to tell her she was right about not having Jaspert sworn in at the House.
Swear-in Ceremony @ High Court
On Tuesday, August 22, 2017, Mr Jaspert took the Oath of Office to be the Governor of the Virgin Islands (VI) at the High Court, amid the controversy, after being shut out of the HoA in the move that was spearheaded by then-Speaker Moses-Scatliffe.
Elected Members who were not present for the Ceremony on August 22, 2017, were Hons Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), Myron V. Walwyn (AL), Archibald C. Christian (AL), Marlon A. Penn (R8), the late Delores Christopher (R5), Hon Julian Fraser (R3), Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines (R6), and Melvin M. Turnbull (R2).
The ceremony was also boycotted by Speaker Moses-Scatliffe. The then Attorney General Baba F. Aziz was also absent.
Payback?
It was Mr Jaspert who would call a Commission of Inquiry into governance in the Virgin Islands in January 2021. The CoI Commissioner handpicked by Jaspert, retired judge Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom, subsequently recommended imposition of direct rule on the VI by the UK.
After pushback from elected officials and Virgin Islanders, direct rule was withheld but an Order in Council to suspend the local constitution remains in 'reserve' to force the VI to implement recommendations by the same Hickinbottom.
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40 Responses to “Refusal to swear in Jaspert @ HoA was a matter of 'principle'- Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe”
You are deluded. A few ppl pushing back had nothing to do with anything. The UK
made its decisions based on their considered best way to proceed. We can’t push back because we have no authority and our politicians are corrupt.
You would be of great worth to our legislature.. keep positive and truthful for we must extinguish all the negativity.. wish you well.,you have me.
It is a duty which we must move towards as part of our heritage.
The educated commenter said he the governor should be elected. Yet you go and moon us with your neo-imperial asset. Its so easy for you to lose your façade of loving democracy.
England should be helping us towards independence as a moral duty. Including allowing governor's to be elected if it is the will of the people.
What's wrong with that?
If England has forgotten then I am glad our legislators remember their duty to the people.
“Placing the Virgin Islands back on track to Prosperity and Self Governance “
Let us vote for candidates who are qualified to take us to that level, candidates who not only see what happens within our borders, but who can fight for our piece of the regional and global stage.
I had in mind to vote for her but now I am wondering
I dont always agree with politicians but this is representation.