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Cautiously optimistic | Penn waiting to see if Vanterpool will be sworn in

Penn

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn said he is cautiously optimistic that Speaker of the House Julian Willock will swear in Fourth District member-elect Mark Vanterpool into the House of Assembly.

His comment follows Willock’s request to the High Court to discontinue his case against Vanterpool on Monday, June 17.

“I am happy, first of all, that he finally decided to move on. I mean this is an indication that he will swear in Honourable Vanterpool. But, then again, he said after the court case that he would swear him in and he didn’t. So we still have to wait and see at the next House sitting which I think is supposed to be in July if he will swear him in. But if he does, I think it is a step in the right direction,” Penn said in an interview with BVI News.

The Opposition Leader said it was also unfortunate the people of the territory were the ones who suffered as a result of the legal saga.

“I am happy that common sense has prevailed and the people of the Fourth District will finally get their representation that they voted for on February 25,” he said.

“We are hopeful that we can move forward and do the work of the people. The Opposition has an important role to play in good governance so that we could ensure that the government is held to account for the things that they do, whether good or bad.”

Territory suffered, will have to pay nearly $200K

In the meantime, the Opposition Leader said it was also unfortunate Premier Andrew Fahie had waited for things to escalate before deciding to intervene.

“The people of the Fourth District have had to be without representation for the last three-and-a-half months now. And the cost, my intelligence tells me is they [Willock’s team] have spent over $100,000 plus on this case and Honorable Vanterpool has already spent about $80,000 on his own personal case which based on indications he will be awarded cost.”

He added: “The people of the territory will be paying in the region of $200,000 for a case that all indications were it didn’t need to go where it went to. It is unfortunate that Premier who seems to have stepped in at this late juncture and as the saying goes, a day late and a dollar short.” 

When BVI News contacted the Speaker on Thursday morning, he declined to comment.

History of the case

Vanterpool had submitted a resignation letter addressed to the Clerk of the House shortly after being re-elected into office. He changed his mind days after learning that his letter had to be addressed to the Speaker of the House in order for the resignation to be valid.

Willock, however, said he ‘accepted’ Vanterpool’s resignation and refused to swear in the member-elect. Vanterpool later took the matter to court who ruled in his favour. However, Willock filed an appeal to overturn the ruling. That appeal was still before the court when the Premier asked him to swear in Vanterpool.

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23 Comments

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  1. facts says:

    hope both mark and penn can help answer for the 7.2 M, the 40 million over run for ports and the 8 mill for sewage

    No body gone to jail yet…oh the 1 M wall

    Like 25
    Dislike 20
    • Joy ya says:

      And what about the whistleblower law? When can we see that?

      Like 3
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    • Yo says:

      Aa soon as the premier tell us where the 8.3 mill gone for the green house, 600,000.00 he and claude spent on the youths, there is more but i will stop here. We await!

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    • ms says:

      What is the problem they don’t have to be in office to explain what happened during their positions. if necessary sopena him, but don’t use that for getting him back in office. Remember he was elected by the people of his district, then rescinded “Resigned”. What is the problem with him having to have submit his resignation to Speaker of the House Julian Willock – when he realized who he has to send the documents to he rescinded – Now wants to be Sworn-In. There is soHAPme HOT GREASE needs to COOL OFF and come out to Light for the better of that ditrict.

      I feel he should wait and next time since he is a SEASONED politician, which must not be forgotten for years he was with the NDP. Yes find out what happened to ALL the policies that they were voted in to give that district. No he should not be Sworn-In Until he decides to discussing what HAPPENED DURING HIS WATCH.

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  2. Hmmm says:

    That money could go a farway in making the CTL building more comfortable for our children or buying furniture for the old school.

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    • @ Hmmmm says:

      I am shame of Marlon, look what the NDP did we for 8 long years now he find a voice to talk donkey droppings

      Boss go study the standing orders and give Fraser the opposition leader’s post.

      Never we will go back to Mark Myron and NDP NEVER!!!

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    • To Hmm says:

      Just stop making NDP and Mark look and sound innocent. The money Mark, Marlon and the ndp used of our $5million tax money for election road paving & kick back is what I am more worried about that could have fixed CTL but moreso fix the Elmore Stoutt High School L shaped building and stop our children from being on the street & going to school half day 2 years after hurricane irma.

      Like 7
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  3. VOW says:

    MR PENN DID YOU TRY TO STOP THE RESTLESS SPENDING WHEN YOU WERE ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE.YOU MAKE THE DOG VOMIT ALAWYS FINDING FAULT WHHEN YOUR GOVERMENT WERE TREATING THE FORMER OPPOSITION AND WHO THEY KNOW IS VIP LIKE DOGS. THE PERSON IS WHO CAUSE SOME OF THIS PROBLEM IN OUR ISLAND WHY YOU DO NOT ASK HIM TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHY HE DID IT. IT IS NOT A ONE WAY THING. YOU ALL THINK YOU CAN FOOL PEOPLE WE ARE NOT SLEEPING ANY MORE. ONE MORE THING MR PENN THE FORMER ////// GONE DOWN TO BE THE WORST SPEAKER IN THE BVI HISTORY YOU USE TO SLEEPING WHEN SHE HAD THE NASTY BEHAVIOUR IN THE HOA.YOU ARE THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.

    Like 19
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  4. Juan Ping says:

    Ahh Marlon go cry me a river!

    The country suffered tremendously under your crappy NDP government!

    We welcome Mark. Next stop Balo!

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  5. vip heckler says:

    A blind man can see who is in charge of the house because it is surely not mr willock

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  6. Well says:

    Bet he will be absent and the deputy speaker will do the duty!!!! Watch…. the speaker is that p***y!

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  7. Please says:

    Marlon go sit down

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  8. Wow says:

    All of a sudden Marlon found his tongue. I didn’t know that he was so negative

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  9. East End man says:

    Why Marlon didn’t speak out like this when the ndp went with the $8 mill to fix our sewage problem in east end. He’s just a waste of time.

    Like 10
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  10. :) says:

    MARLON: “The people of the territory will be paying in the region of $200,000 for a case that all indications were it didn’t need to go where it went to. It is unfortunate that Premier who seems to have stepped in at this late juncture and as the saying goes, a day late and a dollar short.”

    ME:

    “The people of the territory will be paying in the region of $7.2 million for a plane that from all indications will never make a single commercial flight from the BVI. It is unfortunate that the then Premier Dr. Smith with his weak negotiating skills seemed to have been way over his head as the saying goes “you find an @$$ then ride it.

    Like 18
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  11. west man says:

    you all taught the NDP WAS BAD but DR.SMITH did not go on the public address system and tell outsiders how to suew the government. he is thestupidest priemair i ever see.

    Like 2
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    • :) says:

      Lol somebody should have TAUGHT you how to spell. So many errors and you have the audacity to call someone stupid. Go read a book and get off the damn internet.

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  12. My take says:

    Late or not at least this Premier step in and stop this case but the last Premier did not step in and stop anything. He and Marlon and Myron and Alvera all sat down quiet and didn’t stop our millions from going through the door.

    Like 3
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  13. Concerned says:

    Look, the Premier did not step in to stop anything. He is part and parcel of the decisions made. The Speaker did not act Unilaterally as the Premier would want everyone to believe.
    He thought the court decision would have gone differently. And he knows out come of the Court of Appeal would have been the same. Wise decision to accept your Lawyers advise.
    He was earnestly waiting and planning for a bi-election.
    If not for the protests he probably would not have changed his mind and decided that the Speaker should do the right thing. Talking about after much praying and talking to God. Please.
    I bear no bad feelings for the Premier. I wish him well. He only needs to stop Putting God in his deceitful actions. He basically has thrown the Speaker under the bus so to speak. Poor Speaker. Wish you the best.

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
  14. Poor says:

    Poor Marlon taking all the heat for the past leaders .

    Like 1
    Dislike 1

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