Fraser scolds Health Minister for flippant remarks in HOA

Health Minister Carvin Malone was taken to task by senior Opposition legislator, Julian Fraser for his perceived efforts to dismiss and ridicule a counter-motion Fraser brought to the House of Assembly recently.

Fraser’s proposed counter-motion was to have Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes appointed as the permanent Director of the BVI Social Security Board (SSB), as opposed to the Fahie administration’s initial motion to have her serve as Acting Director for another six months.

With no support from the government — which said they prefer to follow proper protocol before making any full-time appointments — Fraser’s counter-motion was defeated.

But just before the House of Assembly (HOA) voted on the counter-motion, Fraser, in wrapping up the debate on the matter yesterday, chided Malone for questioning why members were debating the issue in the first place.

He argued that Malone did not have the right to suggest what other members of the House should say in a debate, especially since they delivered their arguments within the standing orders — the rules that govern the House.

Don’t falsely let the public believe I am out of order 

Fraser also argued that all members were equal. He further denied trying to score political points with the counter-motion, as suggested by some government members.

“Don’t make the public believe that I am out of place for bringing the motion,” Fraser stated.

He said the question of whether a motion can spontaneously be generated in the House continued to be asked after 70 years of BVI parliament because members like Malone continue to question the contribution of others, particularly non-government members.

“We fail to test the limits and every time we try to test the limits, we got people like the Minister for Health who has no interest in the limits and would start talking about whether or not you’re within the boundaries,” Fraser stated.

Fraser further argued that Premier Andrew Fahie, in contrast to Malone, finds crafty ways of delivering his argument in the House without disrespecting the opinions of other HOA members.

After Fraser’s counter-motion was defeated, government’s initial motion to have Scatliffe-Boynes serve as Acting SSB Director was reintroduced and passed.