George-Massicote returns as Speaker! Mather appointed deputy
Corine George-Massicote haș been selected as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. George-Massicote, an attorney-at-law, was elected moments ago during the First Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly after serving for one year in the previous administration.
The motion for George-Massicote to be elected as Speaker was moved by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and seconded by Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton.
Several reports had emerged that George-Massicote was likely to be replaced by former Attorney General Dancia Penn-Sallah as House Speaker, however, there were no other candidates put forward during the House sitting today.
Proceedings in the House then took an unexpected turn when Fourth District Representative and Junior Minister for Culture & Tourism Luce Hodge-Smith was proposed by Premier Wheatley to be Deputy Speaker.
The Opposition Leader immediately pointed out that no one serving as a minister can be elected as Speaker or Deputy Speaker.
Skelton was then offered the opportunity to propose a Deputy Speaker and nominated Stacey ‘Buddha’ Mather, who is also a member of the parliamentary opposition. Mather’s nomination was seconded by Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull.
Third District Representative Julian Fraser pointed to the constitution and noted that there was no provision made for Junior Ministers.
Premier Wheatley then asked that the vote for Hodge-Smith proceed since the constitution clearly expressed that a Speaker or Deputy Speaker should not be a member of Cabinet or be a sitting minister.
The House then took a brief recess and upon its resumption, Premier Wheatley withdrew his nomination of Hodge-Smith.
“Upon review, it is indeed correct that Section 69(5) applies junior ministers as ministers in the 2015 amendment to the constitution. We, therefore, withdraw our nominee, Honourable Luce Hodge-Smith, and will support the nominee Honourable Stacy Mather,” Dr Wheatley stated.
Mather was sworn in as Deputy Speaker thereafter.
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Great Hon. Mather !!!!
Lawyer Davies tell ayo that a junior minister cudn’t be deputy speaker. Yall call him a moomoo so take dat in ayo MS.
GOD BLESS WE HAD HON RONNIE AND HON FRASER ON HAND
Proof read and get the names rite please ?
Natalee 1st mistake on the first day! Brilliant chap….weak government
I commend the VIP Government for engaging in true democracy. It shows no one is guaranteed any position in public life and the process to gain any such public post position must pass through the democratic process whether young or old, male or female.
I have picked no sides but the government should get a judiciary review on certain issues one being is a Junior Minister really a Minister. If this is so then there are many other laws of the Virgin Islands which contradicts such and those would need to be amended. A Jr. Minister can only sit in Cabinet if they are sworn in as a Minister which means they are not a Minister. This issue as well as a few others need legal judiciary review for clarity for future reference rather than relying on conventional interpretations. Do not wait for another COI to prove us wrong.
Poor Mitch. Not even deputy speaker they did’nt want to give you. I guess. So you think you got value for money…. all of that alleged buying and selling you did during the elections?
SHE WANTED HIM TO CROSS THE FLOOR WITH HER BUT SHE SECONDED LUCE OVER HIM FOR DEPUTY SPEAKER
Strupes lawyer Davies is who point it out first 2 weeks ago.
Couldn’t get better than this. The perfect pair. They need to work together as professionals.Couldn’t understand why the old failures competing with the young brilliant minds..
Mitch is the one who should have been the leader of the PVIM he did win his seat in 2019 and Ronnie lose his. At that time only one PVIM member was in cabinet now Ronnie resurface, he should a never be given the leadership role for that party unless he had win in 2019.
Why do I detest the Hon slow man. He started the business of the house the same blasted way he ended it. Sorry but I am steaming. He must have known, it would have been stupid not to discuss it, that he can not have a junior minister as deputy speaker.
Why would you come then and nominate and when you think that was worst he drag behind him the deputy premier to second. My respect for her on that ignorant move reach the floor. I thought she was the smart one, this guy is already ruining her.
Comes back in 5 minutes after and declare oh I was wrong. So you making mistakes on day one. I am now beginning to detest lorna for giving this r***rd another shot at being premier. Can someone pis in my pocket and tell me the rain falling. Stupidity is really a curse. You can’t get any worse. Until he just wanted to prove that where I lead the supposedly smart one will follow.
You still there worrying about the election. Please move on. Thank you.
WE HAVE A PREMIER WHO SEEMINGLY DONT KNOW THE LAWS
The audacity of Natalio to tell the speaker that the constitution is clear and proceed with the nomination. Any fool know that a minister is a minister whether junior or senior. Glad Corrine used wisdom and didn’t allow you to bully her
Is it that the Premier is himself not knowledgeable on tho tules that governs how to choose a deputy speaker ? Or he felt he could have gotten it passby ignoring the rules ?
I wonder which is it ?
Or is it another case of a mistake
Fraser , hold him accountable we live under democratic rules by which we are govern .
Great choice of speakers ?
I wish both of them well
Whether BVIslanders want to accept it or not , there is a shift in the demographics of the BVI God is in control . He is high but watches low
1. Expatriate first lady – became belonger
2. Expatriate Deputy Speaker of House became belonger
3. Expatriate Deputy Premier- became belonger
Still thinking expatriates is not helping to build the country .
Isnt that equivalent to how blacks were treated in the US
See how black people moving on in the US
We must learn to love and integrate and support each other
Because God would continue to expose our injustices . Harmony is greater than discord
Hope one day we can mature as one. I live in a place where I was not born and neither were my parents. I am embraced and love by persons of many different nationalities and nome of us care who are indigenous American. We live in peace and respect others. We talk about the countries we hailed from, I tell them about the days my mom had to go to the well days in Sea Cows Bay in a small island called Tortola and they share about South Korea, Trinidad, Panama, St Croix and UK. Nobody scorn each other and say you not from here. We are all human beings first and take our seats in the U.S senate. The earth belongs to the Lord and the fullness thereof and so I embrace humanity on a whole. If you’re a citizen of a country, whether by birth, decent or naturalization, please serve that country honorably in whatever position of your calling. Even if it is to clean the street or the hospital toilet, do so with pride. Thank everyone for serving.
This is one of the turn offs for me in considering returning. The topic is very low and persons feel underrated because of having to apologize for being born where they were born. Really odd
We were told in the media weeks ago the deputy speaker would have to be from the opposition. How come the premier was not advised ? We starting the list of mistakes so soon.
So what are you sowing with your idiotic post.
dreadlocks in the house
No, we have an AG who does not advise the House. She sleeping again at the wheel with her delegated advisors. Poor Mankind.
An article should be done by a News site on why that green cloth is STILL on a lamppost across from New View Inn on the right side of the road heading towards Huntums Ghut.
There have been many posts asking for its removal but it is STILL up.
The question is WHY??!????!?!!!
Learn to comprehend . The structure of the BVI is changing and we must learn to appreciate the difference nationalities and be neighborly. It is time to stop pointing fingers and asked people to go back where they come from when they talk about injustice in the system
You moron
We need to stop making problem out of nothing. So, this is the first time in the BVI HOA that this happened! I can assure you that it was not the first that got something wrong. Hon Wheatley knows now..Let’s move on people.
Not quite!
Congrats Massicote and Mathers, I wish you the best.
First dread..with tats..big up young brother.