Opposition Leader pitches bicameral parliament to OT Minister
Opposition Leader Julian Fraser said he has shared his proposal with United Kingdom (UK) Overseas Territories Minister, Lord Zac Goldsmith, that the BVI should have a bicameral legislature.
A bicameral parliament contains two separate assemblies that must both agree when new laws are made. The UK parliament is bicameral because both the House of Commons (the lower House) and the House of Lords (the upper House) are involved in making legislation.
Government not being held accountable
Fraser argued that it is not possible within the current unicameral system in the BVI to have the kind of dialogue and debate that allows the government to be held accountable.
“In our system, our configuration, our legislature is so small that we can’t do it. It’s impossible. If you look at the House of Assembly, the configuration of the government, the majority of the members in the government are ministers, and the ministers are the executive, and they’re right there sitting with us,” Fraser explained at a recent public meeting in his Third District.
In his proposal to the UK minister, Fraser said: “There shall be a parliament of the Virgin Islands, which shall consist of His Majesty, a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives shall consist of 13 elected members, one of whom shall be the Speaker.”
The Opposition Leader further explained that the Senate of the Virgin Islands shall consist of a President and six other elected members. He said each House of parliament – the Senate and a House of Representatives – shall be equal in respect of their legislative role and noted that any member of either House can introduce a bill in their respective houses.
According to Fraser, within the new system, a bill other than a money bill can originate in either House. However, he said in order to be considered passed by parliament, it must be passed by both Houses except in certain instances.
He also pointed out that Bermuda, another UK overseas territory, also has a similar bicameral parliament in place.
In a position statement issued to the Commission of Inquiry (COI), then-Opposition Leader Marlon Penn had also supported the notion of a bicameral parliament for the territory.
He argued at the time that this would help to provide for greater scrutiny of bills and government policies. Penn said he felt this could lead to greater efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness as well as greater participation in the BVI.
The question of a bicameral parliament is one that is also expected to be explored during the ongoing constitutional review.
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I think that the more serious problem is that the member of the HoA do not actually read the majority of the legislation that they adopt – one even once never mind during the three official readings (which tend to happen on the same day) – nor in an committee stage between readings in the HoA. A committee is supposed to go through every piece of legislation line by line – but it does not happen in the BVI.\The Governor knows this and is therefore able to push legislation through that has not been read – and only every now and again does a problem happen like the Police Act when a few lawyers actually read the draft and highlight the issues.
Please put this wacko in jail as quickly as possible! We can’t afford the number of legislators we have now and absolutely don’t need more deadbeats on the government dole.
His brand of involvement has already cost us at least 7 million in Sea Cows Bat wastage and countless other millions in the years he has been in government with a district in tatters.
The erudite gentleman uses the word ‘bicameral’ referring to a legislative body having two chambers, an upper and a lower chamber, thus allowing for two sets of salaried cr**ks instead of the existing one set. Nice one!
Solves nothing but creates more hauling and pulling, and increases the number of elected officials. Increasing salary and benefits costs and they each need office and staff.
Each house can end up with majority from one party and then nothing gets done because the lower house won’t accept anything the higher house tries to pass because it isn’t their party. Just a bunch of political posturing and a waste of taxpayers money and time.
Have you seen UK Parliament? What a circus! An absolute shytshow!
Something worth looking into….. we want the best for our country. Anything that can add value is worth looking into.
I am for it if we can put some intelligent people in it. If more of the same…no thanks
if you’re gonna go down that route, one chamber should be voted by all permanent residents of voting age (and non-belonger permanent residents should be eligible for election)
In the days where there were solid AG’s who skillfully drafted legislation that could confidently be taken to the house to be passed because it reflected the interests of the people(that is as bicameral as you need to get!!). If this is the result of a weak AG, then change the AG. That is the proposal. Goodbye!
Stand in full support! Just like congress and the senate.. lower and upper houses!
Even within the UK there are calls to bring an end to the House of Lords for reasons similar to what would most likely happen here- just a bunch of crooks elected into a seat they are unqualified to hold for the sake of pushing private and party agendas.
Can he pitch the idea of a better hair style to his barber? I’m not confident he can pitch anything to the UK. We in trouble and we all might as well get a part down the center of our heads and a Hitler mustache
How can the read it if the get bills the night before HOA at 11 pm sometimes the same day