Premier, Penn clash over VIF&FC shift to Tourist Board
Eighth District Representative, Marlon Penn has accused Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley of acting outside of the law in moving the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs (VIF&F) Committee to the BVI Tourist Board recently.
The government moved to dissolve the VIF&F Committee last December and have its functions transferred to the BVI Tourist Board.
The government said at the time that the principal legislation that governs the committee would have to be appealed and noted that an amendment to Section 8 of the Tourist Board Ordinance was also required.
It was also noted that a decision was made to have the remaining assets in the Festival and Fairs Fund be transferred to the BVI Tourist Board.
Penn questioned Premier Wheatley over the reasons for disbanding the Committee and having its powers subsumed within another statutory body and whether any legal opinion was sought in the matter.
But Premier Wheatley, in explaining his Cabinet’s decision, stated that the committee was not disbanded, therefore there was no basis to provide an opinion on that. He also shared that he intended to have the process for the transfer moved through the House of Assembly expeditiously.
Penn then questioned the Premier on the legal basis that allowed the Tourist Board to perform its duties in the interim, in preparing for festival activities.
Premier Wheatley disputed Penn’s claim that the Tourist Board did not have the legal authority to market and promote the activities for Festival.
He further explained that although the tenure of some members of the board expired, others remained, including the chairman. He said this group, along with a group of volunteers from Virgin Gorda are planning the upcoming festival.
“I’d like to understand from [Penn, are you stating] that the Tourist Board doesn’t have the authority to market and promote our cultural festivals?” Premier Wheatley asked. “If that’s the case, it seems quite ridiculous to me.”
He added: “The Tourist Board, as I said before, has… if you look in the Tourist Board Act, it will tell you that they have a mandate to promote our entertainment and cultural activities.”
“Until the law is repealed, and those powers are subsumed in the Tourist Board, we’re operating ultra vires to the law. It’s plain and simple,” Penn argued. “The Premier’s refusing to answer the question.”
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COI paet 2 loading.
Herr Sowander andrew jr. forgetting stuff has to become law before you do things. makes you wonder what else they doing before ratifying it into law…
It don’t matter pen go sit
These ministers will do anything wrong even broke the laws just to give their friends, supporters and who they like power, money and authority…
He trying to protect his sweet thing up BALO!
we have so many issues that urgently require serious attention , the incinerator fiasco / the sh*t fiasco and the pot holes fiasco etc and all he can find to holler out about is the VIF& FC SHIFT ( where are these heroes minds at ? ? ? then again after the last election where these aristocracts refused to UNITE and work together for the betterment of their country / we shouldn’t be surprised / one day the COI is causing RETARDATION / another wants to go chasing down the COI and this one somewhere in limbo
Stop chatting P!$$! All the issues you mentioned have been brought up by Hon. Penn in the house. This is the one media chooses to report. I sick of you all with your selective outrage.
I’m more concern that our leader insist on breaking the law with all we’ve been through as a country over the past few years. Just imagine what we don’t know about. Thank you Hon. Penn for continuing to shine a light on the way this Government is conducting our affairs.
Don’t worry about this, a COI is coming on this festival committee
@Bvi It doesn’t matter for law barkers like you.
Yep
As a resident of a tourist area, where the sun sets and we surf.
Mr Sl** Wanda, I born, grow and aging with tourist family and have adopter some as my
brothers and sisters from
another mother.
I’m encouraging them to speak out of the
incapabilities of the
government keeping them
safe aftre returning to
their 2nd home, some of
them forty plus years.
You want the tourist $$ them operate as if it’s “OUR LIFE LINE”!!KEEP THEM SAFE. Terrible 1st response and faulty equipment.As for the negative bloggers”STFU”