A no-confidence vote the opposition has been pushing for more than two months may now be delayed until as late as next March following a government walkout last week in the House of Assembly, opposition member Marlon Penn told the Beacon this week.
The Oct. 30 walkout, which Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley has not explained, drew harsh criticism the following day from Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton.
“I am frankly astonished at the disregard shown for the House of Assembly and its procedures by the government side,” Mr. Skelton said in a statement issued on behalf of the opposition. “The premier’s lack of maturity and respect in this matter leads me to question his commitment to our democratic institutions and to good governance in the territory.”
Opposition member Marlon Penn also criticised the walkout this week, calling it an “affront to democracy.”
“We went through — when we were in government for the eight years that we were in government — over three votes of no confidence,” Mr. Penn told the Beacon. “Any government who’s worth its salt and doing a good job on behalf of the people should face these types of things and tell the people what they’re doing on their behalf. And especially when you supposedly have a majority.”
The current government’s narrow one-person majority means that a unanimous opposition would need only one no-confidence vote from across the aisle to topple the premier.
The walkout
Late in the night of Oct. 30, all government members except Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer left the HOA during a short recess before Mr. Skelton was set to move the no-confidence motion.
Speaker Corine George-Massicote then summoned the members back to the House, but none returned.
With only six members remaining — all opposition members minus Mr. Penn, who was out of the territory on planned travel, and Mr. Rymer — the HOA was unable to meet its quorum.
“Given that we do not have a quorum of seven members present, I have no other choice but to adjourn this House,” Ms. George-Massicote said. “This House is therefore adjourned until the 11th day of November.”
Budget address
The premier is scheduled to deliver his budget address on Nov. 11, but the HOA has not released the agenda for that day or said if the no-confidence motion will be included.
Mr. Penn said that since the House was adjourned abruptly, the sitting ended.
After the budget address on Monday, he added, the premier can wait until next year before calling another sitting. He also said that the no-confidence motion would not automatically be placed on the agenda for the next sitting.
“What the premier, what I’m understanding his plan is, is that once he’s gone through the budget speech, the budget review and Standing Finance [Committee] and the debate, he’s going to prorogue the House, which means you have to wait again until next year — almost two, three months into next year because he could wait up until March to call a next sitting,” Mr. Penn said.
Dr. Wheatley and Mr. Rymer did not respond to requests for comment by Beacon press time yesterday afternoon
First try
Mr. Skelton first tried to schedule the no-confidence motion — which calls for the HOA to be dissolved “to allow the people of the Virgin Islands to return to the polls to elect a government in which [they] can place [their] confidence” — in early September.
But the initial effort failed due to a parliamentary technicality. Since then, it was placed on the agenda for the most recent sitting, but it was not addressed because of other items ahead of the motion.
Change in ministers
Amid the tension, on Oct. 23 Dr. Wheatley fired Lorna Smith from her role as deputy premier and minister of financial services, labour and trade.
In turn, Julian Fraser (R-D3) crossed the floor and took over the role of deputy premier along with Dr. Wheatley’s former role as minister of environment, natural resources and climate change and Ms. Smith’s former brief as minister for labour and immigration.
When the premier made the announcement, he said that he fired his former deputy to avoid political uncertainty.
“She did not give me the confidence that she would remain with my administration for the duration of this term,” he said at the time. “And this left room for uncertainty and political instability, which we cannot afford at this time.”
Lorna Smith’s response
During a press conference the morning of the announcement at Maria’s by the Sea, Ms. Smith said she received a letter from Dr. Wheatley at 8 a.m. that day citing “a lack of support in relation to Commission of Inquiry obligations” as the reason for her dismissal.
“The premier’s reasoning is simply untrue, and I believe it is imperative that he be honest with the people about his true motives rather than fabricating baseless claims,” she told journalists.
Further delays
Last week during the Oct. 29 HOA meeting, Dr. Wheatley again faced criticism from opposition members when he suddenly changed the parliamentary agenda and further delayed the no-confidence motion.
Opposition members characterised the move to “pack” the parliamentary agenda as an “abuse” of power.
In response, Dr. Wheatley shot back, saying, “I’m ready for them: I’m ready right now.”
However, the following day, the premier was among the members of government who walked out of the HOA when it came time to address the no confidence motion.
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