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by pltm
(PLTM) - Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley has strongly stated that Opposition Member Hon. Carvin Malone's proposed Terms of Reference for Constitutional Review were considered.
“We did consider it and what you’re talking about is the democratic process. The member asked to amend the motion, and in the democratic process we voted on it and persons voted against it,” Premier Wheatley explained during a recent press conference.
Hon. Malone mentioned that the suggestions he made were of concern to the people of the Virgin Islands for several years.
The areas Hon. Malone highlighted that should be considered by the Constitutional Review Committee included, reducing the number of At-large seats from 4 to 2; selecting the Premier and Deputy Premier from the At-large candidates, and allowing Anegada and Jost Van Dyke to be separate electoral districts, with their own individual representatives.
Hon. Malone also proposed the implementation of a recall mechanism for elected Members in the House of the Assembly that can be utilized when there have been evidence of non-performance, under-performance or some other unsatisfactory action executed by a Member of the House of Assembly. He also suggested that a 3 year-term limit be imposed on House of Assembly representatives.
However, these amendments were rejected by the Members, and the original amended terms of reference were instead accepted.
Speaking during his recent press conference, Dr. Wheatley further suggested that he advised Hon. Malone that his considerations can be weighed when discussions are taking place with the public.
“The terms of reference are broad enough to look at all those different areas, and if the people in the community like them they can speak out about them to the Commissioners,” Premier Wheatley added.
Hon. Malone raised concerns following “If we are going to get the Honourable [Sir Gary] Hickinbottom his 11; what about the seven that the Virgin Islanders have been asking about for years?“
