Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

Hon Fahie should 'focus on his defense'- Premier Wheatley

Hon Fahie should 'focus on his defense'- Premier Wheatley

Already stripped of his title of Premier of the Virgin Islands (VI), incarcerated Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) now faces losing his seat in the House of Assembly (HoA) since he may be unable to attend the required three consecutive sittings of the HoA.

That is unless he is able to attend virtually, providing he fulfills the conditions to allow him bail and the HoA allows him to join remotely.

A Miami federal judge on Monday, May 23, 2022, rejected a prosecutor’s bid to detain Hon Fahie, who was arrested on drug-related charges in late April at a Miami airport.

But before Hon Fahie can be released from a federal lock-up on a new $1 million bond, he must prove to the judge that the money for his bail comes from a legitimate source.

Can Fahie attend HoA meetings virtually?


At a press conference on Friday, May 27, 2022, Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R1) was asked whether Hon Fahie would be able to attend HoA sittings virtually.

“I don’t anticipate that we will be having virtual meetings anytime soon and my particular view with the former Premier is that it is my view that he should focus on his defense. He has a difficult case and task ahead of him and that is where his focus should be.”

While the Standing Orders of the HoA have been amended to accommodate virtual sittings, there has reportedly never been a situation where elected Members have attended virtually when Members were meeting face to face.

A source familiar with the Standing Orders told our newsroom they suspect a Member can be allowed to attend sittings virtually even when the entire sitting is not being held virtually, since the HoA would accommodate “witnesses” virtually during Standing Finance Committee Meetings.

“It is possible with the leave of the Speaker,” the source said.

While the Standing Orders of the House of Asembly (HoA) have been amended to accommodate virtual sittings, there has reportedly never been a situation where elected Members have attended virtually when the entire sitting is not being held virtually.


Governor can strip Fahie of HoA status- Premier


Meanwhile, Premier Wheatley had in a May 13, 2022, press conference explained that it was up to the Governor to strip Hon Fahie of his elected representative status.

"That's something for the Governor. If you look in the constitution you will see how a member of the House of Assembly (HoA) can be removed. It’s very clear there, a member can resign, if a member misses three sittings he can be removed and there are some other conditions, of course if they are declared insane or something like that but we have to look clearly in the constitution to see the conditions upon which you can be removed," Dr Wheatley had stated.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in a statement on May 2, 2022, said “Like all persons charged with a criminal offense, Andrew Fahie is entitled to the presumption of innocence, procedural fairness, and a free and affair trial within a reasonable time.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×