Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

“It is unjustifiable for the speaker to extend such an invitation to the governor designee”; speaker willock scolds governor on position of swearing in new governor

“It is unjustifiable for the speaker to extend such an invitation to the governor designee”; speaker willock scolds governor on position of swearing in new governor

In a confidential letter received by our newsroom, Speaker of the House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands Hon. Julian Willock penned another stern letter to outgoing Governor of the Virgin Islands, His Excellency Augutus JU Jaspert on the House of Assemble protocols for the swearing in of the incoming Governor.
In the letter Speaker Willock said: “I read in a news release dated 17th September, 2020 originating from the Governor’s office that the Virgin Islands will have a new Governor by January, 2021 in the name of John J Rankin. However, you will agree that the Governors are not members of the Legislative Branch, as per the constitution in Section 63 (1).”

The letter further went on to state, “Despite the fact that prior to 2017, past Governor designees were sworn into office at a ceremony convened at the House of Assembly, I wish to bring to your attention that, in accordance with well-established parliamentary practice, the Governor may not appear at the HOA, unless invited by the speaker to do so.

“In actuality the only time the Governor is invited by the speaker, as Head of the Legislative Branch to the HOA, is to deliver the Speech from the Throne, which is done as a courtesy extended by the Premier.”

As it pertains to the swearing in of the next Governor Mr. John J Rankin, speaker Willock said “Therefore, to avoid any confusion, I am requesting of the Deputy Governor’s Office to plan a place to swear in the new Governor, that is outside the chambers of the HOA, in keeping with the constitution of 2007 and precedent already set in 2017. In addition, it is unjustifiable for the speaker to extend such an invitation to the Governor designee, if the oath of office has not yet been effected, and the Governor designee is not yet the Governor.”

The letter which was also addressed to the Premier of the Virgin Islands, Hon. Andrew A Fahie stated. “Hon. Premier, you will agree, it is also prudent to note that the Governor is not connected in any way to the legislature; however, as it relates to Members of the HOA, it is fitting and appropriate for them to be sworn into office at the HOA, because they are elected by the people and are therefore elected members of the HOA.

The Governor according to Section 63 (1) of the constitution, is not an elected member of the HOA, therefore swearing him in at the HOA will not be appropriate.”

As the territory of the Virgin Islands inquisitively anticipates the arrival of the new Governor of the Virgin Islands Mr. John J Rankin, it will be left to see where exactly the swearing in ceremony will take place.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
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
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×