His Excellency the Governor, Mr. John Rankin, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, has prorogued the House of Assembly effective Thursday, December 23 until such a time a new session is appointed.
To prorogue a legislative body is to discontinue the meetings without dissolving the House. While the House is prorogued, the legislature is still constituted.
Section 84 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 states that the Governor may, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, prorogue the House of Assembly at any time, but he shall prorogue the House at least once every calendar year, except in any year when the House is dissolved.
Section 83 of the Constitution states that sessions of the House of Assembly shall be held at such times and places as the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, may appoint by proclamation published in the Gazette. The proclamation was published in an extraordinary edition of the Gazette on Friday, December 24.
Section 82 of the constitution states that there shall be a session of the House from time to time, so that a period of three months does not intervene between the last sitting in one session and the first sitting of the next session.
When the House of Assembly reconvenes, it will be the 1st Sitting of the 4th Session of the 4th House of Assembly.