Fired Minister: If you are not with Gov’t, you are with the Opposition-Premier
This is according to Virgin Islands (VI) Premier, Dr the Honourable, D. Orlando Smith (AL), in explaining his decision to immediately fire, then Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Archibald C. Christian (AL), when he tendered his resignation yesterday, November 14, 2018.
He was fired the next day, November 15, 2018.
Dr Smith was at the time responding to members of the local press, following that evening’s sitting of the House of Assembly.
“In all democracies there is the government side, which is basically the party of the day—its first past the post election—and the first (to) past the post, forms the government, the other(s) form the opposition, so if you are not with the government you are with the opposition .”
Difficult
He explained further, that with the government there is a Cabinet which has collective responsibility for what happens in that Government and in that Cabinet,
According to Dr Smith, since Hon Christian was at the time a Minister, “it really would be difficult for somebody who is not with the government, to be part of that Cabinet.”
He told media operatives that during the course of the day, he was shown a letter by the Chairman of the NDP, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn (AL), that was sent to him by Hon Christian, resigning from the party and as Treasurer.
Obvious what to do
As such, “it was obvious then, that what I had to do was to write to the Governor asking him to revoke his position since, he decided to leave the party that forms the government of the day.”
The Premier suggested that at the next sitting of the HoA, he is expecting that Hon Christian, would be seated with the Opposition and should he choose to still sit in the government benches, then it will have to be a matter to be decided on by the Speaker.
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8 Responses to “Fired Minister: If you are not with Gov’t, you are with the Opposition-Premier”
Conflict of interests issues - when working for 2 parties providing exactly the same service (?)
Conflict of interest has always been NDP mission... time longer than twine
True bullies, it’s ok for Myrun to start his recruits (Speaker, festival and ESHS) without discussing his intent or having them resign their post, but if anyone else dear to do anything of that nature woe beyond to man!
Looks like he alone could wake up the sleeping DOC after all they knew it never had a plane to begin with cooked up some story to feed us millions and millions more through the door! Poor BWeI