Hon Fraser fires back; @ attempts to unseat him as Opp. Leader
It was yesterday, January 17, 2017 that this news site first and accurately reported that Virgin Islands Party Chairman Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) had a renewed interest in becoming Leader of the Opposition, even after Governor John S. Duncan OBE had chosen Hon Fraser for the post following the 2015 General Elections.
Following our story, the Virgin Islands Party, through its President Dr Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru, responded with a letter to the media, in which he stated that the Virgin Islands Party at its Executive Members elections in November 2016 had voted for a new Opposition Leader when they elected Hon Fahie as the new Chairman.
Dr Wheatley, in his statement, said the Constitution of the VIP makes it clear that the Chairman of the party shall be the Titular Head of the Party and will lead the Party within the House of Assembly.
“This position was confirmed by His Excellency the Governor who in his pronouncement in 2015, amongst other considerations, relied on the seniority of the post of Party Chairman to determine the holder of the post of Opposition Leader. Despite Honorable Fahie’s stated discomfort with the perception of “fighting for power,” I, as President of the party, insisted that we abide by the statutes of our Constitution, and I received the backing of the Executive Committee Administrative Arm of the party. Party members placing their individual desires above the needs of the party must never be a condition for [dis]unity and sets a dangerous precedent,” Mr Wheatley added.
Falsehoods & presumptions
Hon Fraser, in his statement to the press today, January 18, 2017 said he decided to end his silence after seeing a press release by the VIP that was riddled with falsehoods and fraught with presumptions.
“First: To state that “the Constitution of the VIP makes it clear that the Chairman of the party shall be the Titular Head of the Party and will lead the party within the House of Assembly”, is inaccurate. The VIP Constitution instead states, -Chairman of the Party (Will be the titular head/political leader of the Party and serve as Chief Minister, if so elected to the Legislative Council-. It does not presume a post while in the Opposition. And besides, where was this logic when in June of 2015 after the General Election the Party’s position was the exact opposite.”
“Second: To state, “as far as the party is concerned, the decision on who would lead the Opposition or become Premier was made on November 30th 2016”, shows a severe lack of depth in the Virgin Islands Parliamentary Democracy. A Party does not decide who is or who isn't the Premier or the Leader of the Opposition, Elected Members do. That same flawed thought resulted in shameful embarrassment coming out of the General Elections of June 2015,” Hon Fraser stated.
‘Governor has no role to play in this matter’
Meanwhile, it was reported by this news site that Hon Fahie has made his intentions to become Opposition Leader known to Governor John S. Duncan OBE as well as Hon Fraser.
Firstly, in coordination with the President of the VIP, a letter was written and signed by Dr Wheatley to Governor Duncan dated December 9, 2016 giving him the new executive officers of the VIP and advising the Governor to use the information to “assist in the administration of relevant onuses, inclusive of appointments.”
But according to Hon Fraser, petitioning a Governor to remove and replace a sitting Leader of the Opposition by a political party has no basis in the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007.
“The only provision that is Constitutionally within the Governor’s remit is Section 70 (2) (a) The Governor shall appoint as Leader of the Opposition, a member of the House of Assembly recommended by a majority of the elected members of the House who are members of any opposition party whose numerical strength in the House is greater than that of any other opposition party. Note: “opposition party” means a group of members of the House of Assembly in opposition to the Government who are prepared to support one of their number as their leader.”
Hon Fraser added that the Governor has no role to play in the matter, and “he know that I know that. It is ludicrous for anyone to expect the Governor to be guided by a local party’s internal politics.”
Delegates were warned
The Opposition Leader also made it known that he had warned delegates at the time of Elections to the VIP Executive on November 30, 2016, to make winning the next General Election their goal, rather than winning the Chairmanship.
“I further went on to tell them that, if they made the wrong choice for Chairman, the Party can fragment, thus diminishing any chance at a General Election victory. Well, my plea was not headed, and the Delegates did what they went to the Congress to do.”
The veteran legislator added that ever since the elections of November 30, 2016 he has watched from a distance, that very fragmentation he spoke of unfold, with charges of a rigged election, and a letter sent to the Governor seeking to have him replaced as Leader of the Opposition, in just 9 days after the New Chairman publicly stated that he was not going to pursue the Leadership of the Opposition.
“All this time I considered it destructive to the Party should I get involved.”
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38 Responses to “Hon Fraser fires back; @ attempts to unseat him as Opp. Leader”
Even Betito's CCM looking good now.
Who knows, perhaps that is where Sowande will end up next.
BOY YOU AIN'T TIRED? YO DONE RID THE PARTY OF ALVIN AND DANCIA NOW YO TRYING EVEN HARDER AT FRASER. WHA WRONG WID YOU MAYSON? LAVITY OR TURU DIDNT LEAVE THE PARTY IN THE WILL FOR YOU. STOP FROM DESTROYING THE PARTY
pointing fingers, bragging about himself and quit acting out. Saying that, Fahie should not have done a power grab,
but had the patience to wait the remainder of Fraser's appointment before pushing himself around.
I was so hopeful that VIP was headed in a good solid and smart direction. No more fighting please!
there is no maturity there. It's all about him.
What a self-made handicap that Hon Fahie brought on himself and the VIP
Fraser do not worry about any thing give the opposition to fahie let him see how it is do not stop and let him kill yuo for power you are above that the Lord is looking down and fahie time will come the lord does not like ugly sit still fraser and see what god has for yo you will have to be the same ons to save fahie do not frett up your self you will be around to smile at the calamity. I know you are a good man despite what is being done to you lean on God continue to pray and God will see you throug he shall make you to rise above yoye enimies. Fahie time longer than twine.
this move by Fahie will kill the VIP his VG and Aegarda trips yesterday did not help him