Newly elected Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) wants to strengthen the party for the upcoming elections. Photo: VINO/File

The veteran politician and former Minister under the previous VIP Administration made this clear in a statement released to media houses yesterday June 16, 2014.

“While my address covered several very important areas of interest to the party going forward, paramount among them is my concentration on strengthening the structure of the party as is constitutionally required by making fully functional each organ of the party,” said Hon Fraser speaking exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online. “Inclusive of the district and territorial committees, the youth arm, the women arm, the senior arm and the national advisory committees.”

He said that he will launch an exhaustive campaign that will identify new leaders who wish to contest each of the 11 vacant positions on the VIP ticket in preparation for the next general elections.

“As chairman of the Virgin Islands Party I extend heartfelt words of gratitude for the confidence that each VIP District Committee has placed in me through the votes of their Delegates at the recently concluded Congress Meeting conducted for the election of officers to the Executive Committee,” he said.

“I accept the post of Chairman of this illustrious body with humility and I pledge to uphold the aims and objects that are powerfully stated in the Constitution of the party,” he said.

“I acknowledge and I salute the brilliance and the leadership of our founding Chairman the late Hamilton Lavity Stoutt, and of our immediate past chairman the Honorable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE. I now stand in their footsteps and I now declare that this is a challenge I do not take lightly!” Hon Fraser declared.

“I call on every member of the Virgin Islands Party; every voter in the Virgin Islands and; every Belonger and Resident of the Virgin Islands to join me in a pledge to do whatever is in our powers to make the Virgin Islands the best that the Virgin Islands can be. A once again caring Virgin Islands! An economically viable Virgin Islands and; A Virgin Islands we will continue to be proud of!”

Hon Fraser said that within the next 90 days he intends to convene VIP general meetings in Virgin Gorda, Tortola, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke with the aim of adding new members, embracing new ideas, deploying new human resources to each committee of the party and identifying new leaders who wish to contest each of the 11 vacant positions.

He also intends to invite and host meetings with strategic partners “in each of our major industries within each of our economic pillars, with the aim of creating a road map to economic recovery at every level while at the same time exploring new frontiers of economic opportunities and fostering an atmosphere of business friendly governance.”

Hon Fraser also hopes to have meetings with service ambassadors and organizations throughout the Virgin Islands with the aim of improving and creating a world class tourism and financial services jurisdiction “with an inventory of services that are second to none.”

He hopes to mobilize youths throughout the Territory and encourage them to join collectively and in one voice with the aim of determining and employing the most effective strategies of realizing their dreams, creating new visions and taking their rightful places in the Virgin Islands.

“This approach requires the input of each person for I cannot do this alone. As a TEAM the VIP Executive and volunteers will be calling, texting and writing to companies and individuals in solicitation of your assistance and support. One of the basic principles of the Virgin Islands Party has always been that of INCLUSION. Let us join forces and make this happen,” Hon Fraser stressed.