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Hon Walwyn ‘very much out of place’- Doug Wheatley

- said Leader of the Opposition must be treated with respect
Mr Doug Wheatley (right) has condemned the actions of Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn (left) surrounding the snubbing of the Leader of the Opposition Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) at the opening of Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival on July 25, 2016.
Leader of the Opposition, Hon Julian Fraser RA. Photo: VINO/File
Leader of the Opposition, Hon Julian Fraser RA. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Radio talk show host and retired civil servant, Doug Wheatley has condemned the actions by Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn surrounding the snubbing of the Leader of the Opposition Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) at the opening of Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival on July 25, 2016.

Hon Fraser had claimed that he was on his way to the Rita Francis Festiville in Road Town, having been invited to speak in his capacity of Opposition Leader by Director of Culture Luce Hodge-Smith, when he received a call by Hodge-Smith saying that he should no longer come as Hon Walwyn did not want him on the programme.

The controversial Minister has admitted that he blocked Hon Fraser from speaking on the programme, saying it is not customary for Opposition Leaders to speak at the opening of Festival unless they were the representative of that district in which the event was being held.

Hon Walwyn had also said Hon Fraser’s name appearing on the programme to give remarks was an error made by the Director of Culture.

Speaking on his weekly show, Speak out BVI aired on July 26, 2016 on ZBVI 780 AM, Mr Wheatley recalled when he had responsibility for tourism in the 1970s that he had looked at the invitation list for tourism events and noticed a heavy preponderance of Caucasians on the list and only a few members of the local community.

He said he gave instructions to rebalance the list and some Caucasians were left out at the next event, however; a couple that was not invited turned up. Mr Wheatley said he nevertheless proceeded to personally welcome the couple as he did not want to cause them any embarrassment.

“Right there and then we thought it would not have been the proper thing to embarrass the couple by not welcoming them, by not treating them well, by turning them away. I say that to say that is the kind of humanity I think you have to show in situations like that.”

Opposition Leader must be treated with respect

According to the talk show host, the Leader of the Opposition is the Leader of the Opposition today but tomorrow he could be the Premier and therefore one should not treat the Leader of the Opposition in such a manner.

“Even if a mistake had been made, all you had to do was allow the Leader of the Opposition to come as he was invited and to give his speech and no one would have been the wiser. The public out there listening would not have known that there was something amiss.

‘Terrible mistake’

“But to turn him back and to not allow him to give a speech was very very much out of place, and I think the Honourable Minister made a terrible mistake in not allowing the Honourable Leader of the Opposition to speak as he was intended to.”

Mr Wheatley said he hopes a lesson is learnt from that fiasco and that it is never repeated, noting that persons in leadership positions must have the wisdom and understanding to deal with certain situations so that they are not escalated.

“If one of our staff members makes an error you don’t, in front of the whole public, let them know that person made an error et cetera.

“You deal with it in a particular way that nobody is aware and then afterwards you can have a meeting with those persons and you can explain what went wrong [but] you don’t embarrass your staff and most importantly you don’t embarrass the Leader of the Opposition,” Mr Wheatley said.

27 Responses to “Hon Walwyn ‘very much out of place’- Doug Wheatley”

  • i don't like how that island boy dealt with fraser (27/07/2016, 10:14) Like (37) Dislike (11) Reply
    we all will live to regret not voting for fraser
  • smh (27/07/2016, 10:17) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    isn't delores the representative for that district where the festival village is?
  • wize up (27/07/2016, 10:37) Like (21) Dislike (4) Reply
    Fraser will get over it; he is one tuff cookie and by no means any slouch....the territory have far bigger issues such as the escalating gun crimes(the thing done happen)....let us all look forward to the upcoming elections and hopefully most of us will now put our money where our mouth is....
  • . (27/07/2016, 11:18) Like (21) Dislike (1) Reply
    While fast tracking and introducing all these national this and that we must go back to the drawing board and reintroduce national humility. That is what our forefathers built our Territory on.
    Politics is tearing us asunder.
  • Set Ah Dead Horses (27/07/2016, 11:29) Like (5) Dislike (16) Reply
    Everybody suddenly have a mouth piece! SMH
    • wize up (27/07/2016, 12:14) Like (9) Dislike (5) Reply
      @ set ah dead horses....are you saying backing the VIP is like back a jackass in a horse race???!!!!(just asking?)
      • Set Ah Dead Horses (27/07/2016, 13:01) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
        @ wize up

        ALL POLITICIANS (VIP & NDP) and those guys on the radio shows are a set of dead horses!

        When they not in power they act like angels and have the best ideas in the World! These guys on the radio blast the Government until they get a little contract, then they gone hush!

        When you vote and put these guys in, they suddenly have amnesia to the ideas they were suggesting when they were in the opposition! They also forget they were campaigning about the other Government wasting money yet they go in and do the same nonsense!
        • sena (27/07/2016, 15:44) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
          No. That is not what really happens. When you are in the kitchen you feel the heat. When they get on the job they realise that things were not as they thought. I was once in department at at trust company with two full-time staff and two part-time. Now that same department has 13 staff doing the same job those four were expected to do. What happen is that the bi-----ch who is now doing the job now realises that the department was indeed under resourced.
    • Virgin Islander (27/07/2016, 12:48) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      This is not about dead horses. All it shows is that Virgin Islanders will stand up for Virgin Islanders when absolutely necessary.
  • Sallah (27/07/2016, 12:32) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Persons elected for office in the country are not Honourable because they think or feel that they are r should be so. They are honoured because they are our elected representatives. They should therefore be treated honourbly by us and those who we have elevetad to be so honoured.

    I refuse to believe that those we so elevate to leadership positions in our country's Government, those who would honour themselves and demand honour from us, refuse to honour each other! The honour is not for the man, but for the position that he holds at our bequest.

    Such is the indecency of those not taught BVI values, manners and BVI cultural norms.
    Such is the arrogance of those who believe that they what they have and what they do!
    Such is the result of squandering our votes on those not fit to carry the fruit of those votes with common grace!

    Oh for decent persons in Leadership again! That's what we had when the BVI was the BVI!
    • Bloggers’ Alert! (27/07/2016, 16:05) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
      To Sallah- First they said it was willoc who was doing all the blogging; now they coming up with something else. The fact is- the bloggers sphere is very active and alert. Why? Because people are becoming more and more disheartened, disappointed and disgusted with this present Gov’t and their antics. The digital revolution is growing rapidly and only a matter of time until this Gov’t says or do something that tips the scale for the masses to take Action to remove them.

      Some people say VI People soft, but the elders say that even a timid dog will eventually give you the worst of bite if you keep kicking that dog long enough; with pains from wounds so severe, you will never ever forget the episode for as long as you live.
  • Alright (27/07/2016, 12:36) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    Fraser will be ok, you can't keep a good man down Myron. Fraser, from now on, keep your grass cut very low so you can see the two headed snake slithering. Always have a big rock in your hand when you deal with Myron.
    • Ha Ha (27/07/2016, 22:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Alright, don't forget to have a bully club in the other hand. LOL.
  • Serpico (27/07/2016, 12:42) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    festival celebrations and the reasons are being broiled up in personal vendettas and child play. What happened in 1834 on the 1st of August give VOICE TO ALL VIRGIN ISLANDERS
  • again (27/07/2016, 13:39) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Here we go again.
  • Best wishes (27/07/2016, 13:43) Like (5) Dislike (33) Reply
    Fraser: So, Walwyn you boot me out from addressing the people!
    Walwyn: Man don't take that to heart, its just a political move
    Fraser: But I am way older than you, you know that; and I can endure hardship
    Walwyn: True that
    Fraser: So what you intend to do about that to appease the people
    Walwyn: Hon Fraser, I humbly apologize and will see to it that history does not repeat its self
    Fraser: Accepted, but I could be your father you know?
    Walwyn: What?!!!!
    Fraser: I did not say I am your father; I said I could be your father, meaning you could learn from me in this politics thing. You would have had a much better reaction from the public if you had come on stage with me during my speech like how you and Fahie was beating that drum; remember?
    Walwyn: Oh yeah, I remember. as I said, I am sorry.
  • ur boss @ (27/07/2016, 17:37) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply

    Oh i forgot...try stay off mvw nutsack na man, Geeez

  • trrefdrfds (27/07/2016, 18:21) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    Doug Wheatley made and excellent point!
  • Born BVIslander (28/07/2016, 10:11) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    BVI BVIslanders need to stand up for born BVIslanders.
  • Yes (28/07/2016, 10:33) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Moron is out of control. He should be impeached
  • 123 (28/07/2016, 11:46) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    we need a new elections
  • Hmm (29/07/2016, 07:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    One thing is for sure MW showing he colours early, so guys please do not consider this man for Primier.


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