New group emerges; Could turn into new political party!
While the group has not turned into a political party, sources told our reporter it is heading in that direction and is expected to be ready to contest the next Virgin Islands (VI) general election.
One person close to the group who has been attending many of the meetings reported that the group has a lot of prominent people some whom have broken away from the National Democratic Party (NDP) and others who used to support the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
The source told our newsroom that the public will be happy with the team that is in discussion “as there are some prominent men and women in the group, including persons from the sister island of Virgin Gorda…but for now, it’s a movement right now…”
When asked why not join the Opposition VIP, if the goal is to remove the NDP, the source who is a part of the group told our newsroom that “let’s wait and see what happens after the November 30 election for Chairman, as leadership matters…”
The last new political party that was formed in the VI was the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) in March 2014 headed by former legislator J. Alvin Christopher as its Chairman and Natalio D. Wheatley as the President.
The PEP won no seats in the 2015 snap election and is believed to be now defunct or very inactivate.
Why a new party? NDP & VIP have issues
Many voters in the VI have said they do not want to go back to the polls in the next general elections to only have a choice between the NDP and the VIP. They claimed that the ruling NDP has failed the people, left the country broke, mismanaged public funds, and there continues to be allegations of conflict of interest, corruption and lack of transparency.
In addition, they claimed that once Party President and Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) steps off the stage, the choice of controversial Education and Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL) and Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) could be a step backwards. They alleged Hon Pickering will be ‘status quo’ while front runner Hon Walwyn is a polarising and divisive figure and will be bad for business as he is a loose cannon.
VIP-a household name but..?
On the VIP side, the critics claim that the reported infighting between Opposition Leader Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) and Senior Member Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has turned off voters and potential new members and candidates.
The trust and conflict issues between both men (Hon Fraser and Fahie) could destroy the 45 year old VIP and it appears that most delegates wish they had other choices in the upcoming November 30, 2016 election for Chairman of the party, as they reportedly do not want any of the two men.
They have also faulted the VIP for waiting until the last minute to “get their act together” and because of the leadership challenges have not been able to attract new creditable candidates, raise funds and mobilise young people to join the party which has done so much to build the country. However, the VIP remains a household name.
Our newsroom will be the first to bring you more details on the new group and provide details if and when it turns into a new political party. We will also from time to time unearth its members and who is emerging as the leader of the new group or “movement” as they are now referring themselves to.
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53 Responses to “New group emerges; Could turn into new political party!”
We need some new blood whose motto is "Country before self"/
He is very much like Donald Trump in that fashion. He doesn't know how to bring people together.
One thing is to judge them by their passion, and this will tell if they are good canidates.
ANY new vision may be promising.
One of the first requirements for membership in this new team or any other team should be the commitment to put the people and national interest before self interest. The path forward to growth, development and sustainability will be challenging. The BVI had a window of opportunity to effectively invest in infrastructure but it failed miserably and that window of opportunity slammed shut quickly. The BVI should have been farther along economically, socially and politically. Nonetheless, though the window was slammed shut, it can and must be opened again. But it will require a heavy lift to address its myriad of problems.
These needs include physical infrastructure {roads, parking(Road Town), water, sewage, ports, telecommunications ( (broad brand), electricity, renewable energy platform}education, health, public safety (police, fire, national security and disaster preparedness), economic growth, development, sustainability and diversification; social services, enviromental resources protection and preservation, immigration and labour reform, effects of global warming, land use plan......etc. Addressing the myriad of problems will require effective planning, programming, directing, controlling, problem solving ......,,etc. Taking its direction from the people, any new group must set the compass and take action to keep the BVI ship of state on course. The new group must engage the stakeholders---the people---and make the people's business truly the people's business. It will truly be a heavy lift.