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OJ Smith tells 3rd District to liberate themselves!

- Throws down the gauntlet on the incumbent
Smith claimed the 3rd District was being divided by party politics and victimization where families are turning against each other. Photo: VINO
Well over a hundred persons attended the rally in Palestina Estate last evening. Photo: VINO
Well over a hundred persons attended the rally in Palestina Estate last evening. Photo: VINO
The site for the proposed desalination plant at Paraquita Bay. Mr. Smith says the Biwater contract is an example of capital drain. Photo: VINO
The site for the proposed desalination plant at Paraquita Bay. Mr. Smith says the Biwater contract is an example of capital drain. Photo: VINO
PALESTINA ESTATE, Tortola, VI- Claiming that the people of the 3rd District have become divided in the name of party politics and victimisation, 3rd district candidate on the National Democratic Party slate Kevin ‘OJ’ Smith, speaking at a rally in Palestina Estate last evening October 20, 2011, told residents to liberate themselves by voting for him as his representation will be about love and unity.

According to Mr. Smith, the 3rd District did not need divisions but rather leaders should try to unify the resources and strengthen the bond between people. “Leaders should never divide, never put family against family... Leaders should try to unify the people as the good book says “a house divided amongst itself cannot stand” and our communities are made up of several households.”

At this point Mr. Smith called up his two children to the stage and asked if they should be taught to hate each other. “Should we teach them that our children should hate each other? Should we teach them that our grandchildren should hate each other? So I ask the question what kind of growth are we creating in the BVI for the sake of politics and money? Imagine in a democracy we live in fear of a person or persons that we have empowered, that was supposed to empower us. Yet friends can’t talk to each other because of their political affiliation. This end result of our politics is not liberty it’s enslavement, enslavement through intimidation, through manipulation and victimisation.”

Mr. Smith further said there was no opportunity for liberty in victimisation. “So I say to you tonight people of the 3rd District, liberate yourselves because in order to divide you must either create or exploit hate. Hate produces division, division produces weaknesses and weakness lends itself to conquest.”

According to the youthful candidate, as a representative he would show love and unify the people to work together. “But how can we work together when the current representative does not even come to the people prior to making major decisions in the district? How can we work together when some are favoured over others? How are we to be unified when we try to make it seem that the reason that some were not given work during the four year period was because they did not have their good standing? I ask the question tonight how come all of a sudden in election time everybody has a good standing?”

Continuing his assault on the incumbent representative, ex-marine Smith said there could not be unity when the minister can call out names at his launch as a reference to fair allocation of work in his district. “Well let me tell you sir, as a person with experience in finance and economics, that you have to do what we call an apple and apple comparison. Let’s compare the value of all the work allocated in the last four years to the “Big Five” against all the other contractors in the district and let’s see how things have been shared out fairly,” Mr. Smith proposed.

Hannah's Bay Reclamation Project

Mr. Smith also questioned the validity of the plan for the Hannah's Bay Reclamation Project and whether it was a public or private development. “There has been this statement about development in the 3rd District and you would recall that some months ago the Department of Town and Country Planning issued a stop order on Hannah's Bay reclamation up in the harbour and I asked the question at the last rally why is it a private stop order on what is supposed to be a public development? Something wrong on top that cheese. He said the proper procedure for government development anywhere in the country is laid out according to the physical Planning Act 2004.

“Where were the public meetings, where not just only land owners but persons in the district were given an opportunity to voice their concerns over the project? Where was the opportunity to make ripping representation that the law sets out to the draft plan before it is even approved? Where has been the notification in the gazette?... Lawd but we saw land appear from nowhere and fencing went up as fast as the Jericho wall and now you want us to believe that is a government project. I am not buying it.”

According to the candidate, if a plan was approved in 1999 and the government changed, that approval from 1999 could not stand till 2011. “So you cannot come now and tell me, and tell us that you had approval because if you had approval there would be no stop order and if it was in Government plan then the stop order should have been either on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour or the Ministry of Communications and Works not Hannah's Bay Reclamation. Something wrong with that. ”

Hurtling out more ammunition, Mr. Smith claimed that all of the proposed development in the district “is occurring on the Frasers’ property. I am dealing with the facts because right over my shoulder down there we have torn down the mangroves and the young people are asking me what about environmental protection? They are throwing dirt at the root of the mangroves where our marine lives are supposed to produce their hatcheries. So tell me where is the development in that? It proves as if there is one set of rules for one person and another set of rules for everybody else.”

Capital Drain

According to Mr. Smith, when we ignore the law or ignore the policy or procedures it is the people themselves we disregard because laws are only there to protect the rights of the citizenry. “But what laws and practices we follow when we oust a local company and a thousand shareholders to bring in a foreign entity. My position is this. If a local company must go then opportunity must fall to another local company because continually outsourcing opportunity to entities outside the BVI further facilitates what we call capital drain, in other words when too much money leaving the country.”

He mentioned the Biwater deal as a typical example of capital drain and noted that the problem in the VI is not that the Territory does not generate wealth but rather the problem was that the wealth is not kept. Mr. Smith added that on a conservative estimate, half of the value that the Territory generates leaves it. “And if our ministers, if our leaders understood how our economy works they would have never signed that Biwater contract.”

40 Responses to “OJ Smith tells 3rd District to liberate themselves! ”

  • WHOOP THER IT IS! (21/10/2011, 08:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    3RD DISTRICT LEH WE DO DIS TING!!!!!!! VOTE NDP ALL THE WAY! CAN YOU FEEL IT?
    • Bay Youths (21/10/2011, 08:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      no!!!! we are not doing any funny man ting, we doing the "right thing" by voting VIP and Fraser all the way boss!
      • Guest (21/10/2011, 09:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        You sound so illiterate Bay Youth. If you are an example of what the VIP represents taking a slang twisting it and making it a joke like they have done our country, I sorry for your future. SAY SOMETHING MAN AND STOP THE BANTER....LIKE SIZZLA SAY GET TO THE POINT
  • Fresh (21/10/2011, 09:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Kevin you were on point last night.....i truly enjoyed listening to your speech. I wish you all the best in your aspirations to become the district representative.
  • Watery Fart (21/10/2011, 10:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    LOOK PEOPLE LAST NIGHT!!! Just a correction, it was well over 200 people last night, it had way more by E&B parking lot because they could watch everything from the screen and hear clearly. Another set of people were standing outside of the tents! OH WHAT A NIGHT!!! OJ, boy I think you will not only win this election, but by a surprising margin! The Youth are with you, you are a uniter not a divider!! You will not have your own constituents afraid of the man they elected, like what's happening now!! You have ENTIRE FAMILIES on your side, they love your approach, they love unity! This is a new day!!! The youth will no longer be fooled with petty contracts, bush cutting jobs and promises of land at the final hour! Those days are DONE! See how OJ had a rally and didn't have to disrespect NOT ONE PERSON? When will Fraser and his camp understand that the people are hurting and want someone calm, cool and loving to deal with them! Not nastiness and divisiveness that was displayed at his rallies while his colleagues looked on in approval!! The 3rd will be a Beacon once again, like it was under Cills!! This man is what the ENTIRE COUNTRY needs to take us forward, not just the 3rd District. A REAL MAN, intelligent and a man who relies on his own record of achievements and his approach, to be elected. He doesn't rely on fear and scare tactics or bribery with the public purse! Some can learn a lot from him!!
    • Miss ting (21/10/2011, 11:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Funny man Myron go sit down with your hogwash!
    • Well Sah (21/10/2011, 11:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      This post should have a love button.....wish election was tomorrow...Go OJ!!!!!!
    • Killer dog (21/10/2011, 16:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Everybody you saw last night is NDP from all over the BVI ALLL nine districts trying to make it look good FOOL WHO. Look at alll the NDP rally all over the same people none from the district of promise. As them say Sketter all ah you dead backside. CAN YOU FEEL IT? NOT YET after Nov 7th NDP gone feel it! THE REAL PARTY COMING SOON AND VERY SOON!
      • UH? (21/10/2011, 21:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        You sound very desparate! don't worry NDP will see to it that everyone propers along with the country. just go to the pole and do da ting and vote NDP all the way!
      • Crank Shaft (21/10/2011, 23:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        SO WHAT!!! So people from other districts shouldn't support? LMAO!! Just because the other VIP districts don't attend Fraser's rally?HAHAHAH!! We know not one of them like him and are wishing us to vote him out!! They are NOT a team! They hold their noses to sit on the stage with that man, they don't like him or his policies, that's a fact!! So, NDP is a REAL TEAM which is why you saw so many turn out last night!!! Fraser had a launch tonight, how many people there? LOL!! Is best he had keep that in UP's parking lot to make it look good, hahahahaa!!!! People are FED UP!! All they can do is reply with silly one liners, no common sense! Nobody is here claiming to be smarter than anyone else. We just don't believe in IGNORANCE! You don't need to go to University to get COMMON SENSE!!!! Lil man or big man, we all can see what's going on and we had ENOUGH!! November 7th WE WILL TALK!!!! OJ is the man and many of the young people are looking up to him! It takes STRENGTH and INNER CONFIDENCE to stand up against a man like Fraser, given all the odds!!! This man ain't no punk, he's a REAL DUDE and we respect that! Real recognize REAL!! Out!
        • Hmmmmmmmm (23/10/2011, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          Of course, they should support, but don't lie behind it to comment and make it seem like OJ has the 3rd District! He got out the gate first and was able to say what he wanted or had to say, but the other gate open and we going tell the people what happening. We bringing names, figures and so. I see you all pick up with the visionary party and using pictures. Good, now lets keep rolling. Lip service nah work! and just don't do what sylvester doing in the 8th with them fancy glorified pictures, we want real stuff; things that look real, cause we nah stupid.
  • dem say (21/10/2011, 11:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    OJ your age or not the ppl of the 3rd district WILL not vote for you. 100% for Fraser all the way!!!!the 3rd district belongs to Fraser and that it his seat.
    • vip (21/10/2011, 13:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      oj your speech was dumb last night when the minister launched on oct 8th that was a speech that night and people y u think the horse race flop the next day because horse race was saturday evening as much as u call down fraser u can't walk in that man shoes i work airport and everytime fraser leave the country it was for buisness but u left for pleasure watch out for fraser tonight vip all the way so bvi ley we do the right thing
      • Watery Fart (21/10/2011, 23:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Welfare girl go sit down for godsake! We can tell every time you post because you lack intellect and basic intelligence, no punctuation and proper grammar! Fraser should've offered you a scholarship at the college instead of that envelope! On November 7th, vote for intelligence and common sense over IGNORANCE!!!
    • lovemoredomore (22/10/2011, 15:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      When OJ gets elected I want you to go to him and get assistance to go to school to improve yourself. It does not matter if you vote for him or not, he will help you. We want the young people in the 3rd district to develop to their full potential and be valuable assets in our community.
  • Talk Bring Talk (21/10/2011, 12:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well over 200 a blogger said....The multi million dollar question is.....WERE all those people there from the 3rd....in the picture, I see 5th district people, 1st district people, 6th district people and LOTS of 4th district people....so OJ don't get too excited just yet.....Time will Tell!!! I must say, you were not huffing and puffing last night, so it tells me something has calm you down to get your points CLEARLY across instead of that preaching mentality you had before.
  • Lil Man (21/10/2011, 12:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    If you aint NDP and this funny man sh$t you illiterate, dumb, uneudcated, stupid, high School drop out. Whats next? You will never get the lil man's vote and THATS where you will never get in power! I am a lil man.
    • I'm Grown (21/10/2011, 14:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Too bad for you, "lil man" under the VIP administration, you'll never get a chance to become a big man, NDP are not babysitters, but they empower ppl who believe in themselves, ppl who won't call themselves small. As a "lil man" all you will be able to see when you look up is the bottom of the VIP's shoes, because you've supported the VIP administration for however long and YOU are STILL a little man!!!!! How can you support a team that keeps you under their feet, begging not to get stepped on, that treats you like dogs begging for a bone???? The youths are backing the NDP and they know just as the youths them put them in, they go in their and do nonsense it is the youths who'll take them out, real talk. THAT'S EMPOWERMENT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!
  • SCB YOUTH (21/10/2011, 13:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ALL VIP PPL KNOW HOW TO DO IS SLING MUD!!!!! A BUNCH OF LITTLE KIDS SLINGING MUD!! LEAVE THE MUD SLINGING!
    • red devil (21/10/2011, 16:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      not even on a holiday do you NDP wicked nasty blogges tek a day off...what will you all do on election morning?
    • VG Madam (21/10/2011, 22:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Who slinging more mud than Claude and Myron???? Check ya NDP side!!!
  • Lil Man (21/10/2011, 13:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So we are illiterate, dumb, uneudcated, stupid, high School drop out. Now MUD SLINGERS. You fool we were all born the same way. What makes you and your smart friends better than us? Call us what ever you want. You got out and win the election by your Dam self! I am a lil woman!
  • Green giant (21/10/2011, 13:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    LOL, LIL woman you missed one. "KIDS" I am happy that someone picked this up. You are sooo right its been going on for years now, even in my office. And here i am thinking that i'm the only one feelling like in order to fit in with them the "SMART ONE" I need to vote NDP with them. NO AH ONE VIP ALL THE WAY!
  • Sea Cows Bay Massive (21/10/2011, 14:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Kevin scatter your dead backside for Jehovah sake!!!! you aint to damm Lavity Stoutt...you even does not have one it takes for one for one minute to walk in his footsteps.. stop trying to insult our intelligent…you, Marlon, Myron, Archie, Alvera and the likes got the biggest surprised coming on election night!
    • HELLO!!! (21/10/2011, 16:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      YOU Sea Cows Massive have the biggest surprise coming..Hey, get your pampers ready
      • love bird (21/10/2011, 16:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        ok aaron we have the pampers ready...hope you do not need them before election day!
        • LOL (21/10/2011, 18:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          @love bird I like that one!! The time he there wasting bashing Fraser he should be praying that the judge and jury wait until after election to send him up HMP. Let's see if OJ will go look for him up there!!!
    • ture that (21/10/2011, 16:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      SAME THING I AM SATING OJ IS NO LAVITY STOUTT HE BETTER MOVE FROM HERE WITH HE SH$$$$$T
  • food van (21/10/2011, 16:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I was so disappointed in last night...a bunch of lies and NDP glover park spin. Claude Cline you have not surprised me that is why you run from Detroit, but we will run you from the BVI real soon you wait
  • Forward (21/10/2011, 22:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The truth of the matter is that the entire BVI as a whole is tired of Fraser's rule and such is the case that he needs a "pink slip." Perhaps in 2015 he can try again but as for now, he and his cronies need to do some "soul searching." The privileges of political leadership and power need to be seen as a commodities which can be taken away by your "bosses" i.e. the voting public. So whether we vote NDP, VIP, POP, PPA, UNP, or Independent, REMEMBER time is not to be wasted and the privilege to lead and its spoils, can and will be taken away by your "bosses." When OJ wins he should also keep my words at the front of his mind.
  • Watery Fart (21/10/2011, 23:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    To those wondering where the 3rd District voters were! Firstly, E&B parking lot had over 70 persons of which 40 or so were from the District. Under the tent itself was filled with District folk, it's impossible to see everybody in the one camera shot. And, at the back of the tent on the sidelines there were MANY District persons. There was even a person from the district selling food and made some money at the event. BOO MAN!! Pass by Fraser launch earlier tonight, he had about 20 people HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Nobody want to hear that boring man, WE VOTING HIM OUT!!! OJ had over 200 people and more than half were form the district. Talk to the people in Hannah's! Many will tell you they sat home and listened and LOVED the message! What they loved more was the civility of it! Nobody shouting and disrespecting others, just stating the facts! Can't say the same about Fraser's DESPERATE CAMP! The funniest thing is most of those up under him can't even get paid for work they have done and hoping that by supporting him they will get paid faster hahahahaa!!! Many of them around him already say they voting for OJ anyway so let him stay there, he will see what going on!! Just park our black jeep outside the gate in upper Pleasant Valley! Thank you!!
    • TO: WATERY FART (22/10/2011, 09:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      All the NDP spin form your little tire a$$$$ will not change a thing. We voting for Fraser boss...NDP always have big turn out and still get their a$$$$ cut....remember the motor cade..remember their launch in 2003? This will be just another one of thoes times trust we deman!!!
    • Yes I Said It! (22/10/2011, 10:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You really have some watery fart running out your mouth. Just because the people in Hannah's say the loved the message does not mean they are voting for you. Stop lying bout half from the district, I pass cross and I see a handful of 3rd district voters. At least when fraser had his 20 people ........18 were from the district. Some of you seem mad because Fraser assists the people in his district. I do not see anything wrong with that. We all know when the NDP GET IN , they are only gonna share the wealth with the high society folks while us lower society folks suffer, they could care less! You talking bout the NDP wants to see the youth help themselves instead of training them to be beggars. Excuse Me? I am not on welfare nor do I need an assistance check every month, the elderly more deserves that. But we all know that times are hard here in the BVI and almost everywhere in the world, and it is a great advantage to have a district representative who is there to listen and will be willing to help you out sometimes when you really cant make ends meat like Fraser. Even if is out his own pocket he would give! And they have a certain amount of money alloted for assistance. We all know that Watery Fart/Real Talk/Period Cramps/ Myron and his team just want to use that money for their own personal agenda..thats why the NDP is so against the Financial Assistance provided in the districts. All of you NDP youths really feel that putting in the NDP will help you out and put the country back on track. They are just using you to get in! Myron all about his self! He is a one man show and look how he come and take over the NDP. He up and down in VG and all over the place saying "Just give ME a vote" he aint even campaigning for the rest of his team he is just power hungry! Come November 7, 2011 I know where I putting my X and it dam sure aint by OJ, Doc, Ronnie, Archie nor Myron. So Please go get a piece of paper and wipe all that ... from around your mouth! REAL TALK!!!! HA HA!
      • y do tis (22/10/2011, 11:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        i second the motion...OJ has turned into a desperate fool...look how he exploiting his children for political reasons having them on the stage...shameful I say..but a desperate boy will do anything!
        • win win or else (23/10/2011, 13:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          oh no are they his children on the stage??????...that is indeed exploitation and a sign of a desperate man.....now he has join funny man Myron and broke Mark for the most desperate in the BVI to win a seat!
  • I'm Concern (22/10/2011, 15:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    O.J. Smith you should not say that Mr Frazer is dividing the people because he is in a party. You are also on a party therefor you are also dividing. If You were an Indepedend then you would be calling for UNITY but thats not what you are doing. So go ahead and for the last two weeks try to be straight.
    • Crank Shaft (23/10/2011, 15:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stop being a JACKA$$$! Being in a party doesn't make you a divider! When you are elected by a majority as District Rep, your job is to represent ALL the people in that District, not just those who you think voted for you, that is DIVISION !! All OJ is saying is whether you vote for him or not, WHENNNNNNNN he wins, he will take care of all, that's UNITY!!! Big man and woman got to be hiding to talk to their own family because if the representative see them, after he done train them to eat out of his hand, they can't do without him. That's a leader? That's a representative? People in his own District are dead scared of him because of his vindictiveness and that's leadership? GO SIT DOWN!! VIP are the desperate ones! Tell me what VIP did with over ONE BILLION over the last 4yrs. TELL ME!! You can't, check out the Beacon and other publications to see NDP's accomplishments in their 4yrs. Look at the road right now, roads in East End, West End, all over need paving and the Minister for Communications and Works, He digging up GOOD ROADS in the 3rd District and doing them over, and now paving good concrete roads with asphalts. The roads were good as they were, this should've been done in the more problematic areas. Look at CGBay and others where taxis will be taking thousands of tourists in a few weeks! It's really shameful!!
  • Sea Cow's Bay Gal (24/10/2011, 10:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well sa, only if the crowd coulda vote for OJ. Lordy. A big crowd but not from the 3rd District. LOL LOL. FRASER ALLLLLLLL the WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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