Political heavy hitters skip budget debate contributions!
Political veterans and heavy hitters Hon. Julian Fraser RA (R3) Hon. J. Alvin Christopher (R2) as well as Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Ronnie W. Skelton and Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) refused to make any contributions to the debate on the floor.
It remains unclear why the two powerful opposition members who are both Chairman of Political Parties Hons Fraser and Christopher did not contribute to the debate when immediately after the Premier presented his Budget Address on November 17, 2014 they both slammed the budget speech calling Dr. Smith's numbers bogus and warning of the burden of higher taxes on the poor and a cutback in services.
It was equally suspicious that three of the Premier's own Ministers Myron V. Walwyn, Vanterpool, Skelton and government backbencher Marlon A. Penn (R8) refused to say a word in support of the budget that has been widely criticized by the Opposition, the media and civil society.
At one point it appears that Virgin Islands Party boss Hon Julian Fraser wanted to make a contribution, but the Speaker Hon Ingrid A. Moses refused the request advising Hon Fraser that she had asked on more than one occasion, if anyone wanted to make a contribution and she got no response and had therefore asked the Minister of Finance and Leader of government business Hon Smith to wrap up the debate.
The 2014 Budget debate on the 2015 Appropriation Act could be the last Budget in the life of the current House of Assembly (HoA) as the general elections are expected to be called next year according to this news site's sources inside the National Democratic Party Administration.
None of those who did not contribute to the Budget debate could be reached for comments as of post time. Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) was absent for the HoA.
Walwyn flip-flops; claims he is not a magician
Meanwhile after hiring a speech writer Sachkia Barnes-Christopher of Barnes PR on taxpayers’ dime to keep him in the media for the past three years claiming and giving the public the impression that when he got into the Ministry of Education and Culture following the 2011 elections nothing was ever done the controversial Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Walwyn now seems to be backtracking.
Under 'other business' the Minister who is known for parading in front of the cameras and the media with a long laundry list of what he claimed to have done since taking office now admitted that “my party cannot turn around the economy in three years”.
Many of his critics have viewed this as another flip-flop, as during the election campaign he and others in his party promised to fix the economy, and accused the then ruling Virgin Islands Party of not addressing the critical needs of the Territory.
Mr. Walwyn who just a few weeks ago posted a long fancy list of his achievements on his Facebook page, now seemed to be admitting that he has not done much, as he is "no magician".
He told the HoA on December 15, 2014 that he was “hired to be a politician not a magician”. This is certainty a reversal to his normal rant about all the things the NDP has done since taking office, and the horrible state they met the country in.
In addition, many have charged that Minister Walwyn has become one of the most divisive politicians in recent Virgin Islands political memory. On more than one occasion he has taken to the HoA floor not to talk about policies or bread and butter issues, but to advocate for the censoring of the media, especially online news sites, insulting residents, calling opposition members uncomplimentary names, and making threats to residents some of them whom he has never met.
In the rookie Minister's speech on December 15, 2014 under other business some had already labelled it as just using the House of Assembly to campaign and beg for another four years and perhaps confessing that nothing was done, a claim made about the NDP by both the Opposition Virgin Islands Party and the newly formed People's Empowerment Party headed by Hon J. Alvin Christopher (R2).
Many persons for the last three years plus continue to suffer personal financial hardship, unemployment and crime has skyrocketed, the banks are taking residents' land, houses and cars in record numbers, many businesses especially, small and medium size have shut their doors and laid off scores of residents while the Smith Administration continues to tell the public that everything is good, and the economy is booming and robust. With some three murders alone for 2014 Premier Smith continues to tell the public that crime is down.
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28 Responses to “Political heavy hitters skip budget debate contributions!”
It is about time that the NDP wake up to the reality that the economy is not what they say it is.
Represent with integrity, this is what we expect.