Virgin Islander and proud daughter of the soil Mr Shaina M. Smith, is promising to put the territory first and fight for women’s issues as an at-large candidate under the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM). Photo: PVIM

In her speech last Friday, December 7, 2018, at the PVIM launch event, Ms Smith, who is an engineer by education, a project manager by profession and owner of Smith & Associates, said she understood—from an early age—the importance of civic pride and community service. Photo: PVIM

In her speech last Friday, December 7, 2018, at the PVIM launch event, Ms Smith, who is an engineer by education, a project manager by profession and owner of Smith & Associates, said she understood—from an early age—the importance of civic pride and community service.

Preserving legacy

“With that awareness in me, when I graduated from University, returning home to serve where needed was the only option,” she said.

“Thus, I started my public service career in 2003 and during my time there, I understood how blessed we are as a community and decided to be a part of preserving this legacy for the next generation in whatever capacity I was afforded,” Ms. Smith told the crowd at the launch event.

“My eight years in the Ministry of Finance gave me many opportunities to a front row seat to the country’s governance machinery, and it was then that I felt drawn to enter the political arena and be a solution to the concerns that I would speak about.”

 “I will fight for a better Virgin Islands, where women are empowered to take care of their families through equal pay for equal work. I will push for better compensation and retirement benefits for public officers through a more efficient public service,” Ms Smith said.

The project manager notes also, that she will advocate for consumer protection policies and better interest rates on savings and loans, “to help our people have a high quality of life and own a home.”

Frustrated

Ms Smith said that as a citizen of the Virgin Islands (VI), over the years she has grown frustrated with the lacklustre performance of past governments.

“From my many conversations with persons this past year, I know people are wary of the political rhetoric and frustrated with the mediocre performance of past governments. And some have said they didn’t plan to vote because there wasn’t a plausible option… I too am disillusioned,” she said.

“… but I am here tonight to say to us, hope is here! We have heard about the Virgin Islands being at crossroads during the last three elections, but I truly believe that these are critical times in our country’s history and now more than ever, we need to exercise the power that is ours,” she said.

“Let me put it like this,” she uttered, “the Virgin Islands… needs a Progressive team who has the experience, knowledge, skillset and will to do what is necessary to get it well again.”

She says the PVIM and its team is well equipped to do so in encouraging citizens to put the territory first and vote for the movement.