‘Victory was assured had I gone VIP’ – Albert O. Wheatley
However, he said that this victory would have been a hollow one because of the fact that while supporters of the VIP would have been in jubilation, the supporters of the National Democratic Party (NDP) would have been unhappy.
It is for this reason that he made the decision to run as an independent candidate with a view to being able to represent all the people without having to subscribe to any party philosophy or to get on a stage and bash members of one side or the other.
“A lot of people have been asking me the question, why an Independent candidate? In the last election roughly 567 individuals voted for the Virgin Islands Party and roughly 535 individuals voted for the National Democratic Party,” he said.
“If I choose to run on the Virgin Islands Party ticket what would I be saying to the 535 persons who supported the National Democratic Party? [Likewise] if I choose to run with the National Democratic Party what would I be saying to the 567 who supported the Virgin Islands Party? It is very important for me to be seen as representing all of the residents of the district and the best way to do that is to be neutral and not appear to be on the side of a group,” he explained.
The political first timer said that too that he has a lot of family and friends on both sides of the spectrum. Further, he said that he was born in North Sound, raised in the Valley and his great-grandfather is from Anegada. “The electorate is very divided so it is important for me to be seen as representing all of the residents of the Ninth District,” he said. “If I should win, all the residents should feel as they are winners and not one group feel as if they have won,” he said.
The religious leader added that he works with the current NDP administration and as such, “I don’t think it would be right and fair and being a man of principle to be on a stage bashing the Government I work with."
Approached by all except NDP
Wheatley claimed he was approached by all of the parties with the exception of the National Democratic Party to run on their various tickets. He singled out the Virgin Islands Party, the People’s Empowerment Party, the People’s Patriotic Alliance and the United Party as all having approached him to run on their ticket. He said in the end he decided on being an Independent candidate as he felt he would best serve the interests of all the people that way.
Ninth District way behind
Wheatley believes that the Ninth District is way behind in its development and said that for a district that contributes so much in terms of tourism dollars it is not reflected in the national budget allocation.
He mentioned the lack of proper medical facilities and a visitor centre on Anegada and he also called for there to be a larger office of the BVI Tourist Board and for an office of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports.
A veteran in hospitality management, Wheatley said that more must be done to ensure that the district remains first in tourism.
“Anegada and Virgin Gorda contribute 75 percent of tourism revenue to the Government coffers. The Tourist Board office in Tortola has two floors of office space. The tourist Board office in Virgin Gorda has two cubicles,” he lamented.
National Budget
Wheatley does not believe that the district is getting its fair share from the national budget especially when it contributes o much in terms of tourism dollars. “It is about time we get our fair share of what we are entitled to,” he said. He noted that of the 11 capital projects identified by Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith in his budget speech earlier this year, just one project was mentioned for District Nine, the Nurse Iris O’Neal Medical Centre.
“If you send me to the Third House of Assembly on June 8, mark my words, on June 9 I will sit with the new Government whoever they are, and the first step is to pick up the budget and overhaul it and find out what is in the budget for Anegada and Virgin Gorda. I am yet to hear one politician in the Ninth District in this campaign mention anything about the budget and if you don’t talk about the budget you are not speaking reality as if it is not in the budget it is not going to happen,” he said.
Wheatley plans to have another meeting in North Sound area next week Thursday June 4, 2015 and plans also to make an appearance on the Morning Ride radio show with Paul ‘Gadiethz’ Peart on Zrod 103.7 FM next week as he seeks to increase visibility.
While last night’s attendance in the Valley was modest by any standards, there were people sitting in their vehicles and honking their horns in support of the points Wheatley was making, which came over as sound and practical and did not seem like pie in the sky promises.
In a simple and direct manner, he urged that persons don’t get carried away by the political talk and just "pick sense out of nonsense" during this campaign season.
A record six candidates are contesting for the Ninth District seat. They are VIP’s Mr Elton L. Sprauve aka ‘All Out’, NDP’s Dr Hubert O'Neal, the People’s Empowerment Party’s Faye J. Reese-Charles and Independent candidates Mr Albert O. Wheatley, Mrs Stephanie I. Faulkner-Williams and Mr Vernon V. Vanterpool.
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44 Responses to “‘Victory was assured had I gone VIP’ – Albert O. Wheatley”
Will not be an excellent rep for the 9th district because he is supporting the NDP who has destroyed us and trying to sell out our lands and water rights to the their rich friends......
The 9 district is between all out and Hubert---Either of them is a better choice than you--stay at large then you will get my vote in 2019, I --at-large only
Blogger when you say or write negative comments on behalf of any candidate those words are like drinking poison hoping it will kill the other man. Every candidate have a right to contest any election.
for. Common sense approach to realistic issues. He has my entire
family for sure.
Every thing he said makes sense.
It is very obvious common sense is lacking, which is why they are
left behind.
Finally someone start to talk bout this budget! VG ain get $h1t for the amount of money the government got. Albert, you got my vote
the NDP done rat him out, I get it from inside source in the NDP that he is an NDP mold place ther to split ALL OUT votes, so Hubert O Neal could win, but Hubert is the wrong O'Neil, V.G don't want him and VG don't want you, go sit your @$$ down and stop trying to fool God and his people.
and the people needs to step up to the plate.
Its obvious a new turning point for the 9th district
I hope they seized the moment,
Inspire of all the ignorance they are hearing.
check your fact from chatting fart.
Dam haters.
Perplexed by Mr. Wheatley reasoning that he is running as an independent candidate so as not to offend supporters of both NDP or VIP. Well, it is about serving and meeting the needs of ALL district residents regardless of party colors. This is not currently the practice for opposition districts get punished for the plurality of voters choice at the polls, ie, D-1, D-2, D-3 and D-9.
Mr. Wheatly is communicating a good message about the needs of the district. Particularly, his message on VG & Anegada contributing 3 of 4 tourism dollars but gets back less than its fair share. The 9th getting its fair share should be on the platfiorm of every candidate.
No man is an island so I don't know why he fooling off the people that he can represent the 9th District without a party affiliation. He's not fooling me. He wanted to run with NDP but they couldn't choose him over Hubert as much as they wanted to because Hubert would have dropped down. So now Albert running "undercover" to take NDP votes from Hubert. Poor Hubert so power hungry he can't see the writing on the wall all these years that NDP never wanted him.
I urge VIP supporters to not get caught up in all the independent candidates hype. DO NOT SPLIT YOUR VOTES. Vote VIP ALL THE WAY..
Like it or not, the wise VIP-ers and NDP-ers NEVER split their votes because each side want their team to come out victorious.
VIP-ers do not split your votes. VOTE VIP ALL THE WAY! Forward ever...backward never.
How dare you compare him to a statesman such as the late Hon. Reeil George!!!!!!!!!! He is secretly running for the NDP, i am ashamed of him seeing that he is a p**tor and all.
Though the government is made up of 13 candidates, It takes 7 winning candidates to win the government. 5 of the 7 are ministers; all other winners on the government side are Backbenchers. Other winners not on the governing party are on the Opposition.
Currently the NDp has 9 of the 13 seats including 5 ministries. Since Mr. Wheatley is running with the NDp, it means that should they win back all 9 seats, or only 7, it means that he will be a Backbencher, since the guys already filling those ministries, will continue to hold on to them. He thus will be receiving only $120,000 a year, referred to as Discretionary Spending.
The same is true for Hubert, if he wins. He will not get a Ministry and will be on the Backbench. So, Virgin Gorda and Anegada, the second largest district, in terms of number of voters, and comprising of 2 islands; will hardly be in a good position. Not good.
By the way, Albert wanted to run with the Vip. However, since one of his two jobs was created for him by Hon Myron, it is alleged that he was called on it. Also note that his marketing colors, (flyerts etc, are of similar colors to the Ndp's). Since Albert has a preference, (or are in a position where he has to be in support of the Ndp), a vote for him or Hubert would be equal to a vote for Kedrick Pickering; the minister who declared that "He's proud to have "Rich white friends, and that others are jealous of him as such"
On the other hand, should the VIPs win the government with all 7, (say 5 District and 2 At Large, not far fetched at all), including the Mr. Sprauve he would be in a very good position to command a Ministry, since there are 5 ministries, with Frazer and Fahie occupying two of them, with 3 to be filled; a very good position to be in. The 9th District needs to have a Ministry; the Natural Resources Ministry in particular.