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2019 Elections: Entire Ex NDP Cabinet wiped out!

2019 Elections: Entire Ex NDP Cabinet wiped out! Photo: VINO/File
The former Premier and Minister for Finance, Dr D. Orlando Smith, selected not to run again in the 2019 General Elections. Photo: VINO/File
The former Premier and Minister for Finance, Dr D. Orlando Smith, selected not to run again in the 2019 General Elections. Photo: VINO/File
Then Deputy Premier and former Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and now a former Legislator, Dr Kedrick D. Pickering, who represented District 7 from 1999 to 2019, was defeated in a three-man race. Photo: VINO
Then Deputy Premier and former Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and now a former Legislator, Dr Kedrick D. Pickering, who represented District 7 from 1999 to 2019, was defeated in a three-man race. Photo: VINO
Former Minister for Health and Social Development, Ronnie W. Skelton was fired from the NDP Cabinet and formed his own party—Progressives Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM). Photo: VINO/File
Former Minister for Health and Social Development, Ronnie W. Skelton was fired from the NDP Cabinet and formed his own party—Progressives Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM). Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The five Cabinet Members for the National Democratic Party (NDP) are all in the history books.

They served for eight consecutive years in Cabinet, between 2011 and 2019 and now not one of the five, will be sworn-in, to the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA), on March 12, 2019.

The five NDP Cabinet Members had their faith determined via different ways.

Premier & Deputy gone

The former Premier and Minister for Finance, Dr D. Orlando Smith, opted not to run again in the 2019 General Elections.  

Many had predicted that if he did run, he would have been defeated, as his leadership style came under heavy criticism, including from his own members.

Then Deputy Premier and former Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and now a former Legislator, Dr Kedrick D. Pickering, who represented District 7 from 1999 to 2019, was defeated in a three-man race.

He lost to Honourable, Dr Natalio D. Wheatley (D7).   

Dr Pickering was kicked out of the NDP by former Legislator Myron V. Walwyn—a party Dr Pickering was listed as a founder—and was forced to run as an Independent.

Fired & looser  

The former Minister for Health and Social Development, Ronnie W. Skelton, was fired from the NDP Cabinet and formed his own party—Progressives Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM).

He ran as an At Large but lost, coming in 7th place out of 16 Candidates, in a race where only the top four are elected.

In addition, Mr Walwyn, the former Minister for Education and Culture in the last Cabinet was also defeated.  

He was the Chairman of the NDP but failed to make the top four, coming in 5th place, losing by over 600 votes.

Mr Walwyn had become the symbol of divisive politics in the Territory putting locals against Caribbean brothers and sisters and picking a fight with neighbouring, United States Virgin Islands (USVI).

Resigned

Mr Mark H. Vanterpool, the former Minister for Communications and Works who was successful at the February 25, 2019, polls to represent District Four, resigned a week later—forcing his District into a By-Elections.

Critics of the NDP noted that the eight years of the Dr Smith Cabinet, led to the destruction of the country, in particular financially, with a small school wall for $1.6M, a $7.2M plane where there was no flights or no plane, a $16M loan for road infrastructure that is yet to materialise and some $10M in Airport consultancy with no runway expansion.

 The NDP symbol of corruption  

The NDP had become the symbol of corruption, and mismanagement of public funds and now they (NDP Cabinet) are all gone.  

Former Governor John S. Duncan OBE, said publicly that they were corrupt and had no spending priority.  

In addition, Skelton, a former Cabinet Member, labelled them on the just recent campaign trail, as corrupt.

17 Responses to “2019 Elections: Entire Ex NDP Cabinet wiped out!”

  • Tired Now (11/03/2019, 15:49) Like (82) Dislike (8) Reply

    How long will you keep beating the NDP dead horse of loss and ineptitude. Your party is in. Focus on their achievements and plans. Those are far better stories than ones of bitternes and failures.

  • ndp (11/03/2019, 16:05) Like (56) Dislike (3) Reply

     It’s VIP in now. Ndp is history move on.

  • VIP Supporter (11/03/2019, 16:16) Like (38) Dislike (0) Reply

     Time to move forward in unity. Be careful whose toes you mash because life is a circle. This behavior is no better than the NDP raise above not stoop to that level.

  • wize up (11/03/2019, 16:34) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    will the fallen(those who did not recapture their seats) or wounded(those who ran in 2019) be invited to the gathering on Tuesday 12 March
  • Politico Nuevo (11/03/2019, 17:51) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Any entity, ie, Agency, Office, country, continent, organization.........etc engaged in corruption and mismanagement is doomed to fail. Any truly democratic government that is fairly tagged with corruption and mismanagement is kicked out of office. Further, any government that is not meeting the needs of the voters is kicked to the curb. In regards to NDP, a strong case can probably be made for mismanagement but corruption has to be supported with concrete facts. Investigations need to be conducted to determine if corruption indeed occured. If corruption indeed occurred, then the people involved/accused should have due process. Clearly, the NDP self destructed. Political cannabilism took hold. Self interest trumped public interest. It was one of those before issues, ie before you none. The tribe was annihilated and the village torched. Now the NDP is out in the wilderness, trying to forge its way into contention. The VIP has the opportunity to do some big things and do the right things and if it does, the NDP may have a long sojourn in the wilderness. Nonetheless, IMO the discrete approach being taken thus far is concerning. The way forward must be guided by a well-structured and integrated strategic plan. I may be out on a dry limb by myself with my concern. But it is all good and rolling with the punches.
  • Line dem up (11/03/2019, 18:06) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    Get a Rope.
  • Hmm (11/03/2019, 21:01) Like (7) Dislike (29) Reply
    Myron trying to get back in power by running in the 4th District.
  • my 2 cents (11/03/2019, 22:13) Like (12) Dislike (14) Reply
    I hope never to comeback
  • Voters (12/03/2019, 05:57) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The bvi have a chance to start a new day
  • vip blogger (12/03/2019, 06:41) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    It’s time to move on. Let’s show what we can do as the party that’s in right now. Had enough of your dead reporting on NDP. Let’s stay focused and keep the hate out. Election is over. Get over the trill and move forward ever.
  • The Ladder (12/03/2019, 08:38) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    The same ladder that take you up . Is still there to bring you down . They turn their backs on the youths, xpats and belongers ..
  • Distracted (12/03/2019, 13:24) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don’t get distracted that Looser is used vs Loser..... Carry On
  • Patriotic (12/03/2019, 16:58) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    good riddance , change is good , ndp could not even bring relieve to the motoring public by re installing traffic lights ,just imagine other things . EXPATS WHO WERE NATURALISE ,99 PERCENT VOTE FOR VIP THATS WHERE THE WIN COMES FROM
  • concern (12/03/2019, 17:02) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    ANY GOVERNMENT THAT IS ANTI PRESS AND HOSTILE TO THE MEDIA ALWAYS GOING TO LOOSE . THE PEOPLE SEE THE MEDIA HOUSES AS THEIR MEANS OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION . POLITICIANS ALWAYS COMMIT POLITICAL SUCIDE BY ATTACTING THE PRESS.


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