The Alliance of, (from left), Hon Stacy R. Mather (AL), Opposition Leader Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6), and Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), is refraining from using the word 'party' to describe it. Photo: Facebook

The Alliance announced that they were moving through the steps to become a political organisation on The Big Story with Cathy O. Richards on JTV Channel 55 on October 13, 2025. Photo: Facebook

The Alliance, which is made up of Opposition Leader Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) and Hons Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), and Stacy R. Mather (AL), broke away from their respective parties to form this group, which they had initially said was a parliamentary alliance for the greater good of the people and territory. 

The trio announced the official formation of their parliamentary alliance as a political organisation during The Big Story on JTV Channel 55, hosted by Cathy O. Richards. 

Following the announcement on October 13, 2025, made by Hon Turnbull, in which he intentionally called The Alliance a “politically formed group”, Ms Richards asked outright if they were a political party. 

Trying to avoid the word party

Hon Walwyn, the ringleader behind further splintering the already divided Opposition, said they are trying to “avoid the word party”, and with reason. 

He explained that they do not “believe in the concept of loyalty to a party” as it has been a problem in the Virgin Islands (VI). 

He claims that The Alliance wants its allegiance to be first and foremost to the people it represents. 

“So when you see our organisation come together, you will see persons traditionally part of one political group or another political group who have now formed an alliance with us, which represents what we have done.”

The word party, he continued, represents too much in local politics and is given preference in terms of decision-making over the country and the people. 

“We really want to avoid that; that’s why we’re not using that term at all.”

An alternative for the people

Hon Turnbull added that the people have told them they are tired and do not want more of the same. 

“So this formation of this alliance in this particular direction is to show the people of the Virgin Islands that we have you as priority, we’re going to listen to your voice and and it is no longer the political parties that exist when you have them complain about what this one did.”

The Alliance, he claimed, will remain people- and development-focused. 

“We’re going to focus on the issues to address on behalf of the people of this territory, so that is the direction that we have decided to take.”

My loyalty is to my people- Hon Mather 

Hon Mather, meanwhile, reiterated his stance that once elected, his loyalty is to his people. 

“My loyalty is not to a political party; a political party is a vehicle to get to an election, and it’s also a vehicle for gathering thoughts, mindsets, funding, whatever, to get to the point of being elected.”

He also claimed that those who have shown interest in The Alliance are not interested in the “same recipe” but in something that allows for “individual thought process”. 

“If you cut me, I bleed country…And I think that we as a people need to move away from this loyalty to a party…we will always push back on the term party because that is not the mindset we want to put out to the public, nor to people who want to sit beside us and walk beside us.”

Political pundits have concluded that the Alliance is only a devious tool by the controversial Hon Walwyn to get another opportunity to become Premier of the Virgin Islands. The last time he tried presenting himself as a candidate for Premier at the polls (VI Elections 2019), he was emphatically rejected by the people, to the point where he lost his seat altogether as an At Large Representative.