Hon. Walwyn is a ‘rookie to politics’-Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal
"When you make a rookie a Minister, I mean he is a lawyer, but still he is a rookie to politics and rookies are always trying to push to make it seem that they are doing something," said Hon. O'Neal.
These were the words of veteran legislator Hon. O’Neal in an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online when asked about the controversial Minister for Education and Culture.
While staying far from being too critical of Hon. Walwyn, Hon. O’Neal said it’s the way things work, “Mr. Walwyn has to prove himself, he has to work hard and show that he is doing something whether or not he is….that is how rookies operate, they have something to prove.”
When asked what rating he will give to the rookie Minister Walwyn, Hon. O’Neal said it was too early to rate him as I myself served as a Minister for Education, "he has a tough job... It isn't easy" noted O'Neal.
$100G Dinner for teachers
When asked about the controversial dinner hosted by the Hon. Walwyn for teachers costing tax payers a hundred thousand dollars, the Leader of the Opposition-O’Neal said he has not seen the breakdown on what was paid for. However, Hon. O’Neal who himself also served in his earlier career as a school teacher and Principal, said he endorsed the idea of honouring the teachers as they work hard. However, he said the cost was another issue.
Hon. O’Neal said that seldom we recognize teachers for their role in molding the nation and their value to the country. Teachers, Hon. O’Neal said, go a long way in helping “to educate the lawyers, the doctors, the computer people the scientists and so on...”
He also said other professions should be recognized, including police officers, and firefighters as they play a critical role in the development of any country. He added that their pay package need to be looked at also.
Hon. O'Neal said the Minister told the House of Assembly that each year the honouring of teachers will take a different format but “we will wait and see," Hon O'Neal said.
When asked if he could list some things that have been accomplished by the Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Walwyn the Opposition Leader who has a sharp memory had a long pause. Hon. O’Neal said he had just heard on the news that Mr. Walwyn was making inroads with Her Majesty's Prison. However, Hon. O’Neal did not name what any of “the inroads” were.
The Ninth District Representative and first Premier said most of what the Education Minister Hon. Walwyn was doing was things left over from the Virgin Islands Party Government.
This is how Government works, when they come into office you will hear them saying everything the previous government did was bad, they criticise everything done by the previous government but when you look at it they carry on most of the plans of the previous government," Hon. O’Neal said. “They may reject certain polices outright but they will carry on others although not giving the previous government any credit for it.”
NDP was opposed to the London House
The legislator who served in the Virgin Islands Parliament from 1975, recalled how the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government of Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith was the biggest opponent to the idea and setting up of the BVI House in London. “Dr. Smith and others jumped up in the Legislative Council and was so opposed to my government idea.”
However, just recently when they had the celebration of its 10th anniversary “you see the picture of the Premier bragging about the usefulness of this house….you should go back to the transcript of how they were so against the idea back then,” O’Neal told this news site. "Do you hear them giving credit to my government who started the London House?"
Hon. O’Neal told this news site that “the NDP was playing politics at the time that they had opposed the setting up of the London House, so today we see many of the same things they had opposed when we were in, they are carrying on the same things.”
Hon. O’Neal strongly opposed Censorship of the media
When asked if he agreed with the rookie Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn on censorship of the media, Hon. O’Neal said, “no! no! no! we can never support this in our democracy.”
The former Premier said he is strongly opposed to any form of censorship and said the NDP has created a new political culture with such ideas.
He recalled how a columnist in the BVI Beacon [the local Tabloid], “I can’t remember his name at this time but I think he has since passed away, used to always write negative things about me, investigate everything I did even before I became Chief Minister and I never one day tried to shut him down or up…that is democracy.”
“I also remember that when I served as Minister for Natural Resources and Labour the same gentleman, who was so negative in his writing almost weekly against me, had an application before me for a Non-Belonger Land Holding Licence and everyone thought I would have not approved it….but I did...I was able to separate his criticism of me and my responsibility as a Minister to be fair to all,” the veteran legislator told this news site.
Hon. O’Neal said his government endured so many negative criticisms from the media and talk shows but "never did you hear me or any of my Ministers calling for censorship, never.”
Hon. J. Alvin Christopher, the normally reserved member for the Second District, also lashed out at Hon. Walwyn on his advocacy for censorship of the media.
Hon. Walwyn in the House of Assembly had called for censorship of the media and continues to be critical of one online news site, which many believe is childish and a personal attack. Recently, he claimed that his words were mis-interpreted and he was not calling for censorship but “responsible reporting”.
He also accused the media recently of taking his words out of context when he said in the House of Assembly that “Madame Speaker, when we reflect on spending over the years past such as a $136,626.26 for a 45-minute speech by Judge Mathis that has done very little for us”. The upset Judge has since called many of the local media houses to refute what Hon. Walwyn said to the people of the Virgin Islands. It turns out that the American Judge, Greg Mathis, received less than $15,000 for his visit to the Virgin Islands.
Many persons in the community believe it was a way to get back at Hon. Andrew A. Fahie who was then Minister for Education and Culture and an attempt to justify Mr. Walwyn’s $100,000 spent on a dinner to honour teachers.
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47 Responses to “Hon. Walwyn is a ‘rookie to politics’-Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal”
Positive discourse will lead to positive things, but divided politics will always lead to gridlock. Projectory to nowhere.
Tony was grateful Mr. O'Neal took his constant chiding very well. Tony would mention his articles to me on several occasions, if I had missed them. Though he was very hard on Mr. O'Neal in particular, he had a great deal of respect for him as well. Or so he said. It might be hard for some of us to believe that, considering the content of some of his articles! But Tony always did his research and had his facts straight before setting pen to paper.
I believe that censorship is the single biggest evil in our world today. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought is at the epicentre of modern politics and modern life. Trying to control the media or an individual through censored speech, expression or thought is nothing less than tyranny. In my opinion, anyone who would support such a notion may not be a suitable leader.
Cases in point: China and North Korea. The average person in these two countries are almost completely in the dark as to what is going on in the outside world because their governments maintain control over the media and even legislate what may or may not be said in public. It is a real travesty. It is something that leaves me shaking my head in disbelief.
Kudos to Mr. O'Neal for standing up for the media and freedom of speech! Without it, the incumbents could do anything they please and the little man would have no voice at all. Sometimes, I think some politicians forget they are elected by the very people they want to suppress, control and manipulate, to their own ends.
It seems the truth is often an inconvenient annoyance for various politicians. The truth makes them answerable to the general public. And for some, I suppose that is a scary notion, as the truth has a way of damaging and even ending political careers!
Soooooooooo, when Ralph was newly elected to government, he was a political giant or a rookie?
It is the moo-moo-ness of these bloggers that offer the most comics. Anyone new to politics will be a rookie. But I can say that for a rookie, Myron has done a damn good job so far-much more than a lot of those alot of aryo considered giants in the industry.
Let Ralph stay there with his foolish noise. Why don't he go help the people of Virgin Gorda-those 60% who are still renting and can't own anything? Any politician with such a track record after spending more than two decades in office would be considered an abysmal failure.
Now aw gon wait for the moo-moo them to reply. Let's see, "OOOOO", ahhh,
Freedom of speech actually comes with some responsibility, let us not wear ignorance as a badge of honor.
M***n get off the short term gain for long term pain I say
He has potential to do good but he to hasted and vindictive he need to cool out and keep off the media
know full well he has.
He is just out for lunch as usual and remain clueless.
Anything to do with Myron and the NDP will be the same old $h1t, GUARANTEED.