Look who attended Hon. Fraser’s party! Hons. Fahie & Christopher
They often complain that the party is dead following defeat at the 2011 polls by the now ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith.
The criticism have not stopped there as supporters and well wishers of the 40-plus year old party have been dismayed with the alleged infighting of the party while in Opposition.
It has been reported that the fight started over who was to be members of the powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a select Committee of the House Of Assembly that is used to investigate wrong doing and corruption of the government in power and civil servants not upholding prudent financial practices.
It is this news site understanding that the Party boss, Hon. O’Neal who Chairs the PAC, appointed Hons. Julian Fraser RA and J. Alvin Christopher and this angered Hon. Andrew A. Fahie who thought he should have been on the Committee.
Too often in the HOA the VIP Opposition also appears to be speaking with different voices with the fire brand Fahie and Fraser taking a more in your face approach and asking aggressive questions, while the Opposition Leader O’Neal and Hon. Christopher appear to be more pensive and listening more; the rope to hang yourselves strategy.
Some have even claimed that at times it seems like Hon. O’Neal is contradicting other Opposition members on their positions on matters in the HOA, which seems like a self inflicted quarrel between camps within the VIP Opposition.
It's not surprising that the same political party members in Parliament, whether Government or Opposition, will have a differing opinion on matters, but what is surprising is that dissenting voices are coming from both camps- NDP and VIP.
Not to let them off the hock, NDP rookie Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Walwyn often seems left field from his party line in the HOA when he is often critical of Labour issues with a Labour Minister he sees in Cabinet each week, and Health issues, most recently on the medical conditions on Virgin Gorda and the need for a mini hospital.
He says this while seeing the Minister for Health once a week in either Cabinet or Caucus. Yes we know that all is not well in the NDP camp in terms of party unity.
Is this a new show of support?
Now back to the topic at hand. While the VIP seems divided, many were caught off guard to see Hons. Fahie and especially Christopher in full support of Hon. Fraser at his annual Holiday function, held on Saturday January 19, 2013 at Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay, one of the biggest parties ever held in his district, and even had some three big bands.
Not only were they in attendance, but laughed and talked like jolly old friends all night and even posed for the cameras.
During the recent 2011 political campaign, it was apparent that some of the VIP members refused to attend campaign launches for some of its very own members.
Look what a year and months out of government can do! This news site caught up with a committee member for Hon. O’Neal to find out why he was not at his colleague Hon. Fraser’s big bash and was told that he was “attending a function in his district (Virgin Gorda) on Saturday night in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Bregardo Flax Educational Centre.”
This news site can confirm that indeed Hon. O’Neal was in his district at the event where he spoke. However, there is still the pending question about how long Hon. O’Neal will be the Opposition Leader as some party insiders and Opposition members are claiming that he has promised to keep the post for 18 months.
No word has been forthcoming from Hon. O’Neal, publicly or privately, on such promise. In fact he told a local TV talk show Real Talk, a programme carried on CBN Channel 51, that his time has not yet reached for retirement from the political arena as he has not received such instructions from the ‘Divine Master’.
It is reported that since the election the VIP has not had a party meeting to analyse why they lost the 2011 elections and why so many of its own supporters have left the VIP in their traditional strong holds; the districts where VIP is still seen as the party for the little man and more compassionate.
However, while many have counted them out before (remember after the 2003 elections) along with Leader O’Neal and with some NDP supporters boasting that their party will be in office for up to 20 years, we at this news site don’t make predictions.
We would simply want to caution pundits and enthusiastic supporters from assuming a prediction they cannot back up so early in the game.
As the Virgin Islands now has a new political culture where voters are willing to change governments every four years as they have no patience for 'business as usual’, one just needs to walk the streets and speak to the common man or women. It may be interesting what you are hearing from the voters just less than two years in the current Administration’s time in office.
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32 Responses to “Look who attended Hon. Fraser’s party! Hons. Fahie & Christopher”
Imagine, only now Ralph is now trying to restore the VIP's "legacy"!
Shameful indeed!
Goon Squad, where was this vote taken and when? Don't you think you need to disclose of that so to lend some credibility to your story?
Imagin, just a simple picture and they are behaving like this.
But hey, if ayo like it, I love it.