Reports reaching our News Centre indicate that Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8), left, has positioned himself to become the Opposition Leader ahead of the negotiation of the constitution in the United Kingdom; however, this requires majority support in the Opposition of which Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6), right, currently leads. Photo: Facebook

While Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), right, has signed for Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) to replace Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) as Opposition Leader, Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), left, is yet to sign in support of Hon Penn. Photo: Facebook

Governor Daniel Pruce has reportedly rejected a request for Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) to become Opposition Leader, since he does not currently have the majority support in the Opposition. Photo: GIS/Facebook

At the time, it was our understanding that Opposition Members Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) and Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) were willing to support Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) for the post; however, things have changed.

The Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Hon Penn, has placed his ‘hat in the ring’, suggesting that he is the only chairman of a political party in the Opposition; therefore, he must be considered for the post.

Efforts to get a comment from Hon Penn were unsuccessful up to the time of publication.

Hon Penn does not have a majority

Hon Walwyn has made clear to insiders that he is not supporting Hon Penn as he ‘cannot lead him’, and it appears that Hon Turnbull, as of the publication of this article, has not signed for Hon Penn to become the Opposition Leader.

Therefore, allegedly, only Hon Skelton signed a letter that went to the Governor seeking Hon Penn to be the Opposition Leader. It is believed that the letter was rejected by Governor Daniel Pruce, asking for a majority. In this case, where there are four members in the Opposition, one cannot only rely on a post of party chairman, but a majority of the opposition, meaning three must sign off before Hon Penn can become the Opposition Leader, according to constitutional experts.

They cannot use the 2016/17 case of two VIP Members, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) and Mr Andrew A Fahie. Hon Fraser was the Opposition Leader following the 2015 general election, when he only had two seats and retained the chairmanship of the VIP. However, following a VIP internal election, Mr Fahie became the party chairman and sought to be Opposition Leader.  Governor John Duncan, at the time, approved Mr Fahie, citing that he was the new chairman of the only political party in the Opposition at the time.

It is now believed that Hon Turnbull will not sign for Hon Penn but could consider Hon Skelton, according to persons familiar with the confusion on the opposition aisles.

The confusion started when Hon Walwyn led a coup (legally, he had a majority at the time) in March of 2025 to oust Hon Skelton as Opposition Leader and formed a group which they labelled The Alliance.  

Is Walwyn anti-Virgin Islands?

One theme throughout the opposition drama is that Mr Walwyn must not be in a position to travel to the United Kingdom with the constitutional negotiating team this year, as he is allegedly anti-Virgin Islands and has no regard for the contributions and recognition of indigenous Virgin Islanders (new phase ancestral Virgin Islanders). Mr Walwyn has denied these claims and said that he continues to help all Virgin Islanders.

A few weeks ago, Mr Walwyn showed his hands again in the House of Assembly (HoA), which angered many Virgin Islanders, when he took the side of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) in the maritime fees controversy, advocating that the Premier must go back to the negotiation table because the USVI Governor Albert A. Bryan Jr had written a letter to the USA President Donald J. Trump (R).

Many residents, talk show hosts and the intellectual class saw Mr Walwyn's behaviour as high treason, while others opined that Mr Walwyn, an attorney, talks too much and has no clue about regional and international affairs. He even claimed that if Mr Trump gets involved, everything will be on the table, including the US dollar; however, Mr Walwyn has not done any research to know that the Territory's use of the US dollar has nothing to do with the President of the United States.

During the negotiations on the maritime fees, Mr Walwyn claimed that the USVI was “eating our lunch”, but he was wrong, as Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D Wheatley (R7) was brilliant at the negotiating table as the Virgin Islands came out a winner. Mr Walwyn once said there is "nothing else he could do to help Virgin Islanders".

The opposition drama continues its efforts to unseat Hon Walwyn, before locals get nothing from the constitutional talks with him as part of the London negotiating team.