Responding to a question whether Mark H. Vanterpool left the party, Hon. Marlon A. Penn stated, “I can't say that’s accurate. I have not seen anything formal, saying that he has or has not. What I would say is that all the members who ran for office, whether it is the chairmanship or the deputy chairmanship, vow their support of the organisation moving forward, before and after the election.” Photo: Internet Source

Hon. Marlon A. Penn, newly appointed Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), and Representative for the 8th District, has dismissed rumours that Mark H. Vanterpool and the new leadership are disregarding older members of the party. Photo: Facebook

Honourable Penn appeared as a guest on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM on May 4, 2026.

'I can't say that's accurate'

When asked if Mark H. Vanterpool had left the party, he responded, “I can't say that’s accurate. I have not seen anything formal, saying that he has or has not. What I would say is that all the members who ran for office, whether it is the chairmanship or the deputy chairmanship, vowed their support of the organisation moving forward, before and after the election.”

Reports have circulated that Mr Vanterpool departed from the party due to not receiving the majority of votes for the chairmanship, as reported by a source and previously covered by Virgin Islands News Online. Additionally, Vanterpool's jeep was stripped of its NDP design following the party’s elections.

According to Hon Penn, he has not received any written confirmation regarding Vanterpool's status, and until then, he can only trust Vanterpool's word.

Penn dismissed rumours about disregarding older members

In response to other reports suggesting that older members of the party are being ignored, Penn stated, “In fact, we had a convention that brought out, if not all but most of the founding members of the organisation. They were there in full numbers. They were engaged. We engaged them to make sure they participated meaningfully in the process. We will continue to engage them in the process.”

Honourable Penn emphasised that the engagement process continued immediately after the elections:

“We had meetings with our prospective guides. We had a general meeting last week. Some of the founding members were there. They were engaged.”

He noted that committees have been established to implement the party’s plans and vision for moving forward.

“We had a rollout in the 5th district where we were all talking to the people, engaging with the public. So there's no truth to the rumours or the persons who have been spouting this information, that we are disregarding older members of the party, that's not accurate.”

Penn highlighted that older members bring significant experience and knowledge to the party.

He added, “I think you can't just have a lopsided approach to governance and leadership. You can lead a country to leave some of your people behind, whether old, young, or in between.”