Opposition Leader Skelton pulls out of joint press conference with Premier Wheatley
The Governor noted that he was not satisfied with the pace of the one man-Commission of Inquiry (CoI) recommendations being achieved by the Government and demanded more powers so he could be in full control of the Territory.
Following an informal HoA meeting on Friday, January 5, 2024, elected members agreed that both the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and Leader of the Opposition Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) will hold a joint press conference schedule for today Monday 8, January 2024, to speak with one voice on the Governor’s recolonisation attempts.
However, late last evening, Hon Skelton pulled out and announced that he and the entire three-party Opposition will hold its own press conference. He claimed he did not want the Opposition to get distracted by the Government not completing its goal of fulfilling the CoI recommendations.
Divide and conquer?
While it’s our understanding that the Opposition was divided over the issue of the joint press conference, some had supported the move. It remains unclear the real reasons why Hon Skelton pulled out but many called our newsroom saying the situation is no surprise as the “UK having the people just where they wanted them, divided.”
Governor Rankin himself has not achieved many of the recommendations he is responsible for in the CoI report and it remains unclear who will hold him accountable for his failures.
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36 Responses to “Opposition Leader Skelton pulls out of joint press conference with Premier Wheatley”
All now the pilot cant find Beef Island(7!million)
8 million for sewage: The million dollar wall: pier parks millions on over run:
The people elected 13 of them a few days ago and now they can not work together for the good benefit of our people(looking to score political points
maybe be to late for this territory to score points with the UK from the political leadership perspective because they think our people are incompetent to oversee Her British Overseas Territory!!!!!
will always say the current opposition had the golden opportunity to lead the this place and was incompetent and loose that opportunity(the 3 of them wanted to be the premier)
U fully understand this thing
The governor has been sending warning shots EVERY SINGLE TIME he gave us an update. Cleary he was being ignored.
Now the governor has pulled a trump card the Premier bawling.. The governor give you one sliver of daylight. Please take it and go do your homework if you are so worried about the governor's additional powers he seeks.
THE PIER PARK MONEY
THE EAST END ROAD MONEY
THE PLANE MONEY
THE SWEWAGE MONEY
THE INCINERATOR MONEY
THE WATER & SEWAGE MONEY
THE HEALTH MONEY
THE INCREMENTS YEARS BACK
NOW THEY ADD TO PEOPLE'S PAY YOU ALL STILL BLAMEING THEM BECAUSE OF THE STRAIN THAT IS THERE NOW
IT WASN'T THEM, ACCORDING TO SHAGY!!!!
& THE LIST CAN GO ON & ON
mistskes that the COI found , I just had a little free -jam and do a little traveling here & there for to get my head together
The people and elected members are complicit in and provides the energy and fuel in setting the environment for the Governor’s omnipotence, autocratic tendencies, etc. Disunity, divide and rule, divide and scatter,,appeasement, etc is the recipe for the Governor’s egregious behavior, attitude and action. In this grave hour, Virgin Islanders , both elected and non-elected, should be coming together to work cooperatively, collectively and collaboratively, not divide and scatter. The Governor is weaponizing national disunity against the VI and its people. The Opposition is poorly led and has a problem with trust, commitment, organizing, planning, etc. The behavior of the Opposition is a tailor made action for Governor and the rest of the cabal forge fullspeed ahead. Clearly, the Opposition lacks the understanding and importance and effectiveness of unity, collect group effort, etc. Numeric/numbers leads power or power follows numbers. The Opposition is a gross disappointment and colossal failure. The Government is ‘green’ and lacks the leadership juice to get people motivated behind issues of national interest. The VI is @#$&%ed!
1. Does the UK- appointed Governor have unilateral power, ie, retained power, reserve power, assent power, etc? Can devolved powers, ie, Independence, etc., be easily reversed?
2. Does the UK- appointed Governor have control of all security functions, ie, internal security, including, RVIPF, HMP, etc?
3. Is the local government at a severe disadvantage in having an entity to report concerns to and get a fair , honest l, equitable review to get concerns redress?
4. Is there any daylight between the Governor’s Office, and Foreign , Commonwealth and Development Office?
5. Is the divide and rule, divide and scatter conditioning, engineered by Willie Lynch still effective in the Virgin Islands ?
6. Is it a common practice with colonialism to split a country into sectors, choosing on sector to help who will then be beholden to it?
7. Is colonialism about power, control, influence, exclusion, racial superiority, special privilege, entitlements?
8.. Is meritorious manumission still used effectively in the Virgin Islands?
9. Is change needed in the Virgin Islands? Are Virgin Islanders trying to use appeasement to effect change? Can change be attained through appeasement?
10. Will the continued disunity among Virgin Islanders derail any change?
11. Is Governor Rankin having loss of power withdrawal symptoms with his impending retirement ?
12. Did former controversial Governor Gus Jaspert left the Gary Hickinbottom CoI as a deliberate parting gift to incoming Governor John Rankin? Is John Rankin doing the same for incoming Governor Daniel Pruce with the bombshell power grab? Does either the Crown or Parliament give a rat’s @$$ about what is happening in the VI and other OTs?
13. Has the UK drop some 7 levels on the corruption radar? Is the Uk leading by example in regards to corruption?
14. Will Governor Rankin power grab diminish democracy, freedom, liberty, basic human rights, etc?
15. Should the VI hold a referendum on self-determination, ie., integration, free association, independence?
16. Is it in the best interest of Virgin Islanders to stay silent while watching their rights, freedoms, democracy, human rights, etc, diminished?
17.Should Virgin Islanders follow the example of Dolph Faulkner and the 1500 Great March of 24 November, Noel Lloyd and PAM and agitate, advocate and protest for lasting change?
Many and I don't want the UK to dictate to us, and should never agree, but neither did we voted for our local political leaders to do the same, and should never agree. But how would we be able to correct others when we ourselves need correction? The first to looked is to look within or better said examine our thoughts, word and actions towards others.
However, I do hope that the UK leaders will not dare overstep authority and cause turbulent matters to become more turbulent as are
Commissioner John Augustus Cockburn Cruikshank abuse of his power set a 3.00 am fire which some the Great March of November 1949 with some 1500 protesters had to doused. The Wickham Cay and 4/5 of Anegada 1968 fiasco was a 3:00 am fire that Noel Lloyd had to extinguish. Who are the leaders, movement who are going resist and doused this current fire???
This website is poisonous.
Like the Honourable Ronnie Skeleton said, the opposition has their own ideas in reference to the Topic Issue on hand, full implementations of the 49 CoI recommendations, same does the the government 's ruling Team and the UK that is being represent by Governor John Rankins.