‘Party system has failed the VI’ – VG resident
When residents of the Virgin Gorda communities were given the opportunity to be as candid as they possibly can at the first general community meeting of the Virgin Islands Party held at the Ashford Waters Community Centre, Valley Virgin Gorda, they took the opportunity and spoke their minds. “This is my personal opinion… it may not be your but its mine…. I say it is my opinion,” the resident was very emphatic in stating.
While noting that she is cognizant of the fact that no one is perfect and the fact that there are a lot of issues that are not being addressed, the resident directed to Chairman of the VIP Honourable Julian Fraser RA the question, “If your party is elected to power 2015-2016 what will you do differently to convince me and others that the party system does work in the Virgin Islands?”
“You would first have to let me know what is it in your opinion that causes you to believe that the party system has failed. I can’t agree that the party system has failed, what have you seen and consider to have been a failure?” questioned Hon. Fraser.
Further responding to the question of the resident Hon Fraser suggested that it may have been a scenario where a government might have failed as opposed to a party. “If the leader of a party has failed at any point to discipline his ministers you cannot blame that on the party system that a government that failed,” he said.
Further elaborating on her reason for her opinion the resident posited, “For the last elections of 2011 a lot of people were upset with your government (VIP) and thus felt that we have to change but change to the NDP. And now you are hearing that the NDP is now ruling and a lot of people are upset and the want a change to another party, so thus my statement that it seems like the party system is not working,” expounded the resident.
She further opined that the system should see the voting for thirteen men and women throughout the Territory to form the government as opposed to voting for a particular Political Party.
“You are looking for the Ideal system,” Hon Fraser responded noting that he understands the point the resident was trying to get over. He said that was what was thought of when the At-Large system started in the VI. “Today it has turned out to be an abject failure because the party themselves are crafty enough to incorporate anything that you bring forward unless you enshrined in a constitution that these people may not join a party but trust me they will align themselves with a party,” said Hon Fraser.
He said that the problem with politicians of today is that they are not listening to the people on the ground, something he admitted to have been guilty of, not deliberately.
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19 Responses to “‘Party system has failed the VI’ – VG resident”
been more accurate. The district is in disarray and very obvious.
These people need to be more honest with the public.